Having opened in 1843, Tivoli Gardens is considered the second oldest amusement park in the world, serving as an inspiration to many other parks of its kind to follow, such as Disney World. Located in the heart of Copenhagen, this antique amusement park is one of the largest attractions that the city has to offer. The gardens span all different elements of activity, including rollercoasters, gardens of flower beds, food from across the world, and venues for live music and concerts. But perhaps what is most impressive about this landmark is its public sentiment, in continuing to draw consistent numbers of visitors to the park. Unfortunately, the park has been shut down since December 9, 2020, due to COVID-19 regulations placed by the government, however, they look forward to re-opening their gates soon.
The food and variety of cultures present not only in the park but also in the surrounding area cause Tivoli Gardens to stand out as an attractive placemaking community. According to our database, Tivoli Gardens has scored far above the global average in almost every food-related category. In this area of Copenhagen, the average public sentiment for special food and cuisine was 0.885 (as opposed to the global average of 0.7394), and in other categories such as lunch, they had an average public sentiment of 0.850 (as opposed to the global average of 0.7185). The environment is also ranked far ahead of the average appeal to couples, making it the ideal place for romantic endeavors. Copenhagen’s average public sentiment for couples is 0.778 (as opposed to the global average of 0.5569). Other primary attractions include their wooden rollercoaster which has run since 1914, as well as their seasonal celebrations which consist of Halloween and Christmas festivities](https://www.tivoligardens.com/en/haven+og+forlystelser/saesoner/jul), creating a place where everyone can find joy and entertainment.
Tivoli Gardens and its cultural inclusion continues to draw in visitors, serving as a great model and inspiration for other placemaking examples of this caliber. Over the last 10 years, they have continued to draw in approximately 4 million visitors a year, demonstrating an ability to consistently interest and attract customers. Meanwhile, they have drawn more than a 300 million DKK (Danish Krone) increase in revenue per year. The blend of cultures and appeals to different groups of ages and interests, whether it be those interested in experiencing food from around the world or a couple on a date, is what drives their success and continues to attract visitors. Tivoli Gardens provides a community in which people of all lifestyles can come together and find comfort. As the park cultivates a sense of inclusion to all visitors, there is also a subsequent benefit to the surrounding communities, as they draw business to retail operations and attribute to the atmosphere of wonder in Copenhagen. With this, Tivoli Gardens will continue to serve as a place of interest since their opening in the nineteenth century, achieved through incorporating multiple different venues, cultures, and attractions in one place, acting as an example of success for other places of its kind.
Researched and written by Finn O’Connor
Five case studies leveraging the dataset of places around the world.