Chris Maier, Land of Make Believe, USA:
The weather. Family units with children aged two to 12 plan their leisure time activities well in advance. Forecasted weather has a negative effect on attendance. The Weather Channel is wrong more times than it’s right and families have learned to have back-up plans. The season of 2003 was the only exception in which a park attraction could make up for bad weather.
Amanda Thompson, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, UK:
It’s everything in the leisure sector. When Pleasure Beach first started, there was nothing at all in the leisure sector! We had a huge catchment area, everyone came to Blackpool from all walks of life; it was a very grand and fabulous place to be. Now there is so much competition for people’s leisure time.
Brad Thomas, Silver Dollar City, USA:
Our biggest competition is always something that could consume a family’s leisure time. It could be school start dates, other entertainment options, either at home or any place within our region. Therefore we’ve got to have compelling reasons for people to make time to visit Silver Dollar City.
Paul Nelson, Waldameer Park & Water World, USA:
We have a $250 million casino coming in 2007. They will be right in our market, competing for dollars. In 2006 a $30 million education centre opened across from our park that has a large theatre screen. It is competition, but in the long run it will help us. It has 22 colleges tied into it. It was done by the state of Pennsylvania, so our area is really growing as a tourist area of the state.
Have you changed your food & beverage offer recently to include healthy eating options?
- 16 - 18 October, 2008
SUREXPO - Warsaw, Poland - 29 - 31 October, 2008
INTERSCHAU / TECHNOFOLIES - Stuttgart, Germany - 29 - 30 October, 2008
WWA TRADE SHOW - Las Vegas, USA - 18 - 21 November, 2008
IAAPA ATTRACTIONS EXPO - Orlando, USA - 02 - 04 February, 2009
MEAAPLE - Abu Dhabi - 11 - 13 February, 2009
EAAPA 2009 - Moscow - 21 - 23 February, 2009
IAAPI TRADE SHOW - Mumbai - 15 - 17 April, 2009
RAAPA 2008 - Moscow - 26 - 28 April, 2009
DEAL 2008 - Dubai
