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Park Bloggin’ by Mascha van Till-Taminiau


Steady and sexy


The Ice Bucket Challenge was not the only reason for many people in the Netherlands getting soaked to the skin recently; another major cause was the bad weather. The country has experienced the wettest summer since the measurement of rainfall was started in 1906. One of the most important rules at my park, Walibi Holland, is that the weather is never a reason to complain and no argument for not achieving budget. Running an amusement park includes being able to deal with bad weather and to anticipate it, not in the least because the weather in the Netherlands is changeable no matter what the season. So here’s some words of wisdom. Be steady, because you cannot allow yourself to be unstable, certainly not in a time like this in which the influences of the recession are still prevalent – indeed, where the recession will have a permanent influence on consumer expenditure in the future.


And a change in mindset has occurred: these days, it is cool to find the best deal in the market and really uncool to pay the full price. Instead of keeping silent about shopping at Lidl or Aldi, this has now become normal and people are considered fools if they don’t. Basically, consumer spending has changed over the long term and as an amusement park we are required to respond to this. Ensure smart promotions to reach the target group in a broader manner with a customised and well-timed special offer.


EAS


Booth 8461


Instability is certainly something you cannot afford in a country like the Netherlands (or other neighbouring nations) with its large variety of high-quality amusement parks and other day trip destinations. So a stable course is required, but which one? Be sexy, because it is of vital importance for the identity of a park or attraction to stand out from the crowd. This is the only way to ensure a right to exist. Dare to be different from others and take things further than they do. Parks should operate beyond the reliable and predictable limit, because no visitor is happy with predictability. This is not why they travelled so far and paid the entrance fee! At Walibi Holland we have consciously chosen to offer excitement one of our product’s key emotions. This does not make us a park for everyone young and old, because no attraction can excel in a broad sense like this. Don’t be afraid to focus on a certain target group at your park, whether that’s families, teenagers or something else. A natural consequence is that other objectives and target groups must be left out, which indeed is a risk, but mainly an opportunity. So, be steady, be sexy, and you will have success.


Mascha van Till-Taminiau is the chairwoman of Club van Elf (clubvanelf.nl), the Dutch association of leading visitors attractions. In her ‘day job’ she serves as the managing director of Walibi Holland – pictured below.


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