Tuesday, April 28, 2009

May FUNWORLD: Religious Attractions

The May issue of FUNWORLD is out, and you can find it either in your mailboxes (already? soon, hopefully?) or online via the magazine's digital edition.

This month's main feature is actually a two-part package examining religious-themed attractions from around the world. The cover story is a Q&A with Maria Ferro of Tierra Santa ("Holy Land") in Argentina; she discusses, among several topics, the park's history and how although it is a Christian-based facility it caters to a wide range of religions.

The second half of the combo, from News Editor Keith Miller, examines other religious-themed attractions from around the world, highlighting how they present themselves to the marketplace, and the unique challenges this particular industry segment faces. On a related note: While we were visiting Kings Island for "Diamondback," Keith and I got a chance to check out the Creation Museum in Kentucky; one of Keith's excellent observations was how prominently the museum features dinosaurs in its exhibits and marketing—as he said, what better way to grab kids' attention?

The May FUNWORLD also has a story updating the Hard Rock Park saga, which is now known as Freestyle Music Park. I interviewed Steve Baker of Baker Leisure Group, the managing company of the rebranded facility, and picked his brain about how the ownership team came together and how they plan to make the park a success.

The new issue also features:
• Our Digital World column, this time focused on how to keep web surfers from leaving your landing page.
• A Game Report from the ASI show.
• The first FUNWORLD crossword puzzle! How closely have you been reading lately?

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