John Holer, Marineland, Canada (pictured): Our campground business has proven very popular, but Marineland is located in Niagara Falls – a city that is full of hotels – and I don’t want to compete with them. I concentrate my efforts on the attraction business, which is what I know and understand.
Gerardo Arteaga, Fantasilandia, Chile: We have a concession with municipality of Santiago for the land of the park and they would not allow us to build a hotel. They want to save the historical part of this area. If, in the future this restriction was lifted, we would consider building a hotel.
Marshall Hill, Funland (Hayling Island), UK: No. Our market is 90% day-trippers and there are already a lot of caravan sites down here on the south coast. When you do add a hotel, the guests expect a discount to enter the park. Do you get that money back in secondary spend? I am not so sure, secondary spend was right down last season, and not just from those you would expect. The middle classes and management types were being very careful with their spending, and they are alsothe first to complain.
Dick Knoebel, Knoebel’s Amusement Resort, USA: We do have weekly rental cottages on the grounds, as well our 575-site campground. Also, our Lake Glory Campground is five miles away with shuttle service, and it has nearly 200 sites. We have considered a motel but feel we do not have enough potable water for it. I have property nearby in Elysburg suitable for a hotel/motel but have been unable to find a suitable franchise operator. As they all say, “Sure, we would be filled in the summer but would die in the winter.” Barbara (my late wife) often reminded me that I have enough to do without being a hotel/motel manager.
