The Case

Ukrainian retailing powerhouse Epicentre K has come a long way since its department store origins 20 years ago. They’ve transformed themselves into a trendsetting wholesale leader not just in Ukraine, but beyond its borders.

Now, with their sights set on further growth, Epicentre K is embarking on an exciting new chapter: developing entertainment areas within their stores. This initiative marks the beginning of a comprehensive mall entertainment strategy, promising to redefine the shopping experience for their customers.

The Approach

To craft the perfect entertainment strategy for Epicentre K, the TDAC team went beyond a desktop analysis. We embarked on a comprehensive journey, starting with a visit to Lviv itself and immersed ourselves in the local experience:

• We explored the city, absorbing the rich Ukrainian culture.
• We analyzed the competitive landscape to understand the market dynamics.
• A visit to the impressive Epicentre K mall provided invaluable insights.

This combination of on-site research and market analysis formed the foundation for a detailed market report. 

Building on this knowledge, TDAC, in collaboration with TconcepT architects, organized a two-day brainstorming session. We actively engaged with the Epicentre K owner, delving into their vision and aspirations. This collaborative approach, along with the built up understanding of local culture, laid a strong foundation for the next stage.

Recognizing the evolving Ukrainian leisure market, we created three distinct mall entertainment scenarios for Epicentre K. Each scenario explored different possibilities, tailored to their specific needs, which provides the owners a great insight in the possibilities. We also provided a clear recommendation, guiding them towards the most impactful option.

For more information on how TDAC can help you with entertainment in malls, please check here.

The case

Bommelwereld is a new cultural based indoor theme park development in The Netherlands. One of the TDAC the park consultants is involved as client representative.In this role, he advises the developer so that he can make the right decisions during the development.

Background

Located in the east of the Netherlands, Marveld recreatie is a large resort with a hotel, luxury cottages and campsites. The owner, despite the park’s popularity among the Dutch, wanted to identify the resort with a real Dutch icon. The idea of creating an attraction around one of the most known comic strips in The Netherlands, “Meneer Bommel and Tom Poes” was born.

Cultural heritage

Maarten Toonder created 177 stories about their adventures. They ran daily in newspapers for half a century, are part of the Netherlands’ cultural heritage. Generations grew up with Meneer Bommel and Tom Poes.

The plans include a building of around 9000 square meters in which guests can explore the world created by Maarten Toonder. The centrepiece will be Meneer Bommel’s castle. The world of Meneer Bommel and Tom Poes will be the central theme for all the attractions. The indoor theme park will include the magical atmosphere of Rommeldam, the Black Mountains and the Dark Trees Forest.  Marveld recreation asked TDAC as theme park consultants, to guide them as client representatives through the entire process: master planning, implementation and operation.

At the moment the Bommelwereld theme park is under construction. The construction crews have nearly completed the building, and interior work will begin soon.

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One of the largest theme parks in Asia (which requested that its name not be published for confidentiality reasons) approached the theme park consultants of TDAC to execute a theme park performance review, as they were underperforming compared to the average theme park industry performance numbers as published by IAAPA.

The Approach

The assignment started by reviewing the theme park business figures, including the theme park planning / investments in new attractions / expansions / ROI / sponsorship / HR-related questions / facility planning and costs / and park operations. We reviewed their pricing strategies and their long-term planning.

Loaded with all the theoretical data, we traveled to Asia to visit the park for a few days and interview the management. Experiencing the park as a guest provided us with great insights on how the park is operating, the emotional connections with guests and their hospitality.

Back at the office, our of team theme park consultants discussed the guest experience we had undergone in the park during our visit. Combined with all the theoretical analysis, it provided us a solid platform to draw conclusions about the current park performance and operations. Based on our long term experience we developed an improvement strategy. A comprehensive theme park performance review report captured all this information, including an improvement plan for the future.

For more information on our services as theme park consultants, please check here.

The Case: 

An IT entrepreneur, driven by a passion for leisure parks, sought TDAC’s strategic guidance after acquiring a strategically positioned plot of land along a major highway in the South West of The Netherlands. At this plot he was planning a new leisure park development.

The TDAC Approach: 

Our collaboration commenced with a strategic phase focused on establishing clear short-term and long-term Objectives and Vision. This framework provided the client with a crucial roadmap to maintain focused throughout the entire new leisure park development process. Since the project’s inception, TDAC has provided consistent monthly support to the client’s team. Our role has encompassed maintaining project focus and offering expert advice across all critical elements required for establishing serious and efficient operations. This included assisting in the recruitment of key management personnel and delivering comprehensive hospitality training for their new staff.

Guest experience in number one at Maple Farm. Merely for that reason Maple Farm Adventures already launched a small playground, one year before the large climbing park opened. This strategic move allowed the team to gain valuable experience in guest handling. Based on TDAC’s advice, Maple farm included a soft opening phase for the spectacular high ropes course. This proactive, balanced and phased approach was crucial in ensuring they were fully prepared for the Maple Farm Adventures successful launch in April 2025.

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The Case:

Our client owns an amazing location in Croatia. On the edge of a canyon, overlooking a steep mountainside, this piece of land was one of the locations where famous films were shot in the past.

These specific movies are still immensely popular. This made our client wonder if there is a small theme park based on the movies logical at this location, or are there other approaches that would improve the feasibility?

Approach:

TDAC, after extensive research in the region, many interviews and of course close cooperation with the client, created a balanced mix of attraction ideas. The attraction ideas still included a small theme park (which still might include the movie theme) in combination with other attraction ideas that focussed on the unique characteristics of this location. The ideas were turned into a business plan including a feasibility study for the theme park, the other attractions and combinations of the different elements. Based on these studies the ideas can further be further elaborated by specific design studios.

