Tilburg University Attraction accountability Cornelis, P.C.M. Publication date: 2011 Link to publication in Tilburg University Research Portal Citation for published version (APA): Cornelis, P. C. M. (2011). Attraction accountability: Predicting the unpredictable?!. NRIT Media. 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Cornelis Colofon Attraction accountability: Predicting the unpredictable?! Pieter C.M. Cornelis Proefschrift Universiteit van Tilburg Dissertation Tilburg University Uitgever/Publisher: NRIT Media ISBN: 978-90-75923-66-7 © NRIT Media. Alle rechten voorbehouden. Niets van deze uitgave mag worden verveelvoudigd, opgeslagen in een geautomatiseerd gegevensbestand, of openbaar gemaakt, in enige vorm of op enige wijze, zonder voorafgaande toestemming van de uitgever. © NRIT Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior permission of the publisher. Attraction accountability Predicting the unpredictable?! PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit van Tilburg op gezag van de rector magnificus, prof. dr. Ph. Eijlander, in het openbaar te verdedigen ten overstaan van een door het college voor promoties aangewezen commissie in de aula van de Universiteit op woensdag 25 mei 2011 om 14.15 uur door Petrus Caspar Maria Cornelis, geboren op 1 maart 1966 te Veldhoven Promotiecommissie Promotores Prof. dr. ir. J.T. Mommaas Prof. dr. S. Anton Clavé Overige leden Prof. dr. G.W. Richards Prof. dr. T.B.C. Poiesz Prof. dr. A.P. Russo Dr. ir. H.J.J. van der Poel Contents LIST of tableS AND fIgUReS 11 PRefACe AND ACkNowLeDgeMeNTS 13 ChApter 1 INTRoDUCTIoN 17 1.1. Singularity of cultural industries 18 1.2. possibilities of accountability 20 1.3. research questions and purpose 21 1.4. research methods 21 1.4.1. Research question 1: Importance of new attractions 22 1.4.2. Research question 2: effects of new attractions 23 1.4.3. Research question 3: explanation of effects of new attractions 23 1.5. Delineation 25 1.6. Structure of dissertation 25 ChApter 2 The (ChANgINg) MARkeT of TheMe parkS 27 2.1. historical landscape of (theme) parks 27 2.1.1. history of (theme) parks 27 2.1.1.1. Pleasure gardens 28 2.1.1.2. Amusement parks 29 2.1.1.3. Theme parks 29 2.1.1.4. Movie parks 30 2.1.2. Definitions and types of theme parks 31 2.2. Industry figures 33 2.2.1. Impact study of european amusement and theme park industry (IAAPA) 33 2.2.1.1. economic impact of european theme parks 34 2.2.1.2. Revenue breakdown 35 2.2.2. Park visitor numbers 36 2.2.2.1. Chains 39 5 2.3. New attractions 41 2.3.1. New attractions per country 43 2.3.2. Categorising attractions 44 2.3.2.1. Categories per country 45 2.3.2.2. Categories by year 46 2.4. trends in the european theme park market 47 2.4.1. Mergers (takeovers by chains) 48 2.4.2. Professionalization 49 2.4.3. Park renewal 50 2.4.4. Disneyization 50 2.4.5. Uniqueness and identity 51 2.4.6. Resort development 51 2.4.7. Season lengthening and spreading 52 2.4.8. More aggressive marketing 53 2.4.9. Social responsibility 54 ChApter 3 A MANAgeMeNT PeRSPeCTIve oN The impact of New attractioNS 57 3.1. the impact of new attractions 57 3.2. A management perspective 58 3.2.1. Participating theme parks 59 3.3. results: the importance of new attractions 60 3.3.1. Long term importance of new attractions 61 3.3.2. Short term importance of new attractions 62 3.4. results: the impact of new attractions 63 3.4.1. general results 63 3.4.2. Specific results 65 3.4.2.1. frequency of investments 65 3.4.2.2. Recent investments 66 3.4.2.3. Size of the park 67 3.4.2.4. future expectations 67 3.5. Discussion 68 6 ChApter 4 Impact of New attractioNS oN TheMe park atteNDANCe 73 4.1. theme park investment predicament 74 4.2. econometric modelling in tourism 75 4.3. econometric model for theme park attendance 76 4.4. Impact of new attractions on performance 78 4.5. Conclusions and discussion 82 ChApter 5 AChIevINg attractioN ACCountability ThRoUgh AN attractioN ReSPoNSe matrix 87 5.1. previous research on theme park investment 88 5.1.1. Disney and America 88 5.2. A contextual accountability approach 89 5.2.1. A preliminarily attraction accountability study 90 5.2.2. Results of the econometric studies 92 5.3. Origin of Attraction response Matrix 93 5.3.1. Zaltman Metaphor elicitation