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Plopsa 的新篇章
首席执行官卡尔-莱纳尔茨（Carl Lenaerts）的目标是打造一个以价值观为主导的家庭主题公园企业，建立情感联系
卡尔-莱纳尔茨（Carl Lenaerts）小时候收集了 100 多个蓝精灵公仔。他不知道，2025 年，作为 Plopsa 集团的首席执行官，他将推出以蓝爸爸、蓝妹妹和著名的蓝色部落为主角的全新黑暗游乐设施。蓝精灵历险记》游乐设施在德国 Plopsaland 的首映，正值今年夏天全明星动画电影《蓝精灵》在影院上映。
这部广受喜爱的知识产权（IP）经久不衰的魔力证明了永恒的故事和角色能够在老少心中留下深刻印象。通过 Plopsa 的母公司比利时媒体和娱乐集团 Studio 100，Lenaerts 和他的团队获得了令人羡慕的内容目录。Plopsa 成功地利用了广受欢迎的电视和电影 IP，如《萨姆森和玛丽》、《侏儒普洛普》、《蜜蜂玛雅》、《维京海盗维克》、《海蒂》和《小丑邦巴》等，使其公园栩栩如生。这一成功战略使该集团的欧洲旅游景点在 2024 年接待了 340 万游客。2024 年，Studio 100（包括 Plopsa）的总营业额达到 2.6 亿欧元。在与 Netflix 和现场表演合作项目的推动下，预计 2025 年这一数字将增至 3 亿欧元。
开发目的地生态系统
Plopsa 感觉非常适合莱纳茨。他最初是一名银行家，后来进入全球领先的连锁影院 Kinepolis 担任管理工作。"他说："那时我就知道，我的血管里流淌着休闲的血液。"销售情感让我感觉良好。这也是生意，钱是要赚的"。莱纳茨的职业生涯包括在体育和图书零售企业担任高管，2023 年，Plopsa 通过猎头公司将他招致麾下。
"我在 Kinepolis 的前任首席执行官总是对我说，'电影不是火箭科学，但你必须控制很多元素，才能让观众获得最佳的观影体验'。'现在，当我们见面时，我对他说，'你说得对，但经营主题公园集团是火箭科学！'"
很少有行业能像景点行业一样运营复杂。Plopsa 公司已经发展成为一家娱乐业巨头，在比利时、荷兰和德国拥有 8 个主题公园，并在比利时 Plopsaland 度假村拥有 1000 个床位的酒店业务。
Studio 100 的创始人 Gert Verhulst 和 Hans Bourlon 于 2000 年创办了 Plopsaland Belgium（前身为 Meli-Park，后更名为 Plopsaland De Panne）。2006 年 7 月，Plopsa Coo 更名为 Plopsaland Ardennes。该集团最初有两个室内游乐园：比利时的 Plopsa Indoor Hasselt 和荷兰的 Plopsa Indoor Coevorden。2020 年，Plopsa 收购了 Comics Station Antwerp（安特卫普漫画站），并将其改造为 Plopsa Station Antwerp。
2010 年，该集团接管了位于德国 Haßloch 的假日公园（现名为 Plopsaland Deutschland）。Plopsa 在 Wijnegem - Shop Eat Enjoy 购物中心经营一家商店，在 Nieuwpoort 经营另一家 Plop-Up 商店，并在比利时 Plopsaland 经营 Studio 100 剧院。
2015 年，Plopsa 在比利时 Plopsaland 旁边增设了一个水上公园 Plopsaqua，其主题设计灵感来自 Studio 100 的经典儿童角色。Plopsa 投资 2500 万欧元在比利时建造了第二个水上乐园，即 Plopsaqua Hannut-Landen，该乐园将于 2021 年全面开放。
Plopsa 将比利时 Plopsaland 定位为靠近比利时海岸的多日度假胜地，将公园的 55 个景点与 Plopsaqua、剧院和过夜住宿结合在一起。该集团于 2020 年耗资 2500 万欧元开设了 Plopsaland 剧院酒店。酒店拥有 117 间客房，让游客沉浸在《100 号演播室》主人公的世界中，酒店的主题套房包括海盗 Pat、蜜蜂 Maya 和 Bumba。游客还可以入住 Plopsaland 村内 55 栋舒适的四星级别墅，这些别墅将于 2024 年圣诞节前开放。
比利时 Plopsaland 开发项目共同推动了 2024 年的创纪录增长。整个度假村接待了 160 多万游客，营业额增长了 15%。Plopsaland 剧院酒店接待了 40,000 多名游客，Plopsaqua De Panne 接待了 271,433 名游泳爱好者。今年复活节期间，公园的游客数量比去年增加了 33%，继续保持上升势头。
