ORLANDO, FLORIDA (May 16, 2023) – Ahead of the upcoming summer travel season, IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, announced today that its 2022-2026 Global Theme and Amusement Park Outlook Report forecasts a seven percent boost in attendance for North America theme parks with an estimated attendance of 308.5 million in 2023.
Consumer spending is also anticipated to increase this year with an estimated 15 percent increase in North America, bringing it to nearly $32 billion to be spent in 2023. If realized, the domestic attractions industry will have regained losses due to the pandemic.
“To say the domestic attractions industry is looking at a good 2023 is an understatement,” said Jakob Wahl, president and chief executive officer for IAAPA. “We expect the market in 2023 to fully recapture the lost spending in 2020, and the amount of investment planned for our region supports the demand we’re seeing.”
Memorial Day Weekend, taking place at the end of this month, typically marks the start of the summer travel season and IAAPA members with seasonal operations around the country are ready to welcome visitors for a spectacular 2023. Attractions with year-round operations are also prepared for and look forward to welcoming guests’ part of the anticipated visitor increase this summer.
In tracking industry happenings, here are the top five trends guests can look forward to when making summer plans:
• Competitive Socializing: When friends visit places like Drive Shack or TopGolf, the purpose of getting together is to have fun, but here there is a layer of competition between everyone at the same time. We find these activities result in more meaningful connections with guests because the attraction offers a combination of action and downtime to allow for conversation and quality time together.
• Technological Enhancements: The pandemic accelerated technology development around the world and the same can be said for advancements within the global attractions industry. IAAPA member parks and attractions have made significant efforts to enhance mobile apps and make experiences easier for guests by adding more technology to positively affect the visitor experience. You can order food and drinks with the push of a button, or you can schedule your next ride with a simple click on your phone.
• New Hotels and Resorts: Many parks and attractions have taken steps to make their properties a multi-day destination. To add value to guest visits, attractions around the country have added new accommodations and resorts to their properties or plan to open them soon.
• Sustainability Focus: When people are traveling this summer, they can feel good knowing so many attractions and destinations are turning more of a focus on enhanced sustainability efforts. This includes better use of recycle-made products, efforts to decrease food waste, and a larger focus on clean, green energy.
• Inclusive Environments: IAAPA has seen an increase across the industry to create more inclusive environments for guests around the world. A notable example of this is from the team behind the Peppa Pig theme parks, which are certified autism centers. A second Peppa Pig Theme Park is set to open in the Dallas-Fort Worth area next year.
Interview requests to support your reporting can be submitted to Caitlin Dineen, IAAPA’s Director of Global Communications, via email [email protected].
About IAAPA
IAAPA is a diverse and dynamic community of global attractions professionals. As the largest international trade association for permanently located attractions, IAAPA unifies the attractions community, connects people to learn and grow together, and strives to promote the highest professional standards for excellence and safety around the world.
Founded in 1918, IAAPA represents leading industry attractions and supplier companies, consultants, and individual members from more than 100 countries. Members include professionals from amusement parks, theme parks, attractions, water parks, resorts, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, museums, cruise lines, manufacturers, and suppliers.
The association’s global headquarters and North America office are in Orlando, Florida, U.S. IAAPA also maintains offices in Brussels, Belgium; Hong Kong, China; Shanghai, China; and, Mexico City, Mexico. Visit IAAPA.org or connect through IAAPA’s social media channels: @IAAPAHQ #IAAPA
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