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• Reflect. Adapt. Thrive - Science and Discovery Centres the next 25 years.

  In today’s episode, recorded live at the National Science and Media Museum during the Association for Science and Discovery Centres Annual Conference 2025, we’re exploring what’s on the horizon for Science and Discovery Centres right now, over the next 5 years, and looking even further ahead to the next 25 years.It’s a throwback to the break between Seasons 6 and 7, when Paul Marden was invited to the ASDC National Conference in Bradford, at the height of the Bradford City of Culture celebrations. It was Paul’s first time in Bradford, but not his first ASDC conference, and this one was an absolute standout.At the end of the first day, Paul gathered a brilliant panel of delegates to unpack the conference’s central theme: the Now, Next, and Future for Science Centres.Joining Paul on the panel were:Jo Quinton-Tulloch, Director, National Science and Media MuseumDavid Jones, Community Engagement Manager, International Centre for LifeNatalie Whitehead, Founder and Director, Exeter Science CentreStephen Breslin, CEO, Glasgow Science Centre and Chair of the Association for Science and Discovery Centres ASDCShaaron Leverment, CEO, Association for Science and Discovery Centres ASDCLet’s head back to Bradford for a fascinating conversation about innovation, engagement, and the long-term vision shaping the future of science discovery in the UK. Show references:  Jo Quinton-Tulloch - Director, National Science and Media Museumhttps://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-quinton-tulloch-22503791/David Jones, Community Engagement Manager, International Centre for Lifehttps://www.life.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-jones-031570198/Natalie Whitehead, Founder and Director, Exeter Science Centrehttps://exetersciencecentre.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-whitehead-17323ba9/Stephen Breslin, CEO, Glasgow Science Centre and Chair of ASDChttps://www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-breslin-b331135b/Shaaron Leverment - CEO, Association for Science and Discovery Centres ASDChttps://www.sciencecentres.org.uk/events/asdc-conference-2025/https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaaron-leverment-74b53b50/ Skip the Queue is brought to you by Crowd Convert. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

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• The Role Of Data For Visitor Attraction Management with Jim Deegan and Ernesto Batista- Sanchez

  This week on Skip The Queue we explore the science behind ensuring good visitor experiences, by looking at the role data has to play in thisJoining me are two experts in this field, Professor Jim Deegan, economist, tourism policy expert, and founder of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies at the University of Limerick, and Ernesto Sánchez- Batista, an expert in destination planning and digital transformation.Together, they have been instrumental in developing a new Tourism Data Dashboard. This has been utilised to transform the visitor experience at The Cliffs of Moher, one of  Ireland’s most iconic landmarks.Let’s find out how, and what they’ve achieved.  We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.Download your FREE copy here: https://pages.crowdconvert.co.uk/skip-the-queue-playbookSkip the Queue is brought to you by Crowd Convert. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.Show references:  Jim Deegan - PHD Scholar of Cliffs of Moer Projecthttps://www.cliffsofmoher.ie/https://www.irishexaminer.com/business/economy/arid-41721501.htmlhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-deegan-94438b2a/Jim Deegan is the Director of the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies (NCTPS), University of Limerick(UL), a member of the Economics Department( Head of department, 2011-2016) ) and Professor of Tourism Policy. He is an economist by training and his research interests and publications are in all facets of public policy for tourism. Jim is a highly cited author in tourism economics/policy papers and he acts as a referee for all the top rated international journals in tourism and has served on editorial boards of numerous journals that have included the Cornell Quarterly and Tourism Economics. As director of the NCTPS at UL he has raised more than €6 million through project research and philanthropic donations  that has funded research scholarships for more than 25 students to study tourism at postgraduate level. Jim has undertaken project research on behalf of the World Bank, The European Commission, Eurostat, The Irish Government, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the Marine Institute, the Law Society and many other public and private sector organisations across the world. He was the project lead for the team that delivered Ireland’s first Tourism Satellite Account in 2004.Jim has served on numerous public and private sector committees/boards on tourism issues over the last 25 years and was a founding member of the Business Tourism Forum of Failte Ireland  from 2004 and was appointed to the Board of The National Tourism Development Authority( Failte Ireland) by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2013. He is currently a board member of the Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation. Jim was the founding chairman and a shareholder in Treaty Radio Ltd that was sold to UTV PLC for €15.7million in 2002. Ernesto Batista Sánchez - PHD Scholar of Cliffs of Moer Projecthttps://www.ul.ie/business/departments/department-economics/research/national-centre-tourism-policy-studieshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ebats/Ernesto Batista Sánchez is a PhD researcher at the National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies (NCTPS), Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Ireland. Prior to this, he worked as an Assistant Professor in Tourism programmes at the University of Holguín, Cuba. He graduated with a first-class honours MA in International Tourism from the University of Limerick in 2020 and holds a PhD from the University of Holguín (2024). His research explores the application of technology and data analysis in tourism. We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

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• Behind the Screams: How Avon Valley Masters Halloween Attractions - Doug Douglas

