French theme parks industry breathes a sigh of relief LAWMAKERS have torpedoed French government plans to more than triple the tax on theme park entrance fees. President Nicolas Sarkozy has ordered his government to
find more money to help plug the hole in public finances. However, one of the proposals, a sales tax hike of 5.5 to 19.6 per cent on entry ticket sales to approximately 200 theme parks in France, was rejected by a key committee in the lower house of parliament. Budget Minister Valerie
Pecresse said she still hoped to get the measure adopted, but for now the attempt to net an annual €90m (US$129m) extra is in abeyance after the backlash from lawmakers with major theme parks located in their constituencies. Pecresse said other holiday
and leisure offers are taxed at the near-20 per cent VAT rate and in hard times there is no reason to continue a theme park discount introduced in the 1980s under the last Socialist president, Francois Mitterrand.
UK sites select DigiWall attractions TWO leisure venues in the UK have added a DigiWall climbing attraction from UK-based interactive family attractions and climbing wall specialist, Innovative Leisure. Kidzworld, at the Cornish Market World in
Cornwall, and Hop Farm, in Kent, have both turned to the DigiWall to add a completely new experience to their current offering for visitors of all ages. The attraction is a climbing wall brought to life with handholds that light up and allow climbers to play a wide range of software based games. Each section of the DigiWall features 24 grips for hands and feet incorporating a sensor and light, which in turn are linked to a computer. A surround sound system is also included and a variety of games can be played by users as they climb over the wall, each using its own sound design. Unlike ordinary computer games, DigiWall
provides physically challenging, computer based entertainment for a wide age range and brings many new elements into the climbing wall experience.
8 InterPark September–October 2011
EUROPE
Interlink completes installations at worldwide park venues INTERLINK, the France/UK based water ride specialist, has completed the installation of three new water rides at venues in Indonesia, Sweden and France, while also announcing the signing of a contract for a new flume ride in the US. In Indonesia, the company has supplied a two lift Super
Flume to the Trans Studio in Bandung. The custom-built attraction features seven, six-seater, double-seat, Zodiac- style boats specially designed at the client’s request and two chutes, one 3m high and the other 9m. The ride is fully themed in an Aztec style, incorporating a large volcano feature, rock work and other related décor and surroundings. At the Daftö Resort in Strömstad, Sweden, Interlink has
completed the installation of a two lift standard flume ride, 215m in length and featuring two lifts of 4m and 7m in height, while at Euro Park in Vias Plage, southern France, the company has opened a mini flume ride, a new addition to its range of water based attractions. The ride has been specially developed to cater for the youngest end of the market, the three to eight year old age group, and each version can be custom designed. “We are delighted with these three recently completed
projects,” commented Interlink Managing Director John Hudd. “Each one provided us with different challenges - from the innovative new elements incorporated into the Super Flume in Indonesia, through the very short lead time from order to delivery for the Daftö Resort Log Flume, to the development of a totally new mini flume – but all have been completed successfully and on time, to the credit of the whole Interlink team.”
NEWS
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