Technique (ZMeT) 94 5.3.1.1. Preparation of the interview 95 5.3.1.2. The interview 95 5.3.1.3. Constructs and consensus map 95 5.4. the Attraction response Matrix 99 5.4.1. Situation A 99 5.4.2. Attraction B 100 5.4.3. effect C 102 5.4.3.1. Temporal Dimension 103 5.4.4. Target Audience D 103 5.5. Conclusion and discussion 104 ChApter 6 effeCTS of Co-BRANDINg IN The TheMe park INDUSTRy, A PReLIMINARy STUDy 107 6.1. Introduction to co-branding 107 6.1.1. Definition of co-branding 107 7 6.1.2. Co-branding in the theme park industry 108 6.1.3. objective and structure of this chapter 109 6.2. Literature review of co-branding 109 6.2.1. effects of co-branding 110 6.2.2. Discrepancy between theory and empirical evidence 110 6.3. theory of branding and its relation to behaviour 111 6.3.1. Measuring brand associations 112 6.3.1.1. Inventory of Brand Representation Attributes (IBRA) 112 6.4. efteling and branding 113 6.4.1. The significance of branding for efteling 113 6.4.1.1. Primary brand functions of efteling 114 6.4.2. efteling and co-branding 114 6.4.2.1. The co-branded attraction Pandavision 114 6.5. research hypothesis and –design 115 6.5.1. Misfit between Pandavision and efteling? 115 6.5.2. Research hypothesis 115 6.5.3. experimental design 116 6.5.3.1. Treatment 117 6.6. results 118 6.6.1. Composition of control and experimental group 118 6.6.2. Treatment procedure 118 6.6.3. evaluation of the core associations 119 6.7. Conclusion and discussion 120 6.7.1. even strong brands can be harmed 120 6.7.2. Attraction effects and brand effects 120 6.7.3. Repetition versus elaboration 121 6.7.4. Limitations and future research 121 6.7.4.1. Unconscious effects 122 6.7.5. final conclusions 122 8 ChApter 7 The impact of (NoT) TheMINg AN attractioN IN The gLoBAL TheMe park INDUSTRy 125 7.1. Introduction 125 7.2. theming landscape 127 7.2.1. Degree of theming 128 7.2.2. other theming aspects 131 7.3. theming processing model 132 7.3.1. effects of theming 133 7.3.1.1. ZMeT-research on theming 134 7.4. effects of theming on visitor attendance 135 7.4.1. effects per theming category 136 7.4.2. effects per effect level 137 7.5. Conclusion and discussion 139 ChApter 8 SyNTheSIS AND CoNCLUSIoN 143 8.1. the phD candidate’s vision 143 8.2. Opinions of industry professionals 147 8.3. Closing remarks 149 ePILogUe 153 RefeReNCeS 157 APPeNDIx A INfoRMANT DeMogRAPhICS 171 APPeNDIx B INveNToRy of BRAND RePReSentatioN attributeS 172 APPeNDIx C DefINITIoN of TheMINg indicatoRS 174 APPeNDIx D exAMPLeS of TheMINg categoRIeS 175 APPeNDIx e Results eRRoR CoRReCTIoN MoDeL (TheMINg) 176 eNgLISh SUMMARy 180 NeDeRLANDSe vertaling laatste hoofDSTUk 187 9 10 List of tables and figures table 1 overview of research questions, research methods and chapters table 2 general and revenue estimates by country table 3 Revenue break-down table 4 Attendance numbers european top20 parks (2006-2009) table 5 Listing per country of the top 100 parks in europe table 6 Attendance per chain in millions table 7 Consolidation of parks table 8 Capital expenditure estimates by country table 9 New attractions per year according to park size table 10 Number and percentage of new attractions per country table 11 Division of new attractions in europe into main categories table 12 Attraction type per country table 13 Attraction type broken down by year opened table 14 Response per country table 15 Perceived importance of factors table 16 Most recent year of major investment according to size of park table 17 frequency of investment in new attractions table 18 Impact of major investments table 19 Impact of major investment according to frequency table 20 Impact of major investment according to year of investment and size of the park table 21 Impact of major investment according to expected growth market (share) table 22 variables included and excluded from the model table 23 Results of theme park D table 24 effects of new attractions on attendance in first year, per park (average and extremes) table 25 key terms branding table 26 Composition of the control and experimental group table 27 Influence of treatment table 28 Appreciations of core associations efteling table 29 Number of attractions researched according to (kind of) park table 30 Percentage applied theming