1. Visitor Attractions Information and guidance for teachers Contents Learning Objectives Lesson plan Plan a route Suggested activities to link with session Things to arrange prior to visit The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Your teaching session A visitor favourite: ‘Boris’ the chimpanzee

2. Back to top One of our Discovery sessions in action! Visitor attractions Learning Objectives After attending this session, students will be able to: Describe a typical visitor profile for Chester Zoo (i.e age, where they travel from, when they visit, how long they stay). List some of the facilities/ attractions that Chester Zoo offers to its visitors. Briefly outline the management structure, and give examples of job roles at Chester Zoo. Give a few examples of how Chester Zoo markets its product. Lesson Plan Based around a PowerPoint presentation covering: ▪A brief history of the Zoo Our mission statement A typical visit to Chester Zoo (time of year, dwell time, repeat visits) A typical visitor to Chester Zoo (age, number (average visitors per decade and number per year for the last decade with reasons for variation), where they come from (catchment area) Facilities, as a visitor attraction what we offer and need to provide for our visitors. Chester Zoo’s location particularly in relation to population cluster, potential visitors and transport Management structure Pricing structure Income (including figures for sources of income) Annual expenditure (including figures for various areas) Visitor figures in relation to other UK attractions Forward thinking in relation to enclosure design, technology (interpretation and breeding) Marketing objectives (including examples of advert and PR) and evaluation Techniques to manage visitors both inside and out of the Zoo and the impact of the Zoo on the local community Legislation that we are bound by Our male Sumatran Orang-utan, Puluh ‘Marmot Mania’ at Chester Zoo!

3. Plan a route Various animals are mentioned during this session, often led by students, some that you might like to visit include. Elephants – to the left of the Main Entrance Rhinos – to the right of the Main Entrance Jaguar – just beyond the Education Centre Lion – between the ruffed lemur island and the tiger enclosure Komodo Dragon – in Islands in Danger just over the second (canal) bridge opposite the formal gardens Flamingos – opposite the penguins Giraffe – opposite the Tropical Realm Meerkats – Opposite the Rhinos on the perimeter fence Tiger - opposite the Ark Restaurant Spectacled bear – Just past the Twilight Zone Marmots – Between the lion and the tiger enclosures Sealions – next to the penguins Bats – in the Twilight Zone just past Monkeys. Chimps – opposite orang-utans Tapir – between the Twilight Zone and Spectacled Bears Bongo – past the owls by the otters and Oakfield House Baby animals - For up to date information of recent births check our website www.chesterzoo.orgwww.chesterzoo.org Students may also like to experience some of our facilities e.g. Fun Ark (opposite the Ark Restaurant) for 14yrs and under, Ark Restaurant (opposite the Fun Ark) the gardens (opposite the Fountain Shop) Presenter Talks (click here for time and location) Visitor Information (between the tiger and lion enclosure), the monorail (stops opposite the elephants and between the lion and tiger enclosures) there is a charge for this, waterbus (stop opposite the lion) this is seasonal and there is a charge for this.click here Back to top Asoka – Chester Zoo’s male Asiatic Lion Click here to download a Zoo Map

4. One of our young Sumatran Orang-utans born in 2004 Suggested activities to link with session Before visit Some background knowledge of the above concepts would be useful. Additional resources are available for booked groups. These can be requested before, during or after your visit. Send us a CD stating the subject/s you are interested in along with a SAE and we will do our best to get the information to you before your visit or give it to you on the day of your visit. Or if you bring a CD and SAE with you we will send the information back to you as soon as possible. Have a look at our website, in particular our Annual Reviews.Annual Reviews Look out for adverts or PR pieces in your local papers or on TV (the Chester Chronicle is a good source of both advertising and public relations). On the Journey to the Zoo look out for signage to the Zoo or for local facilities that might not be viable if the Zoo was not an attraction (supermarket, post office, garages, fast food, hardware store). During visit We ask that you do not carry surveys of our visitors during your visit Investigate the facilities provided. Visit Visitor Information (between the lion and tiger enclosures). Monitor the use of interpretation signage at an enclosure (use, time spent by visitors reading signage, number of visitors that walk past). Investigate our internal marketing, look out for membership and adoption information, facilities and events (the visitor centre. between the lion and the tiger is a good place to start). Take pictures of animals/facilities to use back at school/college. Have a look for marketing materials from other attractions. Continued on next page…