"莱纳茨说："我们所取得的增长证实了我们对整体体验的关注是有效的。"这些创纪录的数字是对我们整个团队辛勤工作的极大认可。
Lenaerts 现在正处于一个相当不错的发展阶段。"有趣的是，有人在电影院结束后问我，'你现在打算做什么？我说我可能想开一家大酒店。但现在，Plopsa 给了我一家酒店、水上乐园、室内乐园和主题公园。所以，我觉得自己很幸运，但我要的是一家酒店，他们却给了我一切！"莱纳茨笑着说。
他努力管理 Plopsa 复杂的业务，以便为游客提供无缝衔接、充满情感的体验。
确定战略愿景
Lenaerts 接任首席执行官时，正值 Plopsa 经历一系列领导层变动后的过渡时期。"他说："我很高兴成为新任首席执行官。他首先与公司创始人、股东和董事进行了沟通，确定了 Plopsa 作为家庭主题公园集团的发展方向。
"我们开始制定战略--我称之为业务的核心部分。我们必须确定前进的方向。人是软性的部分，我找到了一群对品牌充满热情、知识渊博的人"。有了他们的支持，他觉得自己已经准备好开启 Plopsa 的新篇章。
他认为，吸引力领导者必须与员工分享清晰的故事情节。Lenaerts 从励志演说家和作家西蒙-辛克（Simon Sinek）的书中汲取了灵感。"在我们组织的每一个层面，我们都从'为什么'开始，我们为什么要这样做？你在其中扮演什么角色？
从高管到一线团队，他希望 Plopsa 的每个人都知道自己的目标，知道自己的工作为什么重要，知道自己的工作如何为客人体验做出贡献。在莱纳茨看来，一个高效的组织就像一块瑞士制造的斯沃琪手表，所有大大小小的部件都能完美精确地协同工作。
莱纳尔茨花了大量时间与他的团队交流，倾听他们的意见。"因为他们知道我们的客户想要什么。他们知道问题和挑战。他们看到了机遇。每个人都知道，我办公室的门总是开着的。我喜欢去公园，但我也喜欢人们来找我--喝咖啡、谈生意、聊足球、骑自行车和其他事情"。
莱纳茨相信，简短的沟通可以让企业更加灵活，改善决策，发现问题，支持创新，促进开放、信任和协作的文化。
他希望在 Plopsa 创建一个强大的以价值观为主导的组织，让每个人都支持四大支柱：安全和安保、质量、体验和娱乐以及人力资本。此外，增长也是 Lenaerts 的首要任务。"主题公园行业是资本密集型行业，因此我们需要盈利。增长对于实现前三点非常重要，"他说。"如果你把事情做对了，人们就会在你这里消费。
令人兴奋的扩张
有了这些基本要素，莱纳茨正期待着令人兴奋的新发展。明日世界幸福之旅 "过山车（The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland roller coaster）是MACK游乐设备公司推出的欧洲首座极限旋转过山车，将于2021年在比利时普洛普萨乐园投入运营。莱纳尔茨透露，Plopsa 将再次与明日世界电子音乐节和 MACK Rides 合作，在德国 Plopsaland 推出第二个主题过山车。
这与 Plopsa 的合作有着明显的协同效应：明日世界是一个世界级的品牌，拥有一群热爱其娱乐和体验的忠实粉丝。"Lenaerts说："他们的很多基因都与我们对乐园的要求不谋而合，因此我们非常期待与明日世界的第二次合作。合作双方正在就创意概念、赛道和主题等方面进行努力。"它不会是原版过山车的复制和粘贴"。
今年，Plopsa 已在其公园内扩展了知识产权驱动的产品。德国 Plopsaland 乐园新增加的项目包括 Blinky Bill Zone、6 月 28 日开放的蓝精灵历险记（Smurfs' Adventure dark ride），以及以德国卡通人物为主题的 Plopsa 节日大游行（Plopsa Festival Parade）。以《狼族百分百》中的狼人弗雷迪-鲁邦为主题的格施特劳尔（Gerstlauer）家庭过山车将于今年秋季首次亮相。
Plopsa 计划对德国 Plopsaland 进行改造，就像改造比利时 Plopsaland 一样，采用多层面的方法：将室外乐园与室内乐园、水上乐园和接待设施融为一体。新的 Plopsaqua 水上公园将于 2028 年建成。该项目耗资超过 4000 万欧元，是 Plopsa 公司在德国投资 1 亿欧元建设的公园的一部分。
莱纳茨深信，德国Plopsaland水上乐园凭借其优越的地理位置以及毗邻法国、卢森堡和比利时的地理优势，有潜力在长期内达到甚至超过比利时Plopsaland水上乐园的业绩。
在比利时 Plopsaland 举办派对
