Reinventing Tourist Entertainment: Design with Soul, Animation with Strategy

Everything starts with a simple question: what does a guest remember when they return from holiday?

They might mention the buffet or the comfortable bed. But most likely, they’ll recall something that made them laugh, feel surprised, share a moment with their family, or feel part of something. And that almost always happens in a leisure space.

At Acttiv, we’ve seen it time and time again: the real value of tourist entertainment isn’t just in the activity itself, it’s in the experience. In how a space and a dynamic combine to create something more than functional, something memorable.

That’s why we’ve joined forces with Isaba, leaders in the creation of family leisure spaces in hotels and resorts worldwide, to go beyond animation. To rethink together how entertainment spaces are conceived in hotels, resorts and campsites. To create places that don’t just look good, but truly work, move people, and make a difference.

And this is not just a collaboration. It’s a commitment to a new model. One that puts the guest at the centre, and integrates design, content and analysis from day one. A model that understands entertainment not as an extra, but as the soul of the holiday experience.

An integrated model: design + activation + analysis

The reality of holiday tourism has changed. Today’s traveller is more demanding, more diverse, more emotional. They seek experiences that connect, represent and surprise them. That requires a complete rethink of the role entertainment plays in their stay.

At the same time, hotels and campsites are competing to stand out in a saturated market, where every detail counts. In this landscape, entertainment is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a strategic differentiator.

The question is no longer “Do you offer entertainment?”. The question is: how does your entertainment offer and your leisure spaces speak for your brand and connect with your guests?

This collaboration between Acttiv and Isaba was born to design spaces that come to life. That go beyond technical specs or aesthetics to truly respond to the real needs of both guests and establishments.

• Smart design that considers different user profiles and their behaviour throughout the day.
• Professional activation that transforms each space into a living stage full of interaction, play and emotion.
• Applied research. We start with a joint study across a sample of properties to analyse how leisure spaces are currently perceived and used. Because before proposing, we need to understand.

All with a holistic approach: functionality, creativity, sustainability and profitability.

One of the cornerstones of this partnership is analysis. Because only by measuring can we improve. We want to know which spaces are used most, at what times, by which profiles. Which activities generate more interaction. How guests perceive them. And use all that insight to improve design and activation. To make better decisions. To optimise resources. To anticipate needs.

At Acttiv, we’ve been applying this data and quality-driven mindset to our entertainment programmes for some time. Now, alongside Isaba, we’re bringing it to leisure spaces too.

Spaces that connect with every guest

One of the biggest challenges in the sector is to design spaces that work for everyone – with a sustainable, accessible and versatile approach.

• Children and youth: areas that encourage creativity, inclusive play and digital interaction.
• Families: environments that inspire quality time together, with options for all ages.
• Active seniors: leisure and wellness areas adapted to a guest who is increasingly demanding, sophisticated and eager for new experiences.

A call for change in the sector

This project is just the beginning, but also a call to the tourism sector to rethink its leisure spaces. To move past outdated models, generic animation and underused playgrounds.

Because if we want our guests to live memorable experiences, we have to make them possible. And that requires a mindset shift – to stop seeing tourist entertainment as a cost and start seeing it as an investment in guest experience, reputation and loyalty.