Gracia Lovaco began his career at Parque Warner in Madrid and later took on responsibilities at other theme parks such as Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and Faunia, also in the Spanish capital. Subsequently, and until today, he assumed the executive management of Parques Reunidos for Southern Europe, one of the most important theme park operators in the world. Here is the chat we had the pleasure of sharing with him:
Amusement Logic: You studied business management, marketing and public relations, how did you get into the leisure and tourism sector and why?
Diego Gracia Lovaco: I have always been a theme parks fan and when I heard that one was going to be built in Madrid, I didn’t hesitate and I left my CV at the construction site that had been set up at the entrance of the Warner Park offices; that was 21 years ago…
A.L.: You began your professional career as head of events at the Warner Park in Madrid. What role do events play in a park like this?
D.G.L.: Events play an important role in this type of park, as there are numerous film shoots, TV commercials, many private events such as birthdays and first communions, as well as company events where the aim is to combine leisure with business. For this we have very good facilities such as large amphitheatres, multifunctional halls and numerous restaurants, and we can even prepare a tailor-made event for the client by organising gymkhanas or personalised shows.
A.L.: From Parque Warner you moved to Parque de Atracciones de Madrid as commercial director. What was your strategy for marketing this park?
D.G.L.: Parque de Atracciones de Madrid is a park with a very local public, as 95% of the visitors come from the Madrid region. The main strategy focused on offering a park for the whole family, in an attempt to increase visits from outside Madrid, through themed campaigns such as Halloween or with themed areas such as Nickelodeonland.
A.L.: From sales director you then became general director, a position you held first at Faunia and then at Parque de Atracciones de Madrid and again at Parque Warner. Can you give us a comparison of these three parks? Which attractions would you highlight in each of them and which one is the most popular with the public?
D.G.L.: Although all three parks are in the Madrid region, they are completely different products. Faunia is the nature theme park, where customers can visit different ecosystems and discover the animals and plants that are part of those ecosystems. Like Madrid Zoo, it plays a very important role in conservation and education projects, such as the monk seal project, which is one of the most endangered marine mammals on the planet. The Parque de Atracciones de Madrid offers unique experiences with incredible attractions such as ABISMO or TARANTULA and fun and fantasy with popular Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Paw Patrol or the Ninja Turtles.
Parque Warner is a theme park that, although some people think it is an amusement park, has nothing to do with it. Parque Warner makes its customers enter the world of cartoons and the most famous films of the brand, as all its streets are themed recreating this type of fantasy world. You can visit Tweety Bird or Bugs Bunny’s house in the Cartoon Village area, or go into Gotham City, or Metropolis, in the DC Superheroes World area. You can visit the Wild West and feel like a real cowboy in the Old West Territory area. In other words, you can enjoy the best attractions and shows surrounded by amazing theming that transports you to that fantasy world. If you visit this park, you can’t miss out on riding Superman, Rio Bravo or Stunt Fall, or enjoying shows by film stunt-performers such as Crazy Police Academy or Aquaman Night Time Spectacular, or having your photo taken with the characters from the Justice League or the famous Looney Tunes, or, of course, taking a dip in the Warner Beach Water Park.
A.L.: What type of public are you targeting and why?
D.G.L.: Parque Warner is a destination park as 40% of its visitors come from outside Madrid, while Parque de Atracciones de Madrid, Zoo and Faunia are more local parks, although they also receive many visitors from outside the city on special dates such as Easter, Halloween or Christmas. All the parks offer different experiences for all types of public, families with small children, teenagers, adults and senior citizens.
A.L.: Finally, you moved to the position of Regional Executive Director for Southern Europe at Parques Reunidos, a position you hold today. What are your current duties?
D.G.L.: My main function is to coordinate with the different general managers and the Central Services team of each of the parks in my area of responsibility, all the necessary actions to carry out the Company’s growth strategy, improve the quality and service of our parks, ensure that the conservation, sustainability, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) projects, etc. are fulfilled. In other words, to ensure that all the objectives set at Company level in Southern Europe are met.
A.L.: What role does Parques Reunidos give to innovation and the renovation of attractions and services, and what investment policy does it implement?
D.G.L.: Parques Reunidos is constantly innovating, not only to renew its portfolio of attractions and shows, but also in the use of technology. We are currently immersed in a very ambitious process of digital transformation. We have carried out a total renovation for customers. It is about digitalisation, a commitment to make a leap in a world that is traditionally physical and based on physical experience.
Until ten years ago, amusement parks based their interaction with customers in person. Today, contact with consumers is digital, both before they make a purchase and inside the facility, to reserve a slot on an attraction, order food or request an alarm when your favourite show is about to start. To do this we have to invest a lot of resources in our websites, APPs and sales and communication systems, inside and outside the parks.
A.L.: What expansion plans does Parques Reunidos have for the coming years?
D.G.L.: Parques Reunidos continues with its acquisition plan and has in fact added Adventureland, in Iowa, USA, to its portfolio of parks. This resort was founded in 1974 by Jack Krantz. The family entertainment area features more than 50 rides, live shows, a water park and the famous Grill and Spectators Sports Bar restaurants. The resort also offers accommodation at the Adventureland Inn hotel and a campground. The Group continues to explore potential acquisitions, especially in Europe and the US.
A.L.: How do you see the future of the leisure sector?
D.G.L.: The leisure sector is very promising because in this society, we need to generate more and more unforgettable moments with our children, with whom, unfortunately, we cannot spend as much time as we would like to. On the other hand, human beings need to find those moments to escape from everyday life and experience unique sensations that help them to find moments of happiness. Obviously, the way of having fun has changed with technological advances and will continue to do so; that is why leisure companies that invest and incorporate that technology into their leisure spaces will continue to be at the forefront of the sector.