TDAC as theme park consultants, will continue to guide the client as client representative through the next phases of the site development.

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The Case

Starting in 2029, the Fehmern tunnel will form a new connection between Germany and Denmark. This new tunnel will shorten the travel time between Germany and Copenhagen and Malmö in Sweden. This tunnel will arrive at the Danish municipality of Lolland. Lolland is located on an island and has a southern coastline unique to Denmark. To promote tourism, TDAC as destination and attraction consultants was approached to identify the attractions needed to make the southern coast more attractive.

The Approach

After desktop research, the TDAC team went to Lolland to study the island, followed by a one day brainstorm with stakeholders. The brainstorm had two main goals: To have the stakeholders focus on the topic for a day and to give the TDAC team a chance to learn about the project from the inside. The result was a mission and objective statement that provided a great foundation for our team to plan attractions for the future tourism planning of Lolland. 

As a final result we presented a regional development plan presenting attractions that were affordable and did fit within the island’s DNA, including clear reasoning, benchmarks and statistics as to why these plans should be feasible at this location. 

For more implementation on our services for regional development plan development or other tourism development consultancy, please check here.

The Case

The Dutch province Drenthe liked to attract a big theme park to the region. After evaluating several options they approached the French storytelling showpark Puy du Fou. Puy du Fou conducted a feasibility study on possible locations in the Provence. The city of Meppel was selected as the preferred location. Meppel municipality asked TDAC as theme park consultants and specialist in regional tourism development, for a second opinion market study for Puy du Fou theme park Meppel.

The Approach

Based on previous work for the city of Meppel, TDAC was well acquainted with the specific situation at this location. This knowledge, in combination with the our extensive knowledge of the theme park business, formed the basis for further database market research on the existing tourism market and population in the region. 

From Puy du Fou, TDAC received valuable input on the performance of the existing parks in France and Spain. Analyzing the input from these two sources gave TDAC a relatively good picture of the potential for a Puy du Fou park at that location. Based on the historical data, the TDAC team created an analysis of the potential market on the expected opening day for Puy du Fou in Meppel.

The second opinion market study or Puy du Fou theme park Meppel was delivered in a comprehensive digital report and explained verbally during several meetings.

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The Case

City Concorde is a privately owned shopping centre in Luxembourg. The shopping centre distinguishes itself by focusing mainly on local brands and a relatively large offer of food and beverage outlets. This gives it a unique and exclusive character which makes it one of the most visited malls in Luxembourg.

In the owner’s vision, City Concorde is not a standard shopping centre, but a “Lifestyle Destination”. His goal is for City Concorde to become a destination where people spend their leisure time. In combination with Pleisureworld, TDAC was asked to leisure development plan for the mall. This plan should increase the length of stay of the guests and attract specific target groups.

The Approach

After researching the Luxembourg market, both through a visit to Luxembourg and desk research, we developed different scenarios for leisure development in this mall, including SWOT matrices and target group descriptions. Based on this information, a direction was chosen. Together with a creative agency, Food and Beverage consultants and the mall’s architect, the direction was translated in a vision plan. This plan is an ongoing process with as first result the “This is WOW” social entertainment bar which opened end 2024.

For more information on our consultancy services for malls and real estate, please click here.

The case

Wereldhave owns and operates several local malls, so called: Full Service Centers. These Full Service Centers should contribute to a more joyful and comfortable everyday life, a one-stop location for groceries, shopping, leisure, relaxation, sports, health, work and other daily needs. Could they learn something from the leisure world to increase attendance and dwell time, by changing a mall visit to a guest experience?

The Approach

For Wereldhave, TDAC developed a six-step program with the ultimate goal of positively impacting sales by increasing the dwell time and visitor numbers of Wereldhave shopping center visitors.

Based on our extensive experience in creating the perfect guest experience in the theme parks and attraction world, the plan ranged from practical tips in staff training and minor adjustments to an updated mall design. A concrete plan to transform from a mall visit to a guest experience.

The project started with a survey of the current guest experience in the Wereldhave shopping centres. Based on our years of experience in planning and operating theme parks, we translated our vision of guest experience to their existing shopping centres. In a workshop, we discussed our insights, which led to new, often simple, areas for improvement.

We organised a study trip to a major theme park. During the visit, we showed examples of how theme parks are planned and operated to improve the guest experience.

As a deliverable, we delivered a plan to improve the guest experience in their malls. Based on the field research, the client’s development team understood perfectly why the areas for improvement affect the guest experience.

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The Case

Norwegian jazz musician John Pål Inderberg was planning an immersive experience space in his hometown of Steinkjer in northern Norway. During the development phase, the team approached TDAC to assist them with finding benchmark projects and to get additional advice from TDAC as attraction experts.

On Sept. 2, 2023, the attraction opened. Guests step into large, interconnected worlds of ultra-detailed video on all walls and floors, responding to the movements and whims of the audience. In total four different shows are create by Ablemagic studio in Norway.

The Approach

After listening carefully to the client’s requirements, TDAC approached its network and organized a 2-day tour of different multimedia experiences, ranging from immersive experiences based on dance music to multimedia dining experiences. Based on the many inspirations we gained during the tour, we discussed with the Steinkaret team how their project could benefit from these benchmarks, including guidance from our long and extensive experience in developing and operating attractions.

Project website: https://www.steinkaret.no

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