Experience UK

18/03/2026

Oman continues to accelerate its tourism and economic diversification strategy with a major new mixed-use development in Muscat.

A RO230 million ($596M) agreement between Sorouh Al Qurm Real Estate Company and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism will deliver a large-scale tourism complex in Al Qurm, combining hotels, entertainment, retail and residential units within a single destination.
With over 400 hotel rooms, family-focused attractions and integrated urban living, the project reflects a growing global shift toward multi-purpose tourism environments that serve both visitors and residents.

For the experience economy, developments like this highlight how tourism infrastructure, real estate and leisure are increasingly converging to create sustainable, year-round destinations.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/oman-announces-596m-integrated-tourism-complex-development-in-muscat

18/03/2026

Norwegian travel company Up Norway has secured funding to develop a new tourism model centred on cultural values rather than landscapes alone.

The Journeys with Meaning programme aims to diversify Norway’s tourism economy by creating experiences rooted in social practices, food culture, and everyday life. With support from the Research Council of Norway, the initiative brings together researchers, operators, and designers to build a more sustainable, year-round visitor economy.

This reflects a wider shift toward transformation-focused travel, where experiences are designed to foster connection, learning, and personal development.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/up-norway-launches-research-led-project-to-position-scandinavian-values-as-tourism-export

18/03/2026

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a €15 million loan to support infrastructure and sustainability upgrades at Terme Čatež, Slovenia’s largest natural thermal resort.

The investment will fund hotel refurbishments, water treatment improvements, wastewater management upgrades and energy efficiency measures, helping the resort strengthen environmental performance and long-term operational resilience.

For the tourism and visitor experience sector, the project highlights how development finance can support established destinations in modernising infrastructure, improving resource management and building more sustainable regional tourism models.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/ebrd-provides-%E2%82%AC15m-investment-to-support-sustainable-tourism-at-terme-%C4%8Date%C5%BE

18/03/2026

San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral is hosting a new immersive multimedia experience that demonstrates how heritage architecture can be reinterpreted through digital storytelling.
Titled AURA, the production has been created by Moment Factory in collaboration with Fever, using projection mapping, original music and architectural lighting to transform the cathedral’s Gothic interior into a seven-chapter visual journey.
For museums, heritage venues and cultural destinations, the project highlights the growing role of immersive media in activating historic spaces without permanent alteration. It is another strong example of how cultural institutions can attract new audiences while preserving architectural integrity.


https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/grace-cathedral-hosts-aura-multimedia-experience-combining-projection-mapping-and-architecture

17/03/2026

Kinetic art and robotics are increasingly shaping how museums and exhibitions communicate complex ideas.

The installation No Bird by South Korean duo UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG uses a robotic system to create and erase footprints in sand, forming a continuous loop that explores memory, repetition and human behaviour.

For curators and experience designers, the project highlights how kinetic technology and sensor-driven interaction can transform abstract concepts into tangible, physical storytelling.

As museums look to deepen engagement, installations like this demonstrate the value of combining engineering, narrative and responsive environments.

South Korean artists UJOO+LIMHEEYOUNG present a robotic bird installation that continuously creates and erases footprints as commentary on memory and human behaviour.

17/03/2026

Paris’ Pont Neuf is set to become an immersive public artwork this summer as JR unveils La Caverne du Pont Neuf, a large scale temporary installation transforming the historic bridge into a cavern-like visitor experience.

Running for three weeks in June, the project combines architectural intervention, sound design, optical illusion and augmented reality to reframe one of the city’s best known landmarks. For the cultural attractions sector, it is another strong example of how public infrastructure can be used as an experiential canvas without the need for permanent new-build venues.

The installation also reflects the growing overlap between public art, placemaking and immersive visitor engagement in major urban destinations.

Artist JR will transform Paris’ Pont Neuf into a large immersive installation this June, combining optical illusions, sound design and architectural intervention.

17/03/2026

Budapest is showing how immersive theatre can evolve into a major cultural attraction.
Walk My World, created by Bence Vági and produced by Recirquel, combines contemporary circus, dance and immersive storytelling within a 6,000-square-metre warehouse environment.

