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Summary of our market study
The French leisure park market is estimated at around 2 billion euros.
The global theme park market attracts nearly 500 million visitors a year. The sector is an important part of the tourism and entertainment industries.
The market encompasses amusement and theme parks, water parks, animal parks and indoor playgrounds. France is one of Europe's leading destinations.
With a strong presence of international players such as Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and Puy du Fou, the market is thriving thanks to ongoing investment. Digital transformation is essential, and parks are increasingly adopting mobile applications to enhance the visitor experience.
The French leisure park market
The French theme park market attracts between 65 and 75 million visitors a year.
Disneyland Paris, which welcomes some 15 to 20 million visitors every year, accounts for around half of the sector's sales.
Annual investments by players in new attractions and facility improvements are in the order of 300 to 400 million euros
Players offer accommodation options to extend visitors' stays.
Revenue streams range from ticket sales to food, beverages, merchandise and professional services.
Competition in the sector is fierce, and the number of theme parks is very high.
Some players in the French theme park market
- Disneyland Paris
- Parc Astérix
- Puy du Fou
- Futuroscope
- Ok Corral
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition
Leisure parks are delimited areas where leisure and entertainment activities, sometimes cultural, are grouped together. They can be divided into three categories:
- Amusement parks: known for their sensational attractions.
- Theme parks: known for their efforts to create themed areas.
- Water parks: characterized by water-themed attractions.
The global theme park market has grown slightly over the past decade. Forecasts for this market are even very optimistic: from $59.83 billion in 2023, the theme park market should reach $91.13 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 6.2% over the given period. Theme parks remain globally over-represented, with one park in two belonging to this category.
Although France accounts for just 6% of this global market, it remains Europe's favorite leisure destination, with 63 million visitors a year to some 600 theme parks. In fact, of the 20 European parks with the most visits, 4 are French.
In fact, these same 4 parks(Disneyland, Parc Astérix, Puy du Fou and Futuroscope) account for around 40% of visits to the top 20 European parks.
2020 was a tough year for the theme park market, with successive shutdowns imposed during the sector's peak seasons. However, the recovery was direct and continuous, leading to average attendance at French parks in 2024 being 15-20% higher than in 2019.
It should be borne in mind, however, that the theme park market is dominated by large players (the 4 above) who, in order to continue attracting customers, are diversifying their hotel offerings and extending their existing parks (or, in the case of Disney, building a new park).
Regional parks, unable to compete with these entertainment behemoths, are focusing their strategy on the family-friendly, affordable format of their offer, by proposing tailor-made outings, such as a"birthday snack" formula for La Mer de Sable.
1.2 Global market overview
The amusement park market has been growing over the last decade: estimated at $**.** billion in ****, it should reach a market size of $**.** billion by ****. A CAGR (***)[***]
The theme park market is strongly correlated with tourism and urbanization:
For tourism, international arrivals reached **% of **** levels in the first quarter of ****, while Africa and Europe surpassed pre-pandemic levels. [***]
As for urbanization, **% of the world's population in **** lives in cities, and this trend will continue until the current number (***) of city dwellers doubles in ****, by which time * out of ** people will be living in cities. These trends may explain the recent rise in this market and the optimistic forecasts for the future. [***]
Distribution of attractions by type World, ****, in% [World Bank Source: ****
Distribution of attractions by type World, ****, in
Looking at the market share trends for mechanical and water rides, we can see a clear increase in water attractions. In ****, water rides accounted for around **% of attractions, while in ****, this share has risen to **%. This means that, although mechanical rides continue to dominate the market with **%, water attractions have almost doubled in market share in six years.
Amusement park: what is the main motivation for visitors? World, ****, as% of total
Amusement park: what is ...
1.3 National market summary
Estimated market size - Amusement and theme park activities France, ****-****, in billions of euros https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/serie/*********
The theme park market has been on an upward curve since ****, with a few exceptions. The years **** and **** mark a halving of market size compared with the other years, probably due to the successive confinements of Covid **.
