At The WXO, we want to connect the dots across the Experience Economy and across the globe – so each month, we’ll be bringing you our round-up of the experiential stories that we think reveal something interesting, relevant or transferrable about the Experience Economy.

Welcome to the latest Experience Radar, where we’re enjoying the full 360° lifestyle experience at Netflix House in the US, getting to grips with the world’s first 8K curved LED screen at Zoom’s Experience Centre in London and sipping on a Tiki cocktail aboard the Margaritaville cruise ship bound for Mexico.

1. Experience Economy Outpacing UK Economy

We may be preaching to the converted, but if you were in any doubt about the power of the Experience Economy, then Barclays’ latest report will make for interesting reading. Conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), the report found that the Experience Economy contributes an estimated £134bn to the broader UK economy; a sum greater than the GDP of Morocco. Between now and 2027, the CEBR predicts that the UK’s Experience Economy, which employs an estimated three million people, will grow by an average of 2.6%, surpassing the equivalent figure for the UK economy as a whole (1.6%), to reach an estimated contribution of £146bn.

According to Barclays, the annual consumer spending on entertainment and travel has risen by 6.5% and 11.6% year-on-year, outpacing the growth in non-essential spending (up 3.4%). This summer alone, UK consumers are expected to spend £178bn – an average of £3,322 per person – on events, experiences and holidays between June and September. The ‘winning with experiences’ report also found that 90% of consumer-facing businesses believe that demand for memorable experiences is growing faster than demand for physical products. Meanwhile, businesses that have made changes to provide more memorable consumer experiences report a 15% average increase in revenue.

“Brits are swapping shopping bags for shared moments, and experiences now make a heavyweight contribution to the UK economy. This trend is set to gather momentum as consumers look to splash out this summer on holidays, live entertainment and sports events, with retail, hospitality and leisure businesses ready to capitalise on this opportunity,” said Rich Robinson, head of hospitality and leisure at Barclays. “We’re witnessing a long-term behavioural shift that will see experiences like travel and live entertainment take up a greater share of our discretionary spending, certainly this summer but also into the foreseeable future,” added Dr Peter Brooks, Barclays’ chief behavioural scientist.

2. Netflix To Open Immersive Retail Venues

If watching your favourite Netflix shows isn’t enough to scratch your entertainment itch then brace yourself for 2025, as the streaming giant is set to launch a pair of immersive retail and dining destinations where fans can live the 360° Netflix lifestyle. As reported by BlooLoop, the two Netflix House locations in the US will offer retail, restaurants, live performances, rotating art installations and other experiences inspired by Netflix’s biggest brands. “Don’t think of it like Disneyland,” said CEO Ted Sarandos. “Netflix House venues are something you might go to a couple times a month, not just once every couple of years”.

Netflix is already behind location-based entertainment (LBE) experiences themed around Bridgerton, Stranger Things and Money Heist. “We’ve seen how much fans love to immerse themselves in the world of our movies and TV shows, and we’ve been thinking a lot about how we take that to the next level,” Josh Simon, Netflix’s VP of consumer products, told Bloomberg. To test the waters, this year Netflix opened a pop-up restaurant in LA called Netflix Bites, serving dishes inspired by food personalities on the platform. Later this year it will launch a new experience in LA called Squid Game: The Trials.

3. Cruise Ships Up Their Entertainment Game

Cruises used to be the preserve of the blue rinse brigade, but leading liners have been busy upping their entertainment game in order to attract a younger crowd. From themed bars and immersive dining to expansive play areas for kids, the cruising industry has embraced the need to deliver memorable experiences. Royal Caribbean has launched a Wild West-themed immersive train carriage restaurant on its Utopia of the Seas cruise ship bound for the Bahamas, featuring themed cocktails and seats equipped with a ‘butt kicker’ so diners feel every last bump in the road. Called Royal Railway – Utopia Station, expect to hear gunshots and smell pistol smoke during your meal.

The Mexico-bound Margaritaville at Sea Islander, meanwhile, endeavours to make the journey as enjoyable as the destination via themed bars and lounges including a three-story poolside LandShark Bar – a world first for a cruise ship – an adult-only outdoor Tiki lounge bar and pool; and a 14-storey tropical atrium. Appealing to an even younger audience, MSC Cruises’ new vessel – MSC World America – will boast seven districts, a water park, an 11-deck dry slide and the world’s first Lego-themed parade at sea when it sets sail in April 2025. Designed for kids of all ages, the Lego Family Zone will feature Lego characters, while the Lego Game Show competition will include timed challenges and bricks aplenty.

