It’s not just for hotels, restaurants and bars, now Madame Tussauds in London is about to launch a free WiFi service that will allow visitors to upload photos and videos, access social media, and share their experiences as they rub shoulders with some of the world’s most famous stars.
Connected world
Madame Tussauds London is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the capital and taking photos is at its very heart. Guests want to instantaneously tell friends and family about their visit and take photographs or video of themselves coming face-to-face with their heroes – wax figures of everyone from Hollywood A-listers, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, to the Royal Family or Mo Farah (above) – so lifelike that it is the next best thing to really meeting them! This is an increasingly connected world, with 350 million pictures posted to Facebook alone every day. As such, Madame Tussauds London was very keen to provide fast, free WiFi access to its guests.
Sharing experiences online
“When people come into the attraction, one of the first things they do is check-in on social media,” said Ben Sweet, General Manager of Madame Tussauds London. “Then, as soon as they see our startlingly lifelike figures, they start snapping pictures and filming video. Naturally they want to share their experience online, whether tweeting, Snapchatting or Facebooking. Mobile internet has truly become second nature and we are keen to embrace that and offer an enhanced visitor experience to our guests.”
Bringing value to venue partners
The WiFi roll-out is part of The Cloud’s long-term partnership with Europe’s premier visitor attractions operator Merlin Entertainments plc. Over the last three years, similar services have been installed at three of its other iconic attractions – The EDF Energy London Eye, Thorpe Park Resort and Alton Towers Resort.
Vince Russell, Managing Director at The Cloud, commented: “The growth in popularity of smart devices like tablets and smartphones has completely altered the world we live in. The way in which we use WiFi has also moved on as consumers have become more tech savvy and expect more tailored services. We are constantly looking for ways to bring additional value to our venue partners and WiFi users, whether that’s through targeted advertising, location based offers, or helping our partners gain a deeper understanding of their customers through data and analytics. We are delighted to add Madame Tussauds London to our growing partnership with Merlin Entertainments plc and look forward to working closely with them.”
About The Cloud
The Cloud (www.thecloud.co.uk) builds and operates WiFi networks across the UK and Europe to provide the mobile media experience that consumers want. The service delivers simple, fast and cost effective broadband to millions of WiFi enabled smartphones, laptops and entertainment devices. The Cloud has exclusive commercial partnerships with retail, leisure, hotels, sports, transport, and entertainment and content partners to deliver its longer-term vision of a connected society.
The Cloud has over 9 million registered users connecting for over 2 billion minutes a month at over 21,000 live locations such as Marks & Spencer, the City of London, Wetherspoon, PizzaExpress, Caffe Nero, Eat, pubs, leisure facilities, restaurants and mainline stations.
Madame Tussauds London and Merlin Entertainments Group
Madame Tussauds London is located next to Baker Street tube station and open seven days a week; opening times vary check the website for details before visiting, www.madametussauds.com/London
Madame Tussauds has attractions in London, Hollywood, New York, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Vienna, Blackpool UK and Sydney, with interactive figures and experiences built around fame and celebrity.
Among Merlin’s attractions are – SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The EDF Energy London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers Resort, Warwick Castle, THORPE PARK, Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Blackpool Tower, Heide Park Resort, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, and the Sydney Tower Eye and SKYWALK,.. All brands which are distinctive, challenging and innovative – and which have great potential for growth in the future. www.merlinentertainments.biz