Hollywood, Los Angeles - the team at Titanic Belfast were delighted to accept a THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement – Visitor Experience Re-envisioned at the ‘Oscars’ of visitor attractions.
The THEA Awards, organised by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), recognise achievement, talent and personal excellence from those who bring incredible experiences to life for people around the world. This is the first time an attraction has won twice in its 30-year history.
In addition to winning the industry accolade, Judith Owens MBE, Chief Executive of Titanic Belfast was a keynote speaker at the signature conference event, which was attended by international themed entertainment professionals and industry leaders. Judith had the opportunity to share the story of the reimagined Titanic Experience which opened in 2023 following a multi-million-pound refreshment programme.
The 2024 global winners, included rides and large-scale theme parks. with huge players including Disney’s Guardian of the Galaxy:Cosmic Rewind, Florida; Bermuda Storm – Chimelong Spaceship, Guangdong, China; and SeaWorld® Yas Island, AbuDhabi.
Some of the highlights from the conference were those experiences being created in more unusual settings such as Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky. Here, the entire atrium of Haikou Duty Free Shopping Complex has become a colossal, theatrical experience of lighting and multimedia shows to attract retail visitors.
Geneva Journey: one of the largest drone events in Europe featuring the Neptune (the largest sailing boat on Lake Geneva and protected historic monument) and nearly 2000 drones telling the story of aliens visiting Geneva and reinterpreting what they see.
Le Mime et L’Étoile, Puy Du Fou, France - a 27 minute theatrical tribute to the beginnings of cinema incorporating 120 performers in a symphony of dance, music, and storytelling – all delivered in a 40,956 square-feet building. Other winners included a two hour Peaky Blinders show that allows visitors to choose their own ending, Eatrenalin – a Michelin starred dining experience which doubles up as a ride (yes, a ride) and Johnnie Walker Princes Street, an immersive whisky attraction breathing life into the heart of Edinburgh’s retail district.
Insightful panels discussed future challenges on how to engage Generation Z and Generation Alpha – how attractions are competing with gaming industry and home entertainment and what this means for the future.
However, what came through loud and clear was that demand and need for physical and emotional connection and the art of storytelling. Titanic Belfast delivers this in abundance and it is no wonder that the international THEA delegates were clearly captivated by what has been achieved in Belfast.