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The French and leisure parks
In the last ** months, have you done any of the following? France, July *-**, ****, in Source: ****
According to the Observatoire du rapport des Français aux loisirs, more than **% of those questioned said they had visited an amusement park in the last ** months, compared with **% for discotheques. This figure rises to **% when the period exceeds the last ** months. Visiting theme parks is a moderately frequent activity on a small scale (***).
What activities do you enjoy during your vacations? France, July *-**, ****, in Source: ****
Visiting theme parks does not occupy the same place in French people's vacations as the beach or visiting natural sites. Nevertheless, it represents a significant proportion of vacation activities, with **% of French people surveyed declaring that they visit theme parks during their vacations.
Actual final household consumption of fairground rides and amusement parks France, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ****
The trend in French household consumption of amusement parks is even increasing over time. From **** to ****, the average annual growth rate in their theme park consumption is *.**%. The fall in household consumption of fairground rides and amusement parks over the years **** and **** confirms the damaging effects of confinement on the sector.
2.2 Seasonal demand
Analysis of the frequency of appearance of the term "theme parks" in Google searches over * years France, ****-****, in Google Trend index Source: ****
From May onwards, searches for the keyword "amusement parks" increase (***), while November sees the lowest number of searches for this term. These keyword search statistics demonstrate the strong seasonal nature of the amusement park market.
2.3 The most popular theme parks
Amusement park attendance France, ****, thousands of visitors Source: ****
Most of the attention is focused on Disney, Parc Astérix, Puy du Fou and Futuroscope, which together will attract over **,***,*** visitors in ****. Disney remains well ahead of the other three, which combined will fall short of Disney's **,***,*** visitors in ****.
**** **** Record visitors Bagatelle Park *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Walygator Grand-Est *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Parc Spirou *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Walygator Sud-Ouest (***) - - *** *** Fraispertuis City *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Dennlys Parc *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Festyland *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Parc du Bocasse to come - *** *** (***) Récré des Trois Curés *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Parc des Combes *** *** - *** *** (***) Parc Le FLeury - *** *** *** *** (***) Parc du Petit Prince - - *** *** (***) Papea Park *** *** - *** *** (***) Kingoland *** *** *** *** *** *** (***) Ange Michel Park - *** *** *** ***
This table lists the theme parks in descending order of attendance. Parc Bagatelle being the **th.
2.4 France's favorite amusement parks
Level of appreciation of the Park France, ****, in Source: ****
Overall, across all age groups, the level of appreciation for the parks is more or less the same, with a slight superiority for Puy du Fou, which appeals to **.*%, i.e. * points more than Disney.
Comparison of ratings for * theme parks by age category France, ****, in Source: ****
Appreciation of Puy du Fou is highest in the **+ age group(***). We also note that for more classic parks such as Parc Astérix and Disney, this same age group has thelowest appreciation rate: **.*% and **.*% respectively. These statistics lead us to believe that the **+ age group is more interested in a theme park with shows combining history and culture than in a classic thrill park.
For the intermediate age group (***).
As for the **-** age group, they are deeply attracted to the classic theme parks, with a validation rate of **.*% for Disney and **.*% for Parc Astérix. This shows that this age group is looking for thrills and immersive experiences in theme parks.
Comparison of ratings for * theme parks by gender France, ****, in Source: ****
Parc Astérix stands out as a park that appeals almost equally to both sexes. On the other hand, there are ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Value chain
The leisure park market value chain can be broken down into several stages:
Designers and creatorsthey imagine and develop innovative concepts and attractions that attract visitors and define the park experience.
Attraction builders and suppliersthey build and install attractions according to the designers' plans, ensuring safety and quality.
Park operatorsthey manage the day-to-day running of the parks, from staffing to marketing activities, to deliver a seamless visitor experience.
Distributorsthey sell tickets through various channels (***), facilitating consumer access to the parks.
Suppliers and complementary serviceshotels, restaurants and stores associated with the parks enrich the offer and increase revenues.
