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The EDDA project - Experience Development of Danish Attractions - unites 38 very different attractions in a joint development initiative.

The goal is to develop competences in a manner targeted to create solid and strong attractions which offer a good experience as the core product and are in a position to meet the requirements of the future. The project is supported by the Labour Market Holiday Fund and the Development Fund for Tourist Attractions. 

 

In 2002 four attractions joined together in an initiative consisting of a project for joint competence development at all levels for Danish attractions. They established the Development Fund for Holiday Attractions and were granted support from the Labour Market Holiday Fund which made it possible to continue with the project.

 

In 2003 all the attractions in Denmark were invited to apply to join the EDDA project, which at that point was ready in outline form. Many of them showed interest. Forty of them were selected as participants. Importance was placed on their differences with regard to type, size, geographical location, ownership structure and their readiness to innovate.

 

In the second half of 2003 these 40 attractions planned the EDDA project in detail. At the end of 2003 the Labour Market Holiday Fund agreed to project application and at the start of 2004 the starting pistol was fired for EDDA - Experience Development of Danish Attractions. 

 

• Medieval Centre of Bornholm

• The frigate Jylland

• Givskud Zoo

• The Wadden Sea Centre

• Tivoli

• Randers Regnskov – tropical zoo

• Gerlev Legepark – sports history museum

• Eksperimentarium – science centre

• Hjemsted Oldtidspark – historical centre

• Odense City Museums

• Glasmuseet Ebeltoft – glass museum

• Trapholt – art museum

• Lejre Experimental Centre - historical activity centre

• Aqua Freshwater Aquarium

• Denmark’s Japanese Garden

• Hjerl Hede Open Air Museum – living history

• North Sea Museum Aquarium and Oceanarium

• Odense Zoo

• Fjordcentret Voer Færgested – activity centre

• Skjern – Egvad Museum

• Scandinavian Wildlife Park

• Fjord & Bælt aquatic centre

• Johannes Larsen Museum – artist’s house and museum

• Danish Salt Centre

• Kongernes Jelling – Viking exhibition

• Denmark’s Museum of Ceramics Grimmerhus

• Museum of Skagen and the region

• Kattegatcentret – Denmark’s Shark Centre

• Fårup Sommerland – amusement park

• BonBon Land – amusement park

• Danmarks Akvarium – saltwater aquarium

• The Viking Ship Museum Roskilde

• Ribe Viking Centre

• Sommerland Sjælland – amusement park

• Esrum Monastery

• Fyrtøjet – a children’s cultural centre

• The Workers’ Museum

• NaturBornholm – experience centre 

 

One key word for the attractions of the future is competition – keen competition on both national and international level. The visitors will require and expect each attraction to offer a unified set of excellent and memorable experiences.

 

The starting point for the Danish attractions is healthy, but the demands for development and renewal are relentless. These demands must be accommodated, and so 38 attractions from all over country are working together with this aim. They intend to work together while at the same time showing deep respect for the needs and opportunities of the individual attractions, and, ultimately, for the very originality which forms the basis of the attractions’ existence. 

 

There is nothing new in the fact that visitors want to enjoy a good experience when they visit an attraction. Until now there has been a tendency to equate the experience with the thrills and spills that encountering the fantastic or the awe-inspiring can provoke. However, the fundamental approach of the EDDA project is that the experience concerns the entire visit, from the ticket booth to the exit. Every element is part of a unity and determines the nature of the visitors’ experience.

 

This places huge demands on all personnel – from the boards and management to the front of house staff and the volunteers. Therefore the focus has been placed on the soft values of the attraction, along with competence development at all levels as the fulcrum of the whole project. Within the EDDA project the personnel from the attractions exchange knowledge and experience, take part in study tours and learn a wide range of the capacities, both Danish and foreign, in the large field of competences which are required. 

 

Competence development involves all the personnel and is the means to activate and optimise the attraction as a whole. Several people from each attraction are directly involved in the EDDA project and can thus deploy the various competences throughout the whole organisation. 

 

Strategy development is the main thread linking the activities within the EDDA project. The starting point was two seminars on strategy development in the spring of 2004, where each attraction presented wishes and requirements regarding the content of EDDA. Throughout the three and a half years over which the project will run the attractions integrate the results and new knowledge gained from the project work into their strategic development. 

 

• Knowledge and tools – the basic knowledge at the attractions is optimised, and concrete tools appropriate

  for the attraction are developed for use in development initiatives.

 

• Individual professional courses – on the basis of a round of interviews conducted as part of the
  preliminary project, the attractions have designed the relevant professional courses to ensure the
  necessary competence development. There will be about 25 different courses at two levels. These
  courses will include integrated case studies and study trips to attractions in Denmark and abroad. This is
  intended to provide the participants with new ideas, new methods, new tools and new inspiration.

 

• Experience-exchange groups – the participants in the project work together in three different types of group, where the exchange
  of experience is a key ingredient to everyone’s advantage.

 

• Implementation support – the project participants can be given support in turning the results

  of the project work into reality.

 

The results from the EDDA project, in the form of new knowledge, tools and experience will be continuously disseminated to all interested parties. The main means of dissemination will be a project homepage and a number of conferences.

The total time frame of the project is four years and three months. The preliminary project was run from May to December 2003. The originally 40 participants were selected, a round of interviews was conducted and the project application to the Labour Market Holiday Fund was prepared.

 

Phase 1: January 2004 to July 2005 • Phase 2: August 2005 to July 2006 • Phase 3: August 2006 to July 2008

 

Each phase is evaluated by all participants, and the evaluations

are used to adjust the plans for the next phase. 

 

Labour Market Holiday Fund

 

and trainers from Denmark and abroad.

 

Henrik Lehmann Andersen, Odense ZOO

Bjarne Clement, Ribe Vikingecenter

Claus Christiansen, Vikingeskibsmuseet i Roskilde

Lone Johnsen, Esrum Kloster

 

Kim Folmann Jørgensen, Center for Oplevelsesudvikling

Jane Hansen, Center for  Oplevelsesudvikling

 

 

The total project budget is DKK 46 million (approx. GBP 4.2 million). Of this the Labour Market Holiday Fund granted DKK 36 million. The remainder is covered by the participants themselves.

 

People today demand experiences – especially those that meet their individual requirements. There is a great deal at stake, because today experiences do not just mean adding a little local colour to a holiday or excursion. The range of good experiences is part of creating an identity and an important building brick in the way people realise themselves. This imposes demands on attractions but also opens up new opportunities.

 

The modern experience consumer is hard to categorise, and meeting the demands of these customers requires innovation and targeted development. Thus the experience industry and the experience economy are new concepts which dictate the agenda for the Danish attractions and Danish tourism.  

 

The EDDA project creates the framework for a joint development initiative by 40 Danish attractions. Each attraction proceeds with its own targeted development and reaps advantages by doing so as part of an interplay with other attractions. The overall project results lead to knowledge and tools which can benefit many more than just these 40 attractions. The aim is that all Danish attractions and the whole of the Danish tourist business will benefit from the EDDA initiative. 

 

Attraktionernes Udviklingsfond • c/o Center for Oplevelsesudvikling

Sivmosevænget 4 • DK-5260 Odense S

Tel: +45 63 11 87 25 • Fax: +45 66 13 13 38

E-mail: mail@odaweb.dk (Follow the progress of EDDA at www.odaweb.dk)