What to Do About the Weather. Presented by Sensible Weather
11 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT.
We all know the profound impact that weather has on operations, guest experience, and, of course, the bottom line, of ticketed attractions. The weather, which none of us can control, seems to control a lot, from refund requests to cancellations, park closures, and more. Beyond the in-park impact of weather on ticketed attractions and their guests, it also influences guests' decisions to book in the first place!
Join the weather experts at Sensible Weather as they discuss the impacts of weather on ticketed attractions, and more importantly, what you can do about it. From increasing advanced bookings to improving guest experience at your park, Weather Guarantees have the capacity to transform your operation and delight your guests when Mother Nature has other plans. You’ll also hear from industry expert and General Manager of Gulf Islands Waterpark, Mark Moore, on his experience offering Weather Guarantees to customers and how to maximize their impact.
During this webcast, attendees will:
- Recognize how weather impacts advanced bookings and park operations
- Examine how Weather Guarantees can be used to increase advanced purchases, improve customer satisfaction, and grow profits
- Learn why attraction-goers are eager to buy Weather Guarantees
- Understand what differentiates Weather Guarantees from travel insurance
- Hear a case study from an operator who has successfully implemented Weather Guarantees at their operation
Sensible Weather is a climate risk technology company that aims to change the way people interact with the weather by making the unpredictable more predictable.
This webcast will be presented in English and is free for IAAPA members and non-members; however, registration is required.
Attendees are eligible to earn one continuing education unit (1 CEU) towards IAAPA recertification.
Speakers
Nick Cavanaugh
Nick Cavanaugh, PhD is Founder & CEO of Sensible Weather Co. Previously, he was employed as a quantitative analyst at various energy commodities hedge funds. In the fund space, he focused on pricing the impacts of weather variability on futures markets, using a combination of quantitative, statistical, and fundamental modeling. Broadly, Nick is an expert in weather and climate variability, predictability, and extremes. He has a particular focus on applications within the financial sector. Topics of specific interest are the impact of weather on consumer behavior, climate change & insurance, electricity demand response, and the intersection of the energy & water complexes.
Nick holds a BAS from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science, and an MS and PhD from the University of California San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He has also held post-doctoral and adjunct research appointments at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Mark Moore
Mark Moore is the Chief Operating Officer of the LSAR Group, and the General Manager of Gulf Islands Waterpark. In the past, he has also served as the General Manager/Vice President of Splash Universe Resorts, and the General Manager of Splash Lagoon Waterpark Resort. With his broad range of experience, from building and opening new parks to reenergizing existing parks, he often presents at the WWA Annual Symposium, and has published several articles in leading industry publications.
Moore began his career in aquatics as a lifeguard in 1987 and has worked in the waterpark industry since 1996. Having worked in collegiate swimming, and indoor and outdoor waterpark business, he has gained a unique perspective of the industry. Utilizing a consultative management style and selling method, Moore has been successful in developing talent through the decision-making process by presenting innovative ideas and recommendations. By motivating his sales teams to generate business and grow product demand, Moore has been successful at generating long term profitable business relationships and partnerships. His experience has enabled him to develop growth strategies for maximizing the revenue of resorts, waterparks, and various other businesses. By developing the correct mix of special events, marketing, and pricing, Moore has consistently demonstrated an understanding of what it takes to maximize the yield of resorts, waterparks, and consumer-based businesses.
Kari Manev
Kari Manev began her work in the industry in 2005. She worked as a lifeguard for Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Illinois and moved up the ranks into a role as training supervisor. In 2008, she was hired as the Corporate Training Manager for CoCo Key Water Resorts, where she helped develop standard operating procedures, assisted with planning and facilitating hiring events and five grand openings, and aided in many management positions. From there, she went on to become Director of Operations for CoCo Key Hotel and Water Resort in Orlando, Florida, where she was responsible for all facets of day-to-day operations.
Kari became an Instructor-Trainer for Ellis & Associates and has been certified as a Jeff Ellis Swimming Program Coordinator, CPO, ServSafe Food Safety Manager Instructor and Proctor, Tips Trainer, and CARE Instructor. In 2014, Kari left CoCo Key to become a Training Manager for Safety Skills Training in Dubai, UAE. She returned to the U.S. in 2016 to oversee four f&b outlets, banquets, retail, and waterpark operations as the Director of Operations at CoCo Key Hotel & Water Resort. In 2017, she moved from operations into technology for parks and attractions at Catalate, bringing dynamic pricing to attractions.
In 2023, Kari joined Sensible Weather to bring Weather Guarantees to the best attractions across the globe. Kari also serves as Vice Chair on the Water Resort Committee with the WWA, has spoken at numerous conferences including IAAPA Expo, and supports her local swimming community as a Board of Directors member at the Gift of Swimming in Windermere, FL.