End consumerspark visitors (***). Their satisfaction is at the heart of the value chain, as it determines the success of the parks.
3.2 A slightly rising sector
growth in the number of companies in the theme park and amusement park sector France, ****-****, in units Source: ****
In terms of the number of companies, the trend is less marked than for the number of employees, with an average annual growth rate in the number of companies between **** and **** of *.**%. The year **** is particularly noteworthy, with a **.**% increase in the number of companies in this sector, which can be explained by the end of the government's restrictive measures against various activities that do not comply with barrier measures.
number of employees in theme park and amusement park activities France, ****-****, in thousands Source: ****
With the exception of **** (***), which saw a loss of *.*% compared with ****, the number of salaried employees working for companies in the theme park market follows a slight, repeated trend each year. on average, the number of jobs in the theme park and amusement park sector in France rose by *.**% per year between **** and ****. Similarly, the year **** saw an increase of **.**% on ****, for the same reasons.
While theme parks are generally more widespread in south-western France, the Ile de France region is the second with the most theme parks in France.
3.3 Leading attraction builders
In France, the amusement park sector relies on a number of specialist manufacturers who design and build iconic attractions, including roller coasters and thrill rides.
Vekoma, a key player in the industry, has built roller coasters such as the famous "Rock 'n' Roller Coaster" at Disneyland Paris and "Flight of the Pterosaur" at Parc du Petit Prince.
Intamin, another big name, is responsible for the legendary "Tonnerre de Zeus" attraction at Parc Astérix and "Goliath" at Walibi Rhône-Alpes, renowned for its intense speeds and sensations. These companies are renowned for their constant innovation in design and engineering, introducing rides with magnetic launch systems and complex steel structures.
Gerstlauer, although of German origin, has a strong presence in France with compact roller coasters and suspended trains such as the "Rodeo" at Walibi Sud-Ouest.
In the same category, Mack Rides, also operating in France, is famous for its "Bobsled" and "Alpine Coaster" roller coasters, which combine speed and tight turns.
Société Soquet, a French manufacturer based in Normandy, specializes in roller coasters and family attractions. It designed "La Cavalerie" at Parc Astérix and"Le Grand Huit" at Parc du Bocasse, which are appreciated for their ability to offer sensations ...
3.4 Major companies in the amusement park market
The French leisure park market is marked by the presence of major companies such as Disneyland Paris, Compagnie des Alpes and the Looping Group, each adopting distinct strategies to stand out from the rest.
Disneyland Paris, owned by The Walt Disney Company, is the undisputed leader, with sales of *.* billion euros by ****. It is the most visited park in Europe, with almost ** million visitors a year. Its success is based on massive investment in theexpansion and renewal of its attractions.
The expansion of its second park, Walt Disney Studios, is underway with a budget of several billion euros, including new theme zones such as"Avengers Campus", which opened in ****, and"World of Frozen", scheduled for ****. Disney is also betting on its hotel offering, with major renovations such as"Marvel's Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel", opening in ****. The company continues to attract international visitors thanks to a strategy based on branding, thematic immersion and grandiose shows.
Compagnie des Alpes is positioned as a leading player in France and Europe, with sales of *** million euros by ****. It owns iconic theme parks such as Parc Astérix, which attracts over *.* million visitors a year, and Walibi Rhône-Alpes, with around ***,*** visitors ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 A product offering dominated by theme and amusement parks
Leisure parks can be divided into * main categories:
Amusement parksparks offering a variety of rides and attractions such as roller coasters and thrill rides, designed for general entertainment. Example: Parc Astérix.
Water parksparks specializing in aquatic attractions, mainly focused on aquatic leisure activities. Example: Aquaboulevard.
Theme parksparks based on a specific theme, with coherent sets and shows to create an immersive experience. Example: Puy du Fou.
The * dominant players in the market are Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix, Puy du Fou and Futuroscope (***). To give you an idea, Disneyland Paris alone will generate *.* billion euros in sales by ****, out of the *.* billion euros generated by the French leisure park market. In other words, Disneyland Paris alone accounts for over **% of total sales generated by the theme park market.
