The Official Magazine of IAAPA
The Value of Channeling Beauty
Domb felt called to create Pairi Daiza, named after the ancient Persian term for a walled garden, within the grounds of a Cistercian monastery. “Honestly, I fell head over heels in love with this place,” he recalls. Leaving behind a law career, Domb launched a bird park in 1994 that has become a thriving destination teeming with wildlife and plants. Pairi Daiza has become one of Belgium’s top attractions, attracting close to three million visitors a year.
Domb believes beauty is the best answer to a fractured, algorithm-fueled attention economy. Pairi Daiza welcomes guests into a bountiful garden of the world, showcasing four wonders—animals, trees and plants, human creativity, and the hidden realm of minerals. Rather than fitting into the traditional molds of a zoo, a botanical garden, or an ethnographic museum, Pairi Daiza positions itself as something unique.
Wahl highlights Pairi Daiza’s participatory experiences for guests. The sight of Pairi Daiza’s herd of elephants heading to the lake for their daily swim touched Wahl deeply. “It is a magical moment. I still get goosebumps from that experience,” he says.
Pairi Daiza also offers unforgettable stays close to the animals. Guests can fall asleep beside wolves and bears, wake up near polar bears, and witness sea lions frolicking. The Belgian park is also nearing completion of a four-hectare glasshouse, which will immerse guests in a vast tropical world.
Showing people beauty is transformational, Domb believes. When people feel closer to the natural world, they are more inclined to protect it. “Beauty awakens love,” he says.
Guest Experience Leads the Way
Anakeesta, a mountaintop adventure park in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, recently announced its $100 million, five-year expansion project titled Making More Magic. The plan includes a next-generation aerial lift system to boost throughput; a reimagined Firefly Village to increase dwell time and per-cap; and an expanded Treetop Skywalk with a new Firefly illuminated experience to extend evening demand.
“For us, the guest experience is paramount,” Bentz explains. “If you provide a quality guest experience, people are going to want to come back to your park, and they’re going to tell everyone about it.”
Anakeesta’s food and beverage offerings have also grown since the facility first opened in 2017. The park started with a food truck, which was a last-minute decision, according to Bentz. “Today, Anakeesta is just a completely different world. We have 13 food and beverage locations,” he says. Anakeesta’s United Tastes of America summer event, where guests can enjoy food and drink from all over the country alongside family-friendly entertainment, is a hit with audiences.
“It’s been a natural evolution,” Bentz says. The park’s continuing expansion prioritizes exceptional design. “Detail is everything.”
Attractions must be flexible to succeed, Bentz believes. “When opportunities come in, you have to be able to pivot. I think that’s really important.”
Turning Chocolate Dreams Into Destination Magic
Alexandre Costa is creating a massive chocolate-inspired theme park in Brazil named Cacau Park. Costa began building his chocolate empire 37 years ago—at only 17 years old—with a $500 loan. Cacau Show is now Brazil’s largest fine chocolate chain, with 22,000 employees and a business that spans farming, manufacturing, retail, and hotels. “We have a cacao ecosystem,” he says.
Costa champions the idea that customers deserve “wonderful products, wonderful design, and a wonderful experience for an affordable price.” He is taking that same approach with a theme park that brings to life the story of cacao and chocolate. “It’s a way to give back to the Brazilian people, because they gave our family everything.”
Cacau Park will feature more than 50 attractions across 700,000 square meters, with space to grow. Costa announces that a flying theater attraction from Brogent will give guests a bird’s-eye view of the raw materials that produce chocolate, including cacao plantations, fruits, and the cows that produce milk. Riders can also enjoy truffles on their travels.
Costa is open to possibilities that extend beyond the park, whether that’s opening a hotel or offering people the chance to experience a traditional cacao ritual in the forest.
As the work of Domb, Bentz, and Costa shows, cultivating a sense of wonder for guests isn’t just an artistic ambition—it’s a strategic choice that strengthens guest loyalty, elevates brand identity, and proves that emotional resonance remains a powerful driver of business success.