  We’ve got a frightfully good episode for you today on Skip The Queue. We’re taking a trip to the dark side… where screams echo, shadows stir and the scare actors never seem to take a night off.We’re joined by the team behind Avon Valley’s FEAR Scream Park, a family-run adventure park with more than 35 years of experience, and now home to one of the UK’s most terrifying Halloween events.Winners of Best Event Entertainment at the 2024 Thrill Nation Halloween Awards, Avon Valley has mastered the art of blending immersive theatre, multi-sensory scares and spine-tingling attractions that keep thrill seekers coming back for more.From scare zones to scream-worthy shows, and even a ‘scaredy-cat lanyard’ for those who’d rather keep the monsters at arm’s length, there’s something for everyone who dares to step inside.Let’s unmask what’s new this year at FEAR… We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.Download your FREE copy here: https://pages.crowdconvert.co.uk/skip-the-queue-playbookSkip the Queue is brought to you by Crowd Convert. We provide attractions with the tools and expertise to create world-class digital interactions. Very simply, we're here to rehumanise commerce. Your host is Andy Povey.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn.Show references:  FEAR Avon Valley Scream Parkhttps://www.fearscreampark.co.uk/Avon Valley Adventure Parkhttps://avonvalley.co.uk/Doug Douglas on LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-douglas-87826038/National Farm Attractions Network (NFAN)https://www.farmattractions.net/Halloween and Scare Attraction Association (HSAA)https://www.hsaa.uk/Avon Valley Adventure Park is a family business with 35 years of experienceWinner of Best Event Entertainment at the 2024 Thrill Nation Halloween Awards, Avon Valley’s FEAR Scream Park offers a unique and thrilling experience for Halloween and adrenaline lovers across the UK and beyond. Re-opening on Friday 10th October, FEAR Scream Park will welcome visitors for 11 nights of scares. Boasting two zones, five multi-sensory and immersive scare attractions, it will also play host to fire and laser shows, street entertainment and a ‘bolt on’ scare experience known as The Exorcism. Visitors will be challenged to hold their nerve as they navigate the attractions and enjoy a night that is as thrilling as it is terrifying.FEAR welcomes all who dare to experience its horrors but for those who prefer a less intense night the park offers a 'scaredy-cat lanyard,' which lets actors know to keep their distance allowing all guests to have a bloody good night. FEARless at Avon Valley Scream ParkFor those on half term, younger scare-lovers can experience the award-winning FEAR Scream Park with FEARless, a frightfully fun experience that invites under 16 year olds to navigate a tamed-down version of four attraction mazes with no major scares (but still plenty of spooks) along the way. With street performers, food stalls and fairground rides, the event is running for select daytime slots from Saturday 26th - Thursday 31st October.  We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

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• How to Build a High-Converting Online Gift Shop for Museums and Attractions - Stephen Spencer and Simon Jones

  Paul Marden and Andy Povey head to the VAC 2025 Conference at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster, London, to explore the evolving world of attraction retail and e-commerce.With special participation from Skip the Queue’s founding host, Kelly Molson, the conversation delves into practical steps for creating seamless, authentic and profitable online experiences.Joining him are industry experts Stephen Spencer, Director of Stephen Spencer + Associates, and Simon Jones, Managing Director of Navigate Agency, to discuss how attractions can create e-commerce gift shops that truly enhance the visitor experience.They discuss the Visitor Attraction Playbook and explore how storytelling, sustainability and smart integration can transform your retail offer from an afterthought into a powerful brand extension.This episode also marks the launch of our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth.Download your FREE copy here: https://pages.crowdconvert.co.uk/skip-the-queue-playbook Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your hosts are Paul Marden and Andy Povey.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  Stephen Spencer, Ambience Director of Stephen Spencer + Associateshttps://www.stephenspencerassociates.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/customerexperiencespecialist/Simon Jones, Managing Director of Navigate Agencyhttps://www.navigate.agency/https://www.linkedin.com/in/simontjones/Kelly Molson, Skip the Queue’s founding host, Agency Advisor, Kelly Molson Consultinghttps://www.kellymolson.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellymolson/ We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

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• LIVE from AVEA Conference 2025 - Get your attraction retail ready

  Paul Marden heads to the AVEA conference in front of a LIVE audience to find out why gift shops are such an important part of the attraction mix. Joining him is Jennifer Kennedy, Retail Consultant, JK Consulting and Michael Dolan, MD of Shamrock Gift Company. They discuss why your gift shop is an integral part of your brand and why it needs to be just as good as the experience you have on offer. This coinsides with the launch of our brand new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide To Going Beyond The Gift Shop’, where you can find out exactly how to improve your online offering to take your ecommerce to the next level. Download your FREE copy here:  https://pages.crowdconvert.co.uk/skip-the-queue-playbookBut that's not all. Paul walks the conference floor and speaks to:Susanne Reid, CEO of Christchurch Cathedral Dublin, on how they are celebrating their millennium anniversary - 1000 years!Charles Coyle, Managing Director, Emerald Park, on how they are bringing AI integrations to enhance their booking processesRay Dempsey, General Manager of The Old Jamerson Distillery on how they offering more accessible touring optionsIt's a mega episode and one you'll not want to miss. Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is Paul Marden.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website SkiptheQueue.fm.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on LinkedIn. Show references:  Jennifer Kennedy — Founder, JK Consultinghttps://jkconsultingnyc.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-kennedy-aba75712/Michael Dolan — Managing Director, Shamrock Gift Companyhttps://www.shamrockgiftcompany.com/Catherine Toolan — Managing Director, Guinness Storehouse & Global Head of Brand Homes, Diageohttp://diageo.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinetoolan/Máirín Walsh — Operations Manager, Waterford Museumhttps://www.waterfordtreasures.com/Dean Kelly — Photography & Visitor Experience Specialist https://www.wearephotoexperience.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-kelly-1259a316/Charles Coyle — Managing Director, Emerald Parkhttps://www.emeraldpark.ieSusanne Reid — CEO, Christ Church Cathedral Dublinhttp://www.christchurchcathedral.iehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/susannereid/Ray Dempsey — General Manager, Jameson Distilleryhttps://www.jamesonwhiskey.com/en-ie/visit-our-distilleries/jameson-bow-street-distillery-tour/https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-dempsey-37a8665a/ We have launched our brand-new playbook: ‘The Retail Ready Guide to Going Beyond the Gift Shop’ — your go-to resource for building a successful e-commerce strategy that connects with your audience and drives sustainable growth. Download your FREE copy here

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