THEMING
THEMING
Olaf Mordelt
A
LTHOUGH the global amusements and theme park sector did well to avoid the full effects
of the economic downturn in 2009, most within the industry are happy to have started a new, hopefully more positive year of trading, says ADRIAN LENNOX
PERIODS of prolonged economic turmoil serve to exacerbate market differences across all industry sectors. This was certainly true for the leisure industry in 2009, as the countries on both sides of the Atlantic reported a sharp decline in all-important foreign tourist rates, while many emerging amusement markets across Asia and the Middle East continued on their upward trajectory, fuelled by an increasingly affluent domestic customer base. The situation, however, is far from being cut and dried,
and thoughts as to exactly when the industry will have fully recovered from the recent maelstrom remain highly subjective. Just as one company may reject the idea of swift recovery in favour of a more gradual comeback, so others may report to have barely felt the effects of the downturn whatsoever, as their domestic consumers opting for “staycations” helped offset a deficit in foreign tourist spend. “In the European amusement park industry, last year
we had a very divided field of economic effects due to the overall world economy,” said Olaf Mordelt, owner and managing director of Heimo, the German themed products manufacturer. “Northern European parks have had a healthy increase, whereas the southern parks which are also depending on tourism were not so lucky.” While there are huge differences in individual perceptions
The Environs-designed Medieval Times Educational Historical Experience in Atlanta, Georgia
of the road to recovery, the industry is united in believing that innovation will be a key factor in stimulating growth in all regions. Ironically, however, investors remain extremely cautious and operators are still very careful when it comes to major investments. Despite
this, Matthias Clostermann, CEO of Clostermann
Design, is experiencing the green shoots of recovery.
“In 2009 many of our
customers postponed their decisions,” he said. “They seem to want to make up for this delay now all the more and we are glad that our entertainment concepts have convinced our clients even over these long decision making phases.” Mordelt, who has experienced a similar upswing,
added: “In 2009, Heimo concentrated very much on developing new attractions and ideas which we will be introducing to our customers in 2010. We have worked long and thoroughly during the development phases and are very much looking forward to implementing them in the amusement park industry.” The global leisure and amusements industry has thus
reached a crucial point in its development, because while it is agreed that the next wave of innovations are important to help drive growth, operators must be suitably happy with the product on offer. It is interesting to note that this is a blessing in disguise for the industry, because a more demanding customer forces manufacturers to up their own game and harvest only the most creative of talents. “Periods of economic downturn are a great time for
new ideas and developments,” said Mordelt, “not only for the manufacturing side of the industry but also the operational side. (Those in) the amusement park and FEC industry will have to be just as creative in order to individualise themselves from each other and find reliable partners in the development of their attractions.”
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