Amsterdam, 18 November 2009 - The Heineken Experience, one of Amsterdam's most popular tourist attractions, has received the Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the field of Brand Experience by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). This non-profit association represents the world's leading creators, developers, designers and producers of compelling places and experiences. The awards were announced on 17 November at the IAAPA tradeshow in Las Vegas, USA.
The Thea Award is the industry's highest recognition and is granted to the Heineken Experience for its outstanding product. The awards committee report says; "the reinvention of the Heineken Experience has raised the bar for corporate experiences worldwide. As a corporate experience the new Heineken Experience is a breakthrough because it is a celebration of the world of the customer rather than of the product, and because it speaks in a way that is meaningful to Heineken's primary audience".
"We feel honoured and proud by winning the Thea Award and I thank everyone who contributed to the new Heineken Experience project, especially the project team from BRC Imagination Arts, for making the experience a great success", says Hans Maris, manager of the Heineken Experience. "The award shows that our brand experience centre is not only appreciated by Heineken fans from around the world but also by industry experts of themed entertainment."
After undergoing extensive remodeling and expansion, the Heineken Experience reopened its doors in December 2008 with a scale of new attractions such as a mini brewery, a tasting bar and multi-media experiences. The new Heineken Experience brings the values of the Heineken brand to life in an entertaining and contemporary way. Annually, over 350.000 Heineken fans visit the Heineken Experience.
The awards will be presented at the 16th annual Thea Awards Gala in California on 6 March 2010.
Editorial information:
The Heineken Experience is located in the former Heineken Brewery (a national monument and listed in the European route of Industrial Heritage) in the city centre of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 1988 Heineken stopped brewing at this location. The site was completely renovated and turned into the Heineken Experience, a brand experience and meeting centre, which first opened its doors in 2001. The Heineken Experience is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Amsterdam and it introduces visitors to the World of Heineken during a self-guided interactive tour. For more information, visit www.heinekenexperience.com.
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