Guest article
www.parkworld-online.com
The future success of any location-based business will depend on how well it adapts to the new normal of the post-corona consumers’ expectations. So, whether it is a family entertainment centre (FEC),
eatertainment facility, theme park, zoo, museum, agritourism farm or other leisure destination, it will be vital to have standards and practices in place so people will feel it’s a safe place to visit. Here are some of my current thoughts on post-
lockdown best practices based on our current knowledge of coronavirus transmission (which is still rapidly unfolding based on worldwide scientifi c research) to not only protect staff and guests, but also to project a reassuring image that the facility is safe to visit.
Facility design Minimising facility communal surfaces that people touch and having aggressive disinfecting practices for the ones they do touch will be important. Key areas of danger are doors and restrooms. It would be wise to implement hand-washing stations, and potentially even disinfect the whole facility every night, like Delta Airlines will soon be doing after every fl ight.
Person-to-person transmission This can come from both guests and staff. Maybe by the time out-of-home leisure venues open, the government will be issuing immunity passports for people who have recovered from the COVID-19. Will we need to have a door person to check for these, and if not, then to check for people’s temperatures? Perhaps we will need to require all guests and staff to wear masks. If guests don’t come with one, we could offer them for sale. Just like grocery and other stores, shields may need to be placed in front of all POS or other type transaction stations to further protect staff.
Social distancing The ability to maintain social distancing is impacted by the density of people in a venue. The more square feet there is per person, the easier it is to social distance. If social distancing is still required, this will require restricting the capacity of venues, especially indoor ones. In turn, this will restrict overall attendance, especially when the vast majority of attendance at most venues occurs at peak times on Friday evenings, weekends and holidays. To maintain overall viable attendance numbers, venues may need to fi nd ways to convince more people to come at non-peak times. Social distancing will be especially challenging for wait service
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food and beverage, as it is next to impossible for staff to serve food and drinks at a bar or table while six feet away from guests. Having queue lines that maintain adequate social distancing will also be challenging if not impractical. A timed reservation system that texts guests when it is their turn or similar technology can eliminate the need for queue lines.
Communal equipment The parts of entertainment and play equipment that guest touch will need to be disinfected after use. This includes such things as the controls and buttons on games, steering wheels on go-karts, helmets for high speed go-karts, hold bars on rides, VR masks, laser tag equipment, golf clubs, etc. This can become very challenging for things like ten-pin bowling balls with their fi nger holes. Perhaps there will need to be hand- washing or sanitizer stations at lanes and exit points for go-karts and other rides. Things like ropes courses and trampolines may prove impossible or impractical to disinfect after every use and might not be opened until there is wide vaccination.
Air movement Research shows that blowing air will move virus infected droplets more than six feet. HVAC air circulation will need to be checked to stop any signifi cant air fl ows where people will be. Overhead fans may need to be inactivated. Outdoor dining patios may not be considered safe since a breeze can spread droplets further, especially since people won’t be wearing masks while dining and drinking.
Touchscreens & keyboards Many entertainment facilities use touch screens or keyboards for sign-in, fi lling out waivers, etc. Wherever possible, they should be eliminated. Otherwise, they will need to be disinfected after ever use. If paper forms are substituted, the pen will need to be disinfected after every use. The same goes for signing on a screen for a credit card purchase, which credit card companies no longer require. When leisure venues can reopen, it will be important to meet what will have become the expectations of college-degreed consumers. Research is showing that they are the most concerned about and fearful of catching coronavirus. Prior to the lockdown, they accounted for nearly three-quarters of all out-of- home entertainment and arts admissions and fees (73%). They are defi nitely the target market that venues will want to appeal to when they reopen.
Randy White is CEO and co-founder of the White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, which is widely recognised as a world- leading expert on the design and realisation of adult, family and children oriented, location-based leisure, entertainment and recreation projects are known for their economical designs and long- Missouri, White Hutchinson has worked for over 570 clients in 37 countries across North and Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and has won awards.
APRIL/MAY 2020
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