比利时 Plopsaland 在 Studio 100 的《守夜人》（Nachtwacht）电视剧成功的基础上继续发展，该剧讲述了一个少年吸血鬼、精灵和狼人的冒险故事。现在，游客可以在这里发现一个新的 "守夜人 "主题区域。公园里的 De Draak 过山车已经改头换面，并被命名为 Draconis。
艺术工程公司（Art Engineering）以维京海盗为主题的 "维基狂风"（Wickie's Wervelwind）是本季维基乐园区域的另一个新游乐设施，可供家庭游玩。
为了纪念 2025 年的 25 周年庆典，比利时 Plopsaland 计划了一个激动人心的节目。全新的庆典花车游行包括 8 辆主题花车、100 个角色、舞蹈演员和专为这一盛况创作的背景音乐。游客可以欣赏到各种表演。"莱纳尔茨补充说："今年我们还将有 25 个晚间开放项目，这样人们就可以在乐园里度过一天一夜。
在 9 月举行的 2025 年 IAAPA 欧洲博览会上，Plopsa 将宣布与 MACK Rides 合作，在比利时 Plopsaland 推出一项基于 IP 的全新室内游乐设施。
充满特色的乐趣
目的地企业一直在寻求与众不同的方式，以提高全年的参与度。Plopsa 利用节日和活动来提升核心产品并吸引回头客。
为期一年的 "100 影城节"（Studio 100 Festival）以游客最喜爱的角色、表演和奇遇为特色，帮助推动了比利时 Plopsaland 的游客人数增长。适合儿童的万圣节和冬季活动也深受家庭游客的欢迎。
Plopsa 的使命宣言强调，它的景点应该是所有人都能进入并负担得起的。"Lenaerts 说："每个人都应该有机会来到我们的乐园，让他们的孩子度过人生中最美好的一两天。
他认识到一个角色的挥手或拥抱是如何点亮游客的。"我有时会想，'我们为什么需要这些昂贵的景点呢？因为我们的 IP 是可以触摸的--你可以拥抱它，与它击掌。对孩子们来说，这是他们一天中最重要的时刻。
塑造未来
Lenaerts 希望 Plopsa 走渐进式发展的道路。"我不相信大跃进。我们必须每天做得更好一点。这些小步累积起来就是大步"。
不过，如果有合适的机会，收购可能会成为 Plopsa 的未来。包括迪斯尼、环球影城和 Puy Du Fou 在内的主要公司都在欧洲、中东和非洲（EMEA）地区开发新的乐园，这一事实凸显了其潜力。"我们都相信主题公园的未来。他说："如果整个主题公园行业运作良好，对每个人都会产生积极影响，尤其是那些做得好的人。
"他说："我们将首先发展自己的公园。不过，Plopsa 的收购历史也使其具备了利用新机遇的专业知识。"如果符合我们的战略，我们就会考虑。
他还在探索如何利用新技术，包括数据分析和人工智能（AI）来提高运营效率、改善预测、优化盈利能力和降低成本。"我认为人工智能不会完全取代家庭主题公园业务。人的因素至关重要，"他说。Lenaerts 认为人工智能的价值体现在幕后，利用人工智能驱动的工具来提取洞察力和模式，从而做出更好的决策。技术应该支持而不是掩盖游客在 Plopsa 旅游景点所寻求的情感联系。
Lenaerts 希望他的团队也能感受到与 Plopsa 的情感联系。除了在学习和发展方面的持续投资外，集团还通过在所有 Plopsa 公园举办年度员工烧烤和早餐会等活动来培养社区意识。他认为，认可每个人的努力至关重要。"这些都是小事，能让员工知道他们是大家庭的一员"。
Developing a Destination Ecosystem
Plopsa feels like a perfect fit for Lenaerts. After starting out as a banker, he moved into management at leading global cinema chain Kinepolis. “I knew then that I had leisure blood in my veins,” he says. “Selling emotions gives me a good feeling. It’s also business—money has to be earned.” Lenaerts’ career included executive roles in sports and book retail businesses before Plopsa used a head hunter to recruit him in 2023.
“My former CEO at Kinepolis always said to me, ‘Cinema is not rocket science, but you have to control a lot of elements to make a cinema experience the best.’ Now, when we meet up, I say to him, ‘You’re right, but running a theme park group is rocket science!’”
