NZ Company Disrupting Tourism Photography Business in the US
A New Zealand tourism photography company is set to disrupt the US entertainment attraction industry with an innovative
new approach on a traditional product.
Magic Memories has ambitious plans to partner with the premier US entertainment attractions using a high tech, high
engagement, integrated approach to the way guests experience and takeaway memories.
The company founded in Queenstown, New Zealand, is already known to the US entertainment attraction industry: it has ten
sites in California and Orlando with 150 staff delivering memories for around 6 million people per year.
Magic Memories has made big head roads into the UK/ Europe and Australian markets and has just raised significant
capital from a New Zealand investor to support an aggressive move into the US market.
Chief Executive John Wikstrom says many potential partners have already expressed firm interest in their high quality,
high tech, innovative operating model which has a proven success record and is different from anything currently being
offered in the US.
“With labor costs growing in the US, many pure photographic services have been cut back. What we are offering is a model
which is no risk to our partners; in fact, we’ve already proven in other markets that it will drive new revenue for
them.
Magic Memories uses leading edge technology, combined with centered design to create a seamless experience between the
attraction and the photographic memories guests take home as their memory.
That means an ‘end-to-end’ approach where the partners brand is used in everything throughout the experience, including
the image-based memory. Magic Memories photographers are trained by actors and assimilate into the experience. Guests
receive photo books with relevant content and personal imagery to create a high quality personalized story that
customers cannot simply replicate themselves. The user centered design ensures ‘surprise and delight’ remain key
elements that continue to define success. Guest information is gathered and kept so that both Magic Memories and the
partner can engage with them in the future.
Mr Wikstrom says many of the photographic companies in the US are still focused on the photo at the end.
“While the photo is important to us, we have always been marketing partners focusing on ensuring we meet the needs of
our partner’s guests all the way through the experience and afterwards as well. We design and deliver as true
ambassadors of our partners brand values in everything we do.”
Magic Memories expects to shortly announce two premier partnerships in the US and is planning for 10 more in 2016 in the
USA alone.
Magic Memories has more than 100 partner attractions spread across the US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South
Africa, China and Dubai, with more than 1000 highly engaged staff hosting over 60 million people each year.
ENDS