Serving the themed entertainment community

Latest News

  • JRA designs new children’s museum in Wisconsin
  • Legacy Entertainment designing massive LBE for Beijing Enlight Media
  • IAAPA moves 2021 Asia Expo to Shanghai in August
  • LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off 10th Anniversary celebration with high wire walk by Nik Wallenda
  • Museum of Illusions added to ICON Park Play Pass
  • Panasonic providing specialized projection technology for Illuminarium experience centers
  • Christie introduce Pandoras Box Version 8 for real-time video processing and show control
  • SeaWorld San Diego introduces Sesame Street drive-thru experience
  • Home
  • Opportunity Hub
    • Leads & Opportunities
    • Webinar Calendar
    • Submit a Webinar
  • News
    • COVID-19
  • Issues
    • 2020
      • #85 – Looking forward to the future
      • #84 – Everything the industry has to offer
      • #83 – Waterparks and more!
      • #82 – Solving Problems with Innovation
      • #81 COVID-19 and beyond
      • IPM guide to AV 2020
    • 2019
      • #80 – IAAPA 2019
      • #79.5 – IAAPA Expo 2019 Preview
      • #79 Europe and Waterparks
      • #78 – Asia/Tech
      • #77 – The Best in Themed Entertainment
    • 2018
      • #76 – Year End/Trade Show Round-up
      • #75 – IAAPA 2018
      • #74 – EME/Waterparks
      • #73 – Asia and Technology
      • #72 – Dubai/Museums
      • #71 – MENA/Entertainment
    • 2017
      • #70 – IAAPA 2017
      • #69 – Game Changers
      • #68 Going Global: Technology on the International Stage
      • #67 – Experience Design: Many Faces Many Places
      • #66 Theatrical Influence and Convergence
    • 2016
      • #65 IAAPA 2016
      • #64 Waterpark, Zoo & Aquarium 2016
      • #63 Technology 2016
      • #62 International
      • #61 Museums and Expanding Markets
    • 2015
      • #60 – IAAPA 2015
      • #59 – Zoos/Aquaria and Waterparks 2015
      • #58 – Technology 2015
      • #57 – International 2015
      • #56 – Museums 2015
    • 2014
      • #55 – IAAPA 2014 / Tenth Anniversary
      • #54 – Waterparks, Zoos and Aquariums 2014
      • #53 – Technology 2014
      • #52 – International 2014
      • #51 – Museums 2014
    • 2013
      • #46 – Museums 2013
      • #47 – International 2013
      • #48 – Technology 2013
      • #49 – Waterparks 2013
      • #50 – IAAPA 2013
      • 2013 Wrap-Up
    • 2012
      • #45 – IAAPA & WWA Wrap-Up
      • #44 – IAAPA
      • #43 – Waterparks
      • #42 – Technology
      • #41 – International
      • #40 – Museums
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
    • About InPark
    • Privacy Policy
  • IPM books
    • Screens to scenes: Christie’s visual technology
    • Tales from the Expo
    • Themed entertainment in academia
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Reading between the lines: The 2012 global attractions attendance report

Jun 04, 2013 Martin Palicki Attractions, Business, Features, Homepage Slider, Museums, News, Theme Parks, Uncategorized, Water Parks Comments Off on Reading between the lines: The 2012 global attractions attendance report


Reading between the lines: The 2012 global attractions attendance report

by Martin Palicki

With the release of the 2012 Theme Park and Museum Index from TEA and AECOM, general global perceptions about the attractions market are now backed up with data. In broad strokes, it’s safe to say that the industry is continuing a steady upward trend , with nearly all markets showing increases in attendance, credited largely to continuing capital investments by major operators and an expanding (and fun-seeking) population with more disposable income in Asia.

[box type=”download”] 2012 Theme Park and Museum Index [/box]

Originally reporting only North American theme park numbers, the Index has expanded in the last ten years to cover global parks, the waterpark industry, and now the museum market. John Robinett, Senior Vice President of Economics at AECOM explains the addition of museum figures as being essential to understanding the overall health of the industry. “Museums represent a very important category of the leisure market with clear commonalities to commercial attractions,” says Robinett. “They compete for people’s time and money in similar markets; they cater to families; they help drive tourism; and they play a cultural and economic role in their communities.” The inclusion seems to help explain some of Europe’s relatively soft theme park figures. How many tourists, after all, plan a trip to France to visit Disneyland Paris but not the Louvre?

Theme Parks

The 2012 list of top global theme parks looks strikingly similar to the 2011 list, with most parks benefiting from a modest 2-6% increase in attendance. Even the largest movers such as Disney’s California Adventure (+22.6%), the beneficiary of the stunning CarsLand attractions, Universal Studios Hollywood (+15%), home to the new Transformers: the Ride 3D, only slightly changed their overall rankings, suggesting that it’s not easy to change public perception on where to spend their theme park dollars, and that there are significant “barriers to entry” to breaking in to the top 25. Even Disneyland, which suffered a slight 1.1% loss in attendance to all the excitement at California Adventure, still handily held on to its #2 spot.CrowdedWDW

The exception to all this, of course, lies in Asia. With a rapidly expanding base of tourists anxious to explore and play, there’s room for growth, and no clear winners have been picked, except in Japan, with its strong ties to Disney and Universal. Disney’s Shanghai park, still a couple of years away, will likely ignite Disney fever on mainland China, but the proof remains in the yet-to-be-seen Chinese pudding.

