Covering Disruptive Technology Powering Business in The Digital Age

Written by: Khairul Haqeem, Journalist, AOPG.

“Tangible experience cannot be replicated with virtual nor augmented reality.”

Greg Pearn, Vice President of Theme Park Operations at Resorts World Genting, shares his thoughts on the rise of virtual playgrounds, also known as metaverses. Nothing beats the exhilarating experience of riding the Samba Gliders hovering over Genting Highland’s SkyWorlds. According to Greg, there is simply no way for a virtual environment to replicate something like it, yet.

The customer experience has changed substantially since the accelerated digitalisation of our daily lives began two years ago, at the start of the pandemic. What happened to Genting SkyWorlds should not come as a surprise given what the company and other businesses had to go through over the last two years. Genting SkyWorlds finally opened to the public on July 1st, after multiple delayed grand re-openings, and I was one of the first few to experience it.

What’s New?

Alibaba Cloud has always been adaptable and open to new ideas. Collaborating with Genting’s SkyWorlds has given them yet another interesting portfolio. This should be the first theme park project in Alibaba Cloud’s diverse portfolio. The Virtual Queue, SkyWorlds and Alibaba Cloud’s new baby, was expected to debut just before the MCO. The project returns after a two-year hiatus, coinciding with the park’s re-opening.

Virtual Queue (VQ) was developed with the intent of improving the customer experience in mind. Even before the pandemic, the sky city was brimming with local and foreign tourists looking for adventure and a good time at the pinnacle of Genting Highlands. Queuing for hours just to ride one of the park’s signature rides, however, is always one of the most frustrating experiences of any traditional theme park.

VQ is a feature that can be accessed via phone apps or, for those without Android or Apple phones, via strategically placed terminals to pre-book any rides in Genting’s SkyWorlds. While it is still possible to get on any of the rides by simply walking in, the virtual queue simplifies and organises everything.

Assuming you have pre-booked your ticket, pre-booked your ride even from home, and simply organised your ride schedule for the entire day. As of now, the maximum number of booked rides at one time is six, which will be increased as the system matures. Another useful feature is the ability to conveniently pre-book a restaurant depending on your or your family’s preferences.

Behind the Scenes

As previously stated, VQ makes use of cloud technology by leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable more efficient crowd management and dynamically reduce waiting time. From ride wait time to throughput, VQ reservations use advanced machine-learning in real-time. The operation team will be able to better control crowd distribution and optimise ride capacity because of this. With the help of Alibaba Cloud, this 26-acre theme park can handle a larger crowd and manage excessive traffic securely via the cloud platform.

Machine-Learning is used by the AI embedded in the VQ system to sort various parameters into their respective categories. Variables can include real-time customer numbers, physical line-ups, waiting time, the number of pre-booked rides, and so on. While it takes time for the AI to mature, the system itself worked fine the entire time I was there. It is reasonable to say that I have experienced most of the signature rides without having to wait in line.

The Limitations

As previously stated, the system functioned properly, however, there are areas for improvement. To begin, it is ideal to add a reminder feature to the VQ apps in the future. The reason for this is that not everyone would constantly be checking their phone during their visit to ensure they are on time. And missing a ride could mean another hour or two of less preferred rides.

Second, while I appreciated the easy-to-use queueing system, I was limited to only six rides at a time. Greg told us that this will be improved in the future, as I am eager to return to SkyWorlds with my family, only this time to pre-book all the rides back at home. And only six at a time really limits my options as a user.

I saw some more new components added to the park during the media visit. At the entrance, there is now a thumbprint entry. Face ID cameras have been placed all over the rides. All are to elevate the user experience for first-time visitors and recurrent ones. There was also a reward system for the VQ apps that would reward you with free drinks or snacks for each ride you successfully registered in and out of using the VQ, which I never had the opportunity to fully test. It’s a wonderful attempt to persuade users to install the apps, and I believe it can get better.

Pave Way for Future Endeavours

“Alibaba Cloud will continually invest in Malaysia and provide the latest technology and proven solutions for Genting’s SkyWorlds and hopefully our future Malaysian partners,” said Kun Huang, General Manager of Malaysia, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, during the media tour.

The entry of Alibaba Cloud into the entertainment and leisure sector is a welcome sight, particularly in the Asia Pacific, and notably Malaysia. Genting SkyWorlds’ attempt to introduce Alibaba Cloud’s expertise in redefining digital customer experience is clearly a major step forward in their own digitalisation journey. It’s a hopeful wish to know that they can only get bigger from here.

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