Few sectors are as operationally complex as the attractions industry. Plopsa has grown into an entertainment powerhouse that includes eight theme parks across Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany, along with a 1,000-bed hospitality business at Plopsaland Resort Belgium.
Studio 100’s founders, Gert Verhulst and Hans Bourlon, started with Plopsaland Belgium (formerly Meli-Park before becoming Plopsaland De Panne) in 2000. Plopsa Coo, rebranded as Plopsaland Ardennes in July, followed in 2006. Initially, the group had two indoor parks: Plopsa Indoor Hasselt in Belgium and Plopsa Indoor Coevorden in the Netherlands. Then, in 2020, Plopsa acquired Comics Station Antwerp, notable for being one of the world’s first amusement parks inside an international train station, and transformed the attraction into Plopsa Station Antwerp.
The group took over Holiday Park—now known as Plopsaland Deutschland—in Haßloch, Germany, in 2010. Plopsa operates a shop at the Wijnegem - Shop Eat Enjoy mall, another Plop-Up shop in Nieuwpoort, and the Studio 100 Theater at Plopsaland Belgium.
Plopsa added a water park, Plopsaqua, with theming inspired by Studio 100’s classic children’s characters, next to Plopsaland Belgium in 2015. Plopsa invested 25 million euros in a second Belgian water park, Plopsaqua Hannut-Landen, which opened fully in 2021.
Plopsa is positioning Plopsaland Belgium as a multi-day resort close to the Belgian coast, combining the park’s 55 attractions with Plopsaqua, the theater, and overnight stays. The group opened the Plopsaland Theater Hotel in 2020 at a cost of €25 million. The 117-room hotel immerses guests in the world of their Studio 100 heroes, with themed suites featuring Pat the Pirate, Maya the Bee, and Bumba. Guests can also stay at the 55 cozy 4-star villas in the Plopsaland Village, which opened in time for Christmas 2024.
