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