Trends
Going Green
Going green is the way of the future. Going green means you are helping to save energy and doing your part to foster environmental stewardship and minimize any negative impact to our natural surroundings.
LEEDS
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.
LEED points are awarded on a 100-point scale, and credits are weighted to reflect their potential environmental impacts, or the lack of impact. The five categories are:
Additionally, 10 bonus credits are available, four of which address regionally specific environmental issues. A project must satisfy all prerequisites and earn a minimum number of points to be certified.
Authenticity
“Truth in branding”. In an increasingly designed, fabricated world of formulated messages and planned experiences--where nearly everything encountered is created. Today, real experiences from real places, is sought. It is no longer enough for people to be immersed in the experience, people want the real deal. This means people are willing to forego plush amenities to obtain first hand experience.
Sustainability
Sustainability typically centers on the physical aspects of a project; materials and finishes, construction methods, energy consumption and longevity. Although this traditional thinking is true and valid, there is more. The project “Content” is an equally sustainable project element. When the project content is handled with an interpretive plan visitors have a more meaningful and relevant experience. The core element in the interpretive plan is the telling of stories inherently derived from the site, threaded together with a theme. The interconnected web of stories and theme fosters an understanding and appreciation of the big picture, resulting in an increase of involvement, service, support and stewardship.
Sustainability triple
Projects, organizations, and/or businesses require planning in three areas; economic sustainability, environmental sustainability and social sustainability. "Without economic sustainability, a practice will obviously not continue; without environmental sustainability, the planet won't support it; and without social sustainability, which means it supports human systems and social structure, it won't continue," "These three components are what makes something succeed over time."
Eco, Green and Sustainable tourism
Eco-tourism: is responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people. A walk through the rainforest is not eco-tourism unless that particular walk somehow benefits that environment and the people who live there. A rafting trip is only eco-tourism if it raises awareness and funds to help protect the watershed.
Green Tourism: Often used inter-changeably with eco-tourism and sustainable tourism but more accurately described as "any activity or facility operating in an environmentally friendly fashion".
Sustainable Tourism: Any form of tourism that does not reduce the availability of resources and does not inhibit future travelers from enjoying the same experience. If the presence of large numbers of tourists disturbs an animal's mating patterns so that there are fewer of that species in the future then that visit was not sustainable. Kayaking school on a free flowing river is an example of sustainable tourism.
Auto tours
Auto tours programs have become and popular and enjoyable activity because of a marriage of; love affair with the automobile, beautiful scenic roads and new technology providing on-demand location based interpretation. That popular experience is based on intrinsic values that already exist. It does not have to be built “so they will come,” it is already here and the communities can use their association with the Scenic Byways to make the most of their proximity to mountains, lakes, wilderness and cultural resources.
New technology
Digital mobility - On demand, on location interpretation
Ever since the first sign was placed, the struggle to how best make information available without detracting from the beautiful, natural surroundings has been on-going. Now handheld devices equipped with GPS can deliver targeted interpretive content with text, audio, video as no sign panel can. On demand, on location interpretation is now here. Walking a nature trail or visiting a significant site can be accompanied with encyclopedias of information via a hand held device.
Interactive multi-touch table
Built for busy public environments, a multi-touch table supports intuitive gestures, allowing visitors to interact and explore custom exhibits. With multiuser support, the Table serves as digital gathering place, allowing visitors to interact with content and each other. Intuitive gesture-based multiuser exhibits are the next generation of computer-based interactive exhibits.
Business Displays
Modular exhibits
In the search for more environmentally responsible exhibits there has been a greater recognition of the value of modular exhibits as compared to traditional custom exhibits. Custom modular exhibits are, on average, lighter in weight, comprised of fewer materials, thus require less energy to handle, manage and transport. By nature of the components they are made of, custom modular exhibits are much easier to separate into recyclable components at the end of their useful life.
Special Events
Special Events have emerged as a successful Face-to-Face marketing strategy because of the focused, direct interaction with the customer. Events take many forms; meetings, social events, annual gatherings, or awards galas, or perhaps a sponsored activity, charity fundraiser or sporting event. No matter the venue or focus, special events often have an element of exclusivity, and can afford companies the opportunity to present their message to a receptive audience without distractions.
Industries
Museums, amusement parks & themed attractions, entertainment, zoos and aquariums and even retail stores are learning, taking and adopting what works and what is effective. In the highly competitive business for visitors, each is slowly starting to resemble the other as they grow and evolve. Each industry has a role to play in the collective success, so we look at each.
Edutainment
Similar to “shoppertainment”, the combination of shopping and entertainment, “edutainment”, combines programmatic education found in traditional children’s and/or science museums with family entertainment centers. Two centers, Kid City in Mexico and Wanna Do in Florida, are benchmarks of this new idea. At the center of this type of establishment is the
role-playing concept. Children learn daily math and science by role-playing a wide variety of vocation types -- doctor, fire fighter, pilot, etc.
The Museum Industry
Modern museums (especially children’s) are places where exhibits immerse you and let you experience events. New exhibits create total environment re-creations, allowing visitors to travel to far-off destinations or back in time. “This new museum approach is more than just good ideas, it produces positive results,” says Joseph Wisne of the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio. COSI is at the forefront of creating science worlds and organizing science around themes. "The purpose of these exhibits is to take people to "real" places that involve all their senses, inspire them to see science as exciting and relevant, engage them in scientific processes, and to create a sense of wonder, which encourages visitors to stay longer and makes learning memorable."
The Entertainment Industry
The entertainment industry encompasses many entities: Amusement Parks, Themed Attractions, and Family Fun Centers (FEC). Amusement/themed attractions and FEC’s are adding content to their mix. Content in the form of educational programs, factual accuracy and a historical basis. An excellent example of this is the Universal Studios attraction "Jurassic Park". In addition to providing the water splash log ride, a visitor center exhibit is complete with dinosaur skeletons, dioramas depicting the habitats of prehistoric life, and interactive exhibits in which the kids can push, pull, climb and play as they explore and learn.
Zoos and Aquariums
Zoos and aquariums, which for a long time did not go beyond a factual presentation, have embraced qualities from the amusement side. Animals and facts are presented with a tremendous amount of attention to atmosphere and fun. An excellent example of this is the Shed Aquarium in Chicago. The aquarium articulates what the public wants and responds with "branded" solutions, encompassing the overall look and feel of the center including the graphic presentations, gift shops and merchandising.