The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey reveals that 18.7% of the American population – 1.5% more than last year – will pass through the door of at least one haunted house.

“That equates to over 33 million people attending haunted houses in the US this year,” notes Leonard Pickel, editor of Haunted Attraction magazine. Ticket revenues from such attractions, he adds, are expected to total around $334 million.

Yet Pickel is keen to point out that there is little easy money to be made in this particular corner of the amusement industry: “Haunting is a business like any other, with the same 60% failure rate with in the first three years. Owning a haunted attraction sounds like a lot of fun and can provide a creative outlet, but event owners have to deal with funding, personnel problems, building and fire codes, advertising costs, finding a location and dealing with the public. “If you don’t make money, you don’t get to play again next year!”

According to the NRF survey, US consumers are expected to spend an average $64.82 this year on Halloween, before visiting a haunted house. See where the money goes by visiting the link below.

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