Together, the Plopsaland Belgium developments drove record growth in 2024. The whole resort welcomed more than 1.6 million visitors and saw turnover increase by 15%. The Plopsaland Theater Hotel welcomed more than 40,000 guests and Plopsaqua De Panne entertained 271,433 swimmers. Visitor numbers at the park this Easter were 33% higher than last year’s figures, continuing the upward trajectory.
“The growth we’ve achieved confirms that our focus on the total experience is working,” Lenaerts says. “These record figures are a great recognition of the hard work of our entire team.”
Lenaerts is now on quite a ride. “The funny thing is that somebody asked me after the cinemas, ‘What are you going to do now?’ I said I’d maybe like to run a big hotel. But now Plopsa’s given me a hotel, water parks, indoor parks, and theme parks. So, I feel lucky, but I asked for a hotel, and they gave me everything!” Lenaerts laughs.
He strives to manage the complexities of Plopsa’s business so that it provides a seamless, emotionally engaging experience for guests.
Defining a Strategic Vision
Lenaerts took over as CEO at a transitional time for Plopsa, following a series of leadership changes. “I was thrilled to become the new CEO,” he says. He began by speaking with the founders, shareholders, and directors to define Plopsa’s direction as a family theme park group.
“We started drawing up the strategy—what I call the hard-core side of the business. We have to be sure about the way to go. People are the soft part, and I found a group of enthusiastic, knowledgeable people committed to the brand.” Empowered by their support, he felt ready to start a new chapter for Plopsa.
Attraction leaders must share a clear storyline with their staff, he believes. Lenaerts takes a leaf out of motivational speaker and author Simon Sinek's book. “At every level of our organization, we start with the ‘Why?’ Why are we going to do this? And what’s your role in that?”
From the executives to the front-line teams, he wants everyone at Plopsa to know their purpose, why their work matters, and how it contributes to the guest experience. To Lenaerts, an efficient organization resembles a Swiss-made Swatch watch, where all the parts, large and small, work together in perfect precision.
Lenaerts spends a great deal of time talking and listening to his teams. “Because they know what our visitors want. They know the problems and the challenges. They see the opportunities. Everybody knows that my office door is always open. I enjoy going to the parks, but I also like that people come to me—to drink a coffee, talk business and football, cycling, and other things.”
Lenaerts believes short lines of communication can make businesses more agile, improve decision making, identify issues, support innovation, and promote a culture of openness, trust, and collaboration.
He wants to create a strong values-led organisation at Plopsa, with everyone aligned behind four pillars: Safety and Security, Quality, Experience and Entertainment, and Human Capital. In addition, growth is a priority for Lenaerts. “The theme park industry is capital intensive, so we need to make a profit. Growth is very important to make the first three things happen,” he says. “If you do things right, people will spend money with you.”
Exciting Expansions
With the fundamentals in place, Lenaerts is looking toward exciting new developments in the pipeline. There’s great news for guests of The Ride to Happiness by Tomorrowland roller coaster, Europe’s first Xtreme Spinning Coaster from MACK Rides, which launched at Plopsaland Belgium in 2021. Lenaerts reveals Plopsa is teaming up again with the Tomorrowland electronic music festival and MACK Rides for a second themed roller coaster at Plopsaland Deutschland.
There’s a clear synergy with Plopsa here: Tomorrowland is a world-class brand, with a dedicated fan base that loves its entertainment and experiences. “A lot of their DNA comes back to what we want in our park, so we are looking forward to a second cooperation with Tomorrowland,” Lenaerts says. The partners are working hard on the creative concept, track, and theming. “It won’t be a copy and paste of the original coaster.”
This year, Plopsa has expanded IP-driven offerings across its parks. Plopsaland Deutschland’s new additions include the Blinky Bill Zone, the Smurfs’ Adventure dark ride, which opened on June 28, and the Plopsa Festival Parade featuring German characters. A Gerstlauer family coaster, themed around the werewolf Freddy Lupin from “100% Wolf” will debut at the park this fall.
