The city of Lafayette, Indiana has one of the oldest—and best—small zoos in the country. Recent renovations, thoughtful and modern designs, and focusing on providing for their local guests as top priority are a few reasons they are successful.
Giraffe Ranch: Luxury Model, Backyard Experience
Giraffe Ranch, a privately owned, family-run safari experience, located in rural Dade City, Florida benefits from the tourism market of Orlando. Drawing from decades of knowledge and experience in the zoo community, the owners created an intimate and beautiful experience focused on one-on-one interactions between the keepers, guests, and the animals. The high ticket price per person, however, sets expectations very high, and although the experience is lovely, feels like it misses the luxury price point. Focusing on improvements to the core of the facility could begin to address this issue.