4. Cercle Launches Nomadic Concert Installation

Hoping to redefine how we experience live music, Paris-based production company Cercle has launched a travelling, 360° immersive concert installation called Cercle Odyssey. As reported by MusicTech.com, the structure blends live music with a new type of visual storytelling. Using 55m-long giant projection screens to envelop the audience, Cercle will collaborate with artists from various genres and backgrounds known for blending audio and visual elements. Inspired by film screens, Cercle Odyssey’s screens will showcase an array of high-quality images shot in 8K, “meticulously synchronised” live with music.

The concerts will be strictly phone free to help the audience to “fully immerse themselves in the experience”. As a parting souvenir, concertgoers will receive a folder of filmed content to keep. Mexico City, Los Angeles and Paris will be among the first cities to host the nomadic concert installation. Cercle Odyssey will kick off on 25-26 April 2025 in Mexico City, moving to LA on 9-10 May, then to Paris on 30 May. “I want to create the shortest connection between the music played by the artist, the video narrative we will present live on the screens, and the audience’s emotions,” says Cercle founder Derek Barbolla.

5. New Night-Time Economy Fuelled By Wellness

With Generation Z ditching bars in favour of spas, the night-time economy is increasingly being fuelled by wellness rather than hedonism. As reported by the Global Wellness Institute, after-dark wellness experiences, from star-gazing to full moon meditations, are on the rise, as the world heats up and socialising morphs into something entirely different to the bar and club scenes of yore. Resorts around the world are responding to the trend with new nocturnal experiences, from night snorkelling and hot spring soaks to guided rainforest walks under the stars. Saunas are also responding with sauna socials with live DJs and dancing followed by moonlit cold plunges and ice baths.

A new wave of social bathhouses are keen to capitalise in on the trend, as youngsters swap pubs for saunas to get their social fix. Among them is Canada’s Othership, which recently opened a new venue in New York (enjoyed by those who attended the WXO Summit), boasting a 100-person sauna, the coldest commercial ice baths in the US, and a 700 square foot circular tearoom with a fireplace to gather round. The trend chimes with the larger post-pandemic movement towards experiences that foster friendship and social connection. Wellness clubs and bathhouses are reinventing the nightclub as a healthy experience rather than one fuelled by hedonistic pursuits like drugs and alcohol.

6. Uzbekistan To Get Silk Road-Inspired Resort

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, will soon be home to the largest integrated resort in Central Asia. As reported by BlooLoop, the 69-acre resort, called The Grand Serai, will include a hotel, retail space, and water park facilities when it opens in 2027. Estimated to cost over US$250m, the resort is the brainchild of Uzbekistan’s Tourism and Entertainment Group (TEG) and is being designed by theme park specialists Legacy Entertainment. The Grand Serai takes its inspiration from the caravanserais – roadside inns where travellers could rest and recover from the day’s journey – found along the Silk Road.

The report will celebrate Uzbekistan’s rich culture with creative reinterpretations of the country’s architecture, food, music and fashion. Its centrepiece will be a sprawling water park boasting over 20 custom-designed rides, which will feature performances inspired by Uzbekistan’s history and beauty. Themed zone ‘Azure’ will be inspired by the particular shade of blue on the nation’s flag, while The Silk Road Shops dining and retail space will highlight the significance of Uzbekistan as the central point of the Silk Road connecting Asia and Europe.

7. Zoom Opens Immersive Experience Centre

Taking the employee experience to new heights, video conferencing platform Zoom has opened an immersive Experience Centre in central London. As reported by Computer Weekly, the 18,000 square feet venue – a first of its kind ­– was designed to immerse customers and partners in the company’s products and artificial intelligence services. London was chosen as the destination for the venue to highlight Zoom’s long-term commitment to the UK, which is one of its largest global markets outside of the US. Designed to support the changing nature of the employee experience, the venue includes a 125-foot lens wall.

The world’s first floor-to-ceiling, 8K curved LED screen includes multi-touch interactivity and provides a 360° visual experience that can be customised during demonstrations and workshops. Offering a view of the boardroom of the future, the centre is equipped with state-of-the-art cameras and audio systems. Spearheading the shift from traditional office spaces to experiential working hubs, the Experience Centre is adjacent to Zoom’s London Engagement Hub, which opened last August providing working spaces for colleagues who live close enough to the office to collaborate in person on designated team days.