5. One of our Critically Endangered Blue-throated Macaws Back to top After visit Investigate the growth of Chester Zoo (local records offices should be able to provide maps). Investigate further the legislation that we are bound by in a bit more detail. Research value for money compared to other leading tourist attraction with and without considering dwell time. Investigate local public transport and the effect of the Zoo on this facility. Design promotional material e.g. a leaflet or paper advert using pictures taken during your visit. Design a novel marketing campaign, something that is currently not being used by the Zoo e.g. using a Blimp. Design a market research questionnaire, a general Zoo one or for a specific exhibit/facility. Write a publicity article about a real or made up event at the Zoo. Plan the opening of a new exhibit from a marketing point of view. Guests, celebrities, schools, staff, facilities, time of day, refreshments, press, media, cost etc. Plan an event to raise the profile of Chester Zoo for various age groups, e.g. for under 12’s a cartoon character tour, for 12 – 24 a concert/festival, for 55+ a classical concert. Visit Chester Cathedral and make a comparison between Chester Zoo and the Cathedral as tourist attractions. Chester Cathedral is a former Benedictine monastery with exceptionally well preserved monastic buildings and woodwork. It is a thriving place of Christian worship with an Education Department that enables school groups to study many aspects of the National Curriculum including Citizenship and Enterprise. As a business enterprise, interesting and thought provoking comparisons can be made with the business that is Chester Zoo

6. Things to arrange prior to visit Please check details on confirmation letter, any queries please call 01244 650205. Arrange a pre-visit to the Zoo, contact us 01244 650205 for details. Arrange appropriate number of group leaders and collate contact details. Assign students to a group leader, ensure students and leaders know the running plan for the day, have staff contact details and map of the Zoo (click here).click here Ensure group leaders have a plan for the day including; student names, time and location of teaching session (e.g. a copy of the confirmation letter) and where to meet, if necessary, after the session as well as a map of the Zoo. Running plan for the day Time and location of teaching session Time and location to meet for teaching session Time and location to meet for lunch Time to visit Twilight Zone (all students under 16 must be accompanied through the Twilight Zone) Time for students to visit the gift shop (the shop at the entrance is open all year round, opening times of the other 2 shops vary throughout the year) All students under 16 should be accompanied in the gift shops Time and location to meet when leaving the Zoo Back to top Helping UK wildlife - Harvest mouse re-introduction at Chester Zoo

7. Back to top The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Please help us to make your entrance to the Zoo as smooth as possible Allow plenty of time to get to and into the Zoo, it can take over 30 minutes to enter the Zoo and reach the Education Centre, particularly at busy times of year. On arrival the group leader only should approach the main gate with the confirmation letter. Students and other staff should remain on the coach. This provides an ideal opportunity for another member of staff to run through itinerary for the day with students and helpers, to hand out work sheets, information, maps, talk times etc. Once the paperwork has been completed the group leader can collect the group from the coach to be counted into the Zoo by Gate Staff. There are toilets at the main entrance both inside and outside the Zoo. Rainy day – indoor enclosures The Aquarium, Tropical Realm, Twilight Zone, Spirit of the Jaguar, Islands in Danger are all undercover, indoor exhibits. Additionally, macaws, Chimps, orang-utans, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, Monkeys, Miniature Monkeys all have undercover viewing. One of the most popular animals at the zoo – the Californian Sealions

8. Your teaching session Sessions are run in 3 classrooms all located in the Education Centre next to the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. Please be aware that it can take 30+ minutes to cross the zoo particularly at busy times of year. On arrival at the Education Centre please wait outside the appropriate room (Cook, Columbus or Cousteau), as stated on your booking confirmation, for an Education Officer to greet you. Please don’t block doorways to education classrooms as there may be classes about to leave. Each teaching session will last approximately 50 minutes. There is plenty of open space for lunches outside the Education Centre. On rainy days there is an indoor picnic area (Arara Picnic Lodge) past the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. There are toilets opposite the Spirit of the Jaguar house just past the Education Centre. If you are delayed for any reason and may be late for your teaching session please contact 01244 650205, we may be able to help! If you have found this information useful or think there is something that we could add to help your day run smoothly please let us know at education@chesterzoo.org education@chesterzoo.org Back to top Meeting ‘Beaky’ the quail during a Discovery session