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."

Sydney Opera House

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.):

• Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon
• Opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973
• Presented, as its first performance, The Australian Opera's production of War and Peace by Prokofiev
• Cost AU$102,000,000 to build
• Conducts 3,000 events each year
• Provides guided tours to 200,000 people each year
• Has an annual audience of 2 million for its performances
• Includes 1,000 rooms
• Is 185 metres long and 120 metres wide
• Has 2,194 pre-cast concrete sections as its roof
• Has roof sections weighing up to 15 tons
• Has roof sections held together by 350 km of tensioned steel cable
• Has over 1 million tiles on the roof
• Uses 6,225 square metres of glass and 645 kilometres of electric cable

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.