Issue 1: January/February 2026

Since autumn, Phantasialand in Brühl has been entertaining family audiences with a new 4D cinema experience: “The Three Mouseketeers” take visitors on a journey into the secret mouse world of “Mouseville”, located deep beneath the streets of (old) Berlin. The story follows the three human children Lottie, Otto, and Herbert, who plunge into the magical world of the mice and, together with them, attempt to protect the “Sphere of Fun” from a sinister rat boss. The narrative is genuinely thrilling. It truly comes to life thanks to the innovative MAGNOS “passive 3D LED screen technology”, which is being used for the very first time worldwide at Phantasialand. The system was developed by the Austrian AV system integrator Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT)…

With a current portfolio of 32 theme, leisure, water, and animal parks across several countries, the Spanish Parques Reunidos Group ranks among Europe’s largest leisure park operators. Headquartered in Madrid, the company looks back on more than 50 years of experience and pursues the long-term goal of further expanding its market-leading position in Europe. “Our future lies in Europe, where we see significant potential for growth […]” – with this statement by Group CEO Pascal Ferracci, the company underlined its commitment to the European market at the beginning of 2025, following the divestment of all US properties from its portfolio. We spoke with Brad Loxley, who has served as Chief Operations Officer at Parques Reunidos since December 2025, about growth strategies in Europe, leadership development in an international context, and new service initiatives aimed at enhancing the guest experience…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has already become part of everyday working life for many. The technology is driving change, opening up new opportunities, and serving as a catalyst for forward-looking companies and organisations. An increasing number of businesses are deploying AI strategically – including in customer and corporate communications. This goes beyond chatbots used in automated customer service to include the use of the technology by employees and within teams. As a helpful tech tool, AI not only supports automation, data analysis, and pattern recognition, but also enables the development of workflows, processes, and strategies that companies can integrate in an accessible and employee-friendly manner. Which approaches can be used in particular by stakeholders in the leisure industry is explored in our feature article…

AQUA DOME Längenfeld – idyllically situated in the Tyrolean mountains – once again received the “World Spa Award” in 2025 as the “World’s Best Mineral & Hot Springs Spa.” The accolade underlines the high standards of the thermal spa resort in the Ötztal valley. The Längenfeld thermal spa, whose large bowl-shaped pools set against an impressive mountain panorama form the facility’s most recognisable visual landmark, is one of six thermal spa resorts in Austria operated under the Vamed Vitality World brand. With a total investment of €6.4 million, the most recent phase of modernisation was completed there recently. According to the company, this represents an important step “towards enhanced relaxation quality and an entirely new wellness experience, perfected through even more individual freedom and high-quality materials”…

Mascots are far more than just a nice extra in a theme park – they act as brand ambassadors, crowd pullers, and an emotional bridge between visitors and the world of experience. Their range of applications is broad: as photo opportunities, for meet-and-greet sessions, as walking acts, as an integral part of a show, or as representatives of a company at trade fairs. Not only parks, but also other companies, associations, and institutions now regard these likeable figures as an established marketing tool. But how do you develop the right strategy for your own mascot? Is it enough to simply create “something cute” or eye-catching? Industry experts reveal what really matters…