Visitor Attraction Management: Legoland, Sydney Opera House & Tourism

Legoland Billund and the Sydney Opera House

LEGOLAND® Billund is Denmark's most famous and popular amusement park for families and children of all ages (Legoland Billund Resort, 2012). Legoland Billund opened on June 7, 1968 in Billund, Denmark. The park is located next to the original Lego factory, which has been a primary economic driver for the entire community since Ole Kirk Christiansen began manufacturing Legos mid-century. Because the Lego factory provides many local jobs, the Lego brand had already been integrated into the local culture before the construction of the park. After the park was built, it became an immediate success and now serves as one of the top three attractions in Europe, drawing close to two million visitors per year. The Lego factory and the Legoland theme park together are the primary drivers of economic activity for the entire community.

The attraction is composed of millions of Lego brand blocks constructed to form images of famous landmarks from around the world. The Legoland Park is a family park, though its primary focus is on children. The largest attraction at the park is the Polar X-Plorer rollercoaster, which boasts a five-metre "free-fall." Accommodation options include the Hotel Legoland, a four-star hotel themed similarly to the park to provide a comprehensive Lego experience. There are over fifty different attractions and activities offered at the park, and the promotional literature describes the experience as follows (Legoland Billund Resort, 2012):

"Join us again this year to rediscover all your favourite, well-known LEGOLAND attractions. Explore fascinating Miniland, the incredible world built from millions of LEGO® bricks. Watch your children get their first driving licence at the Toyota Traffic School. Enjoy sharing the thrill of riding The Dragon roller coaster at the King's Castle. Take the submarine down to the sharks in Atlantis by SEA LIFE™. Bake campfire bread with Chief Longears, and pan for gold in the Wild West. Remember to bring both swimwear and an eyepatch, so you can join in the wet and wild sea battle in Pirate Lagoon. And be sure to keep your head cool and your trigger warm, when you embark on the awesome treasure hunt in THE TEMPLE. There are more than 50 exciting attractions and a series of amazing events waiting just for you. In LEGOLAND there is always speed, action and excitement for the whole family."

The Sydney Opera House is an entirely different type of attraction than Legoland. The Opera House first opened in 1973 and is considered one of the greatest architectural works of the 20th century; it is said to bring together multiple strands of creativity and innovation in both architectural form and structural design (UNESCO, 2013). The Opera House is situated on Bennelong Point, which reaches out into Sydney Harbour and consists of three groups of interlocking vaulted "shells" that roof two main performance halls and a restaurant. These shell structures are set upon a vast platform and surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses. Key facts about the Sydney Opera House include (Australian Government, n.d.):

The Sydney Opera House has been estimated to attract over seven million visitors per year and to contribute more than one billion dollars to the Australian economy through tourism, hospitality, travel, and other related activities, while simultaneously supporting over twelve thousand jobs (Duscio, 2010).

The Sydney Opera House and Legoland are substantially different types of attractions. However, despite their differences, both draw an international base of visitors that stimulate local economies through a multiplier effect. Each visitor to these attractions not only spends money at the attraction itself but also at local businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, and hotels. These attractions therefore represent a significant contribution to the broader local economy. Furthermore, each attraction furthers the development of a distinct local culture. The Lego brand is so deeply embedded in the culture of Billund that it is nearly impossible to describe the town without referencing the attraction or the manufacturing facility, and the same is true of the Sydney Opera House in Sydney.

Varieties of Tourist Attractions

There are a wide variety of tourist attractions that appeal to an equally wide consumer base. A tourist attraction is anything of sufficient interest that people will travel specifically to see it. Attractions can draw visitors based on natural beauty, historical significance, cultural value, amusement prospects, and many other qualities, and many sites fall under multiple classifications. For example, Westminster Abbey functions as both an active place of worship and a historically significant building. There are also different niche areas within the broader categories. Cape Town, South Africa, for instance, has become a special interest tourism (SIT) site that caters to the gay community, attracting visitors from across Africa and internationally (Hattingh et al., 2011). Although this may not seem like a large demographic, couples in this community often have dual incomes and no children (DINK) and can have a substantial impact on the Cape Town economy — estimated at R26 million per night in 2009 — which illustrates the economic advantages a thriving niche tourism market can bring to a community.

Different individuals have vastly different preferences when it comes to tourism. There are numerous rating systems that attempt to compare tourist attractions. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) publishes a list of World Heritage Sites consisting of 962 properties considered important to world culture or natural heritage. A top-ten list of tourist attractions worldwide, compiled from Trip Advisor reviews of UNESCO sites, illustrates the diversity inherent in different attractions (Johnson, 2010):

Motivations of Attraction Visitors

Various models have been proposed to explain the motivations of travelers. Two important factors comprise an individual's motivation to visit an attraction: push factors and pull factors. Push factors lie within the individual and drive them to seek out an attraction, while pull factors are related to the characteristics of the attraction itself that draw individuals or families toward it (Plangmarn et al., 2012). Push factors are socio-psychological motives such as the desire for escape, novelty seeking, adventure seeking, dream fulfillment, rest and relaxation, health and fitness, prestige, and socialization. The push factor that drives an individual's decision will in turn shape which pull factors — such as type of attraction, proximity, and available accommodations — are most relevant.

Legoland and the Sydney Opera House differ significantly in their pull potential. Legoland's primary target tourist is the nuclear family, while the Sydney Opera House appeals to a wider demographic shaped by the particular shows or activities being performed. One research study gathered qualitative data from thirty-five families who visited Legoland in Denmark and found that they were composed of "modern" or "nuclear" families who took their children to the attraction as a discrete leisure event. The pull factors associated with the Sydney Opera House, by contrast, are more closely tied to culture and the broader significance of the building as an Australian icon. Whereas Legoland generally targets market segments for a single visit, the changing programmes and shows at the Sydney Opera House make it more suitable for repeat visitors.