Water Parks

China’s Chimelong waterpark is in striking distance of unseating perennial favorite Typhoon Lagoon (Walt Disney World). It’s indicative of a trend that seems unstoppable. Asian waterpark attendance has now outpaced North America. Benefitting largely from massive population bases and more tropical climates, waterparks in China, Korea, Indonesia and Malaysia seem like good bets.pool

Interestingly, Wild Wadi Water Park in Dubai showed a small 3.4% loss in attendance, calling into question, perhaps, the long-term growth of the Middle Eastern waterpark market, particularly when compared with its Asian counterparts.

Museums

As expected, museum attendance reflects a clear dominance of tourist-popular Europe and the population-dense Eastern USA. Globally, the most popular museums appear to be those focused on art and history. The top spots in the USA, however, skew more to the science side, supporting the common-sense idea that locations with a longer history  might have more content with which to engage people in that history, and that the USA, with (until recently) its long commitment to research and technology, has more to showcase in that area.

The Index also tracks admission policies of museums and seems to indicate there is no significant benefit to having either a paid or free admission structure to attract visitors.Pyramid_at_Louvre_Museum_Paris_France1

Finally, Asian museums appear to have some catching up to do. Their top spots come in at barely half of Europe’s leaders. With distinctive and rich artistic and historical stories to tell, there’s big room for growth, particularly as Asia is seen as a more welcoming tourist destination.

The 2012 Theme Park and Museum Index is the result of a joint partnership between the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the Economics practice at AECOM.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Print

  • attendance, attractions report, disney, museums, theme parks, waterparks
  • tweet
Related articles
  • JRA designs new children’s museum in Wisconsin
    JRA designs new children’s museum...

    Comments Off on JRA designs new children’s museum in Wisconsin

  • SeaWorld San Diego introduces Sesame Street drive-thru experience
    SeaWorld San Diego introduces Sesame...

    Comments Off on SeaWorld San Diego introduces Sesame Street drive-thru experience

  • Joint statement from museum associations on 1/6/21 events at US Capitol
    Joint statement from museum...

    Comments Off on Joint statement from museum associations on 1/6/21 events at US Capitol

  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom steers in 2021 with new drive-thru experience
    Six Flags Discovery Kingdom steers in...

    Comments Off on Six Flags Discovery Kingdom steers in 2021 with new drive-thru experience

More in this category
  • Legacy Entertainment designing massive LBE for Beijing Enlight Media
    Legacy Entertainment designing massive...

    Jan 18, 2021 Comments Off on Legacy Entertainment designing massive LBE for Beijing Enlight Media

  • IAAPA moves 2021 Asia Expo to Shanghai in August
    IAAPA moves 2021 Asia Expo to Shanghai...

    Jan 17, 2021 Comments Off on IAAPA moves 2021 Asia Expo to Shanghai in August

  • Rock Solid: Stoneface sculpts natural environments for theme parks, zoos, aquariums and more
    Rock Solid: Stoneface sculpts natural...

    Jan 17, 2021 Comments Off on Rock Solid: Stoneface sculpts natural environments for theme parks, zoos, aquariums and more

  • LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off 10th Anniversary celebration with high wire walk by Nik Wallenda
    LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off...

    Jan 15, 2021 Comments Off on LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off 10th Anniversary celebration with high wire walk by Nik Wallenda


Quick Takes

My Tweets

Latest Issue

Leads & Opportunities

  • Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications
    Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications

    Dec 29, 2020 Comments Off on Cedar Fair seeks Corporate Director, Communications

    The position will lead strategy development and execution...
  • Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A
    Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A

    Dec 28, 2020 Comments Off on Pursuit seeks Financial Analyst, FP&A

    This role will focus on all aspects of financial planning...
  • AOA seeks Show Set Designer
    AOA seeks Show Set Designer

    Dec 26, 2020 Comments Off on AOA seeks Show Set Designer

    There will be a great deal of freedom, which will be...
  • Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a variety of positions
    Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a...

    Dec 09, 2020 Comments Off on Visualization firm THE THIRD FLOOR has openings for a variety of positions

    THE THIRD FLOOR is currently seeking Postvis Generalists,...
  • CineVenture seeks 3D character animator
    CineVenture seeks 3D character animator

    Dec 09, 2020 Comments Off on CineVenture seeks 3D character animator

    CineVenture develops high-end content for the global...

Top Posts

  • Legacy Entertainment designing massive LBE for Beijing Enlight Media
    Legacy Entertainment designing massive LBE for Beijing Enlight Media
  • LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off 10th Anniversary celebration with high wire walk by Nik Wallenda
    LEGOLAND Florida Resort to kick off 10th Anniversary celebration with high wire walk by Nik Wallenda
  • Sally Brings the Animal Animatronics of Five Nights at Freddy's to Life in New Attraction Concept
    Sally Brings the Animal Animatronics of Five Nights at Freddy's to Life in New Attraction Concept
  • JRA designs new children's museum in Wisconsin
    JRA designs new children's museum in Wisconsin
  • Museum of Illusions added to ICON Park Play Pass
    Museum of Illusions added to ICON Park Play Pass
  • Hong Kong's Ocean Park announces new strategic vision
    Hong Kong's Ocean Park announces new strategic vision
  • Phase 3 expansion of Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark at Dubai's Atlantis The Palm to feature newly patented attractions from ProSlide
    Phase 3 expansion of Atlantis Aquaventure waterpark at Dubai's Atlantis The Palm to feature newly patented attractions from ProSlide

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Categories

  • IPM Interviews
  • Theme Parks
  • Museums
  • Water Parks
  • Attractions
    • Haunts
    • Zoos & Aquariums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Technology & Media
  • Business
    • Events
    • People
  • World Expos

InPark Magazine

2349 E Ohio Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207 USA
262.412.7107
mpalicki@inparkmagazine.com

View our Privacy Policy

Copyright 2018 InPark Magazine / All rights reserved
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram