TITLECALIBRI LIGHT 45pt APPROX (CAPITALS) – CHARACTER SPACING: VERY LOOSE
SubtitleCALIBRI LIGHT 30pt APPROX (Title Case)
RZSS EDINBURGH ZOO
Business Operations and Visitor Experience
BRUCE RITCHIE
Business Operations - Overview
• Ticketed Events
• Keeper for a day
• Photography/ Phobia Workshops
• Tickets
• Shop
• Cash
• Restaurants & Cafes
• Weddings
• Groups
• Conferences
• Security & Guarding
• Car Park
• Accessibility
• Cleaning
• Duty Manager
Visitor Experience
Catering and
Hospitality
Events & Experiences
Admissions and Retail
What do we do?Edinburgh Zoo:
• 500K Day visitors per year at EZ
• 80K Lantern Festival tickets
• 50 weddings per year
• 70 Corporate Events
Income Sources:• Ticket Sales - General Admission £9.3M
• Retail Income £1.2M
• Events Income £1.3M
• Catering - £400K
• Car Park £200K
• Fundraising/Grants/Education
Business Plan - more than one!
Entry Price High –Static product – relative - EEPLong term Overheads = CAPEX
Little chance for ancillary spendProduct life span is long
Slow turnaroundVariations:Marquee Events driven by a CalendarFestivals – Shows/Food & Drink/Rally’sNew attractions
Creative intensiveProduct Life span is short
Fast reactions
How we do what we do…
Where are we today?
Business Phase:
Growth – New Attractions/Events – Hero Births
Peak
Fallow – Post investment
Highland Wildlife Park:❖ 210K in 2018❖ 130K baseline
Lantern Festival - £1.1M pa This straddles our financial year80K ticketsCar park, catering and retail
Longleat - Wiltshire
All Events
• GIANT LANTERNS• Brick Oceans – Summer2019• Dreamnight – sick and
disadvantaged children and families• Family Summer Events• Members Events• Conservation Talks and
Presentations• VIP visits – HRH
3 year partnership 2018-2020EZ as “Hosts” or “Venue”
Chinese Production CompanyCanadian Agent/Project Manager
Planning begins in March/AprilDesign finalised in MayConstruction in China begins JuneShipped August – Arrive Scotland Sept & OctChinese Crew arrive Scotland Oct – 6 week installOpens Nov/Dec – closes Feb – 50 nights
Lantern Festival - £1.1M pa This straddles our financial year80K ticketsCar park, catering and retail
External Partners:GIANT LANTERNS
EventbriteGroupon
Itison
HITS:• Relatively Easy to set-
up/ relationship• Clear pricing structure –
Commissions + booking fees
• Good Communication +• Training• Market Presence• Transparent Admin
MISSES:• Commission +
Booking fee• Data Capture• Multiple partners• Time slots = admin
heavy
What's the future
• Continue to search for new Events
• Theme Changes for GIANT LANTERNS
• Brick Oceans Summer 2019
• Conservation Talks
• Summer 2020/21 Marquee Event
• New Website – booking events
General Admissions - online
Booking.com - good access to a market we don't normally reach – international visitors, closed loop.
Tripadvisor experiences
Edinburgh Pass – Headline exp at EZ – launched 2019
Get your Guide – disrupted our direct supply
Inhouse – online in development
Business Operations - Overview
• Staying Ahead of the Game!• Networking – what works elsewhere ask and
share – Collaborate!• No idea is off the table• Do your research• Remember "You are not the customer!"• Measure it• Plan it and review it• Go do it and embrace it!
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND
Thank you for listening –Any Questions?
Bruce Ritchie Head of Business Operations