Plopsa plans to transform Plopsaland Deutschland, as it did Plopsaland Belgium, using a multifaceted approach: blending an outdoor park with an indoor park, a water park, and hospitality. A new Plopsaqua water park is coming in 2028. Costing more than €40 million, the project is part of Plopsa’s €100-million investment in the German park.
With the park’s strategic location and proximity to France, Luxembourg, and Belgium, Lenaerts is convinced that Plopsaland Deutschland has the potential to match—and even exceed—Plopsaland Belgium’s performance in the long term.
Partying at Plopsaland Belgium
Plopsaland Belgium continues to build upon the success of Studio 100’s Night Watch (Nachtwacht) TV series, based on the adventures of a teenage vampire, elf, and werewolf. Now there’s a new Nachtwacht-themed area for guests to discover. The park’s De Draak roller coaster has received a makeover and a new name, Draconis, to match.
Wickie’s Wervelwind, a Vic the Viking-themed Wild Swing from Art Engineering, is another fresh ride for families to enjoy in the Wickieland area this season.
To mark its 25th anniversary in 2025, Plopsaland Belgium has planned an exciting program. A new Celebration Parade features eight themed floats, Studio 100 characters, dancers, and a soundtrack composed for the spectacle. Guests can enjoy a wide range of shows. “We will also have 25 evening openings this year, so people can spend all day and night at the park,” Lenaerts adds.
At IAAPA Europe Expo 2025 in Sept., Plopsa will announce a major new IP-based indoor attraction for Plopsaland Belgium, in collaboration with MACK Rides.
Character-Filled Fun
Destination businesses are constantly seeking ways to differentiate themselves and boost year-round engagement. Plopsa uses festivals and events to enhance core offerings and attract repeat guests.
The year-long Studio 100 Festival, featuring guest favorite characters, shows, and magical encounters, helped drive attendance growth at Plopsaland Belgium. Kid-friendly Halloween and winter offerings are also popular with their family audiences.
Plopsa’s mission statement emphasizes that its attractions should be accessible and affordable to all. “Everybody should have the opportunity to come to one of our parks and give their children the best day or two of their life,” Lenaerts says.
He recognizes how a character’s wave or embrace can light up guests. “I sometimes think to myself, ‘Why do we need all these expensive attractions?’ Because our IP is touchable—you can hug it and give it high fives. For children, it’s the most important moment of their day.”
Shaping the Future
Lenaerts wants Plopsa to follow a path of incremental growth. “I don’t believe in the big jump. We have to do a little better every day. Those baby steps all add up to a big step.”
However, if the right opportunity arises, acquisitions could figure in Plopsa’s future. The fact that major players, including Disney, Universal, and Puy Du Fou, are pursuing new parks in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region underlines the potential. “We all believe in the future of theme parks. If the whole theme park sector works well, it has a positive impact on everybody, especially those who do a good job,” he says.
“We will look to grow our own parks first,” he says. However, Plopsa’s acquisition history also gives it the expertise to capitalize on new opportunities. “If it fits in our strategy, then we will look at it,” Lenaerts shares.
He is also exploring ways to use new technologies, including data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance operational efficiency, improve forecasting, optimize profitability, and reduce costs. “I don’t think AI will completely take over the family theme park business. The human factor is crucial,” he says. Lenaerts sees its value behind the scenes, using AI-driven tools to extract insights and patterns for better decision making. The technology should support, rather than overshadow, the emotional connection guests are seeking at Plopsa’s destinations.
Lenaerts wants his team to feel that same emotional bond with Plopsa. Beyond its ongoing investment in learning and development, the group fosters a sense of community through events such as the annual staff barbecues and breakfasts held across all Plopsa parks. Recognizing everyone’s effort is vital, he believes. “These are all little things that show your people that they are part of one big family.”
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