With more than 40 performance zones across multiple levels, the production gives audiences freedom to move through interconnected scenes inspired by mythology.
For the experience economy, the project highlights the growing role of immersive performance in destination programming, cultural tourism and large-scale experiential design.

Recirquel’s Walk My World in Budapest combines immersive theatre, contemporary circus and large-scale set design in a 6,000 sq metre performance environment.

16/03/2026

Philadelphia has opened a new LGBTQ+ focused visitor centre in the city’s Gayborhood district, highlighting the growing role of inclusive tourism in destination marketing strategies.

The Philly Pride Visitor Center, located at 12th and Locust streets in Washington Square West, connects visitors with LGBTQ+ cultural heritage, historical activism and wider attractions across Pennsylvania.

Developed through collaboration between Visit Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Visitor Center, the Pennsylvania Office of Tourism and Philadelphia Gay News, the centre illustrates how tourism infrastructure can support community storytelling while strengthening neighbourhood identity.

As destinations increasingly focus on inclusive travel and cultural interpretation, visitor centres are evolving beyond information hubs into spaces that present social history and community narratives.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/philadelphia-launches-lgbtq-visitor-centre-as-part-of-inclusive-tourism-strategy

16/03/2026

A new visitor centre designed by PLAT ASIA has been completed within the volcanic landscape of Inner Mongolia, offering an example of how tourism infrastructure can be developed in environmentally sensitive locations.

The Volcano-In Visitor Center sits within an existing excavation site in the Baiyinkulun Steppe and Volcano Tourism Resort, an area containing more than 100 volcanic craters formed around 150,000 years ago.

Rather than building on untouched terrain, the project concentrates development in a previously disturbed area while using low-profile architecture, aerodynamic roof forms and elevated structural systems to minimise environmental impact.

For the tourism and attractions sector, the development highlights the growing importance of environmentally responsive design, particularly as operators seek to balance visitor access with long-term conservation of fragile landscapes.

Read more on Experience UK.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/visitor-centre-integrated-into-volcanic-landscape-opens-in-inner-mongolia

16/03/2026

Terra Botanica in Angers, France is expanding its visitor experience for the 2026 season with a new ride and enhanced evening entertainment programme.

The plant-themed attraction will introduce Cleamolette’s tractor cabins, a story-driven ride combining botanical science with themed storytelling. The park is also expanding its Terra Nocta nighttime show with a new immersive water zone featuring mist effects, waterfalls, lighting and live performers.

Alongside these additions, Terra Botanica has redesigned a discovery trail featuring more than 10,000 vegetable plants and diverse edible species, reinforcing its focus on biodiversity, horticulture and environmental education.

The developments highlight how botanical gardens are evolving into hybrid visitor attractions, blending educational content with immersive entertainment formats to broaden their audience appeal.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/terra-botanica-expands-attraction-line-up-with-new-ride-and-evening-experience-for-2026

16/03/2026

Disneyland Paris is preparing to launch a new nighttime spectacular that demonstrates the growing role of drone technology in large-scale themed entertainment.

The upcoming Disney Cascade of Lights show will debut on Adventure Bay at Walt Disney Studios Park (soon to be renamed Disney Adventure World). The production will combine 379 aerial drones, water-based drone units, projection mapping, pyrotechnics and lighting effects to create a multi-layered spectacle over the park’s central lake.

Developed in partnership with drone technology specialist Dronisos, the project highlights how theme park operators are increasingly integrating drone choreography into immersive storytelling. Unlike traditional fireworks, drones can create precise animated formations while operating with lower noise levels and greater programming flexibility.

The show also forms part of Disneyland Paris’ wider expansion strategy, with nighttime entertainment playing a key role in extending visitor dwell time and reinforcing the identity of new themed lands such as World of Frozen.

For the attractions and experience economy, the project reflects how aerial robotics, multimedia production and environmental considerations are reshaping live entertainment design.



https://www.experienceuk.org/blog/disneyland-paris-introduces-new-drone-technology-for-upcoming-lake-spectacular