4.2 Price analysis
Disney has the highest prices, with adult tickets ranging from **€ to **€, reflecting its premium position. Parc Astérixand Futuroscope stand out for their flexible options, such as changeable-date tickets. Le Puy du Fou, meanwhile, maintains constant prices, while La Mer de Sable offers more affordable rates, especially for children, with formulas such as birthday snacks.
4.3 Developing the hotel offer within the parks
Developing the hotel offer has become essential for leisure parks seeking to attract and retain visitors. Faced with growing competition and a saturated market, parks are betting on expanding their services to extend the length of stays and increase the average shopping basket.
By investing in themed accommodation, the parks are becoming veritable tourist resorts. Disneyland Paris leads the way with its *,*** rooms built from the outset in ****, and continues to dominate by investing in this direction: In ****, they launched "Marvel's Hotel New York - The Art of Marvel" to offer a unique experience to fans and attract more tourists.
This type of accommodation enhances the brand and offers more immersive experiences.
Other French parks are also focusing on hotels. Parc Astérix, for example, only had a small ***-room hotel for ** years. In ****, it launched a plan to increase its capacity to *** rooms by adding two new hotels and expanding the old one. The latest, "Les Quais de Lutèce", due to open in ****, recreates a Paris street in Gaulish times to offer total immersion.
Futuroscope, meanwhile, has opened the Ecolodgee hotel in ****, with *** lodges, at a cost of **.* million euros. The aim is to make visitors stay longer and ...
4.4 Investment in new attractions
The leisure park market has grown strongly in recent years, reaching *.* billion euros in **** compared with *.* billion euros five years ago, thanks to renewed interest in local leisure activities following the pandemic.
This growth has created market saturation, with many parks seeking to capture this increased demand. Competition between major parks, such as Disneyland Paris, Parc Astérix and Puy du Fou, is driving park managers to constantly renew their offerings. With prices and attractions often similar, standing out from the crowd becomes crucial.
To remain competitive, parks need to offer unique experiences and regularly renew their attractions to attract new visitors and retain old ones.
New attractions such as "La tour de Numérobis" at Parc Astérix are recent examples of this strategy.
At the same time, some parks are expanding their surface areas to enrich the visitor experience. Euro Disney is investing heavily in new theme zones, such as the Avengers Campus, already open, and the World of Frozen zone in the pipeline.
These extensions will increase capacity and meet demand for new attractions. In a saturated market, diversification of the offer has become essential to retain visitors and attract new ones.
However, with investment costs on the ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Current regulations
Safety of rides and attractions:
Amusement parks must comply with strict safety standards for rides and other installations. In France, the law n°****-*** relating to the safety of rides, machines and installations for funfairs or amusement parks was passed following an accident in ****. This law imposes requirements for
Posting the dates of recent inspections to inform the public
Initial and periodic technical inspections, carried out by state-approved organizations.
Design, installation and maintenance of rides.
European safety standards:
At European level, two key standards regulate safety in amusement parks:
prEN *****: Standard on machines and structures for fairgrounds and amusement parks (***).
prEN *****: Standard for temporary structures, such as tents, used in parks and fairgrounds. These standards are designed to protect visitors from risks associated with defects in the equipment and services provided.
Zoological Parks and Aquariums regulations:
Zoological parks and aquariums must comply with specific regulations concerning the keeping of wild animals. In France, requirements include :
A certificate of competence for animal caretakers.
Authorization to open issued by the prefectoral authorities after regular inspections by the veterinary services.
Compliance with animal welfare standards, particularly in terms of care, enclosure enrichment and conservation.
Environmental and town-planning regulations:
Leisure parks must also comply with ...
5.2 Future regulations
Revision of Machinery Directive ****/**/EC (***):
The revision of EU Machinery Directive ****/**/EC, scheduled for ****, aims to enhance the safety of rides and attractions in parks. It could impose stricter standards on maintenance, certification and staff training, thereby increasing compliance costs for parks.
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