The leisure park market - Spain (2023)

1.2 The global theme park market

The global theme park market grew from $**.** billion in **** to $** .** billion in ****, at a compound annual growth rate (***) of **.*%. The war between Russia and Ukraine has disrupted the chances of global economic recovery from the COVID-** pandemic, at least in the short term. The war between these two countries has led to economic sanctions against several countries, soaring commodity prices and supply chain disruptions, affecting many markets around the world. The theme park market is expected to reach $***.* billion in ****, with a CAGR of **.*%. [***]

Attendance at the ** largest theme parks World, ****-****, millions Growth: +*.*% Source: ****

due to their geographical and thematic proximity, theme parks and animal parks located in neighboring countries compete with French establishments (***). As a result, the appeal of foreign parks has a direct impact on attendance at nearby French parks. Animal parks, for their part, face competition from public animal parks, which often offer very low rates or free admission.

Theme park rankings, by number of visitors Europe, ****, in millions of visitors Source: ****

The top * French parks alone attracted *.* million visitors in ****, putting France in first place among theme park destinations. Far behind, the main British and German parks welcomed *.* million and *.* million visitors respectively. However, some foreign ...

1.3 A resilient domestic market

In a sector dominated by Walt Disney theme parks, Spain also has its say. Spain boasts over ** theme parks of all kinds. From magnificent aquariums like those in Barcelona, Valencia, San Sebastian and Seville, to spaces like Dinópolis, which recreate the life of prehistoric dinosaurs.

at Cabárceno, you can walk alongside elephants, zebras, giraffes and many other endangered animals living in semi-liberty in a spectacular mountain setting. For an adrenalin rush, the impressive attractions of Port Aventura, Terra Mítica or Warner Park exceed the expectations of thrill-seekers. And in places like Sendaviva, you'll find the perfect combination of fun and adventure.

What's more, Spain's Parques Reunidos group ranks tenth worldwide in terms of visitor numbers. The Warner Park in Madrid, part of its extensive portfolio, even ranks among the ** most-visited theme parks in Europe .

The *rd fastest attraction in the world in **** will be in Spain: the Ferrrari Land Red Force at ***km/h, helping to attract thrill-seeking foreign and domestic tourists.

the market came to an abrupt halt in **** with the pandemic and successive confinements, condemning the closure of the parks for several months. In ****, the market was worth ***.* million euros, but gradually recovered in ****, despite some ...

1.4 Impact of Covid-19 on the sector

The covid-** has obviously strongly affected the sector, forcing parks to close their gates for several months. In ****, theme park sales were down by around **% on ****.

As a result, theme parks found themselves in the administrative limbo of the pandemic oscillating between leisure, culture and tourism. After fighting to have their activity regulated, they found a niche in the tourism sector, governed by de-escalation phases. But with no direct public support beyond ERTE. A major setback for a sector accustomed to high profits in the high season.

Tourism sub-sector sales in **** compared with **** Spain, ****, in Source: ****

Some were unable to cope with the June **** reopening. The three months of closure that preceded it took a heavy toll on the sector, eventually sinking the least surplus parks, such as Malaga's Tivoli, which closed in September and is currently insolvent, with its permanent staff demanding compensation . A sorry scenario, to which we must add the high percentage of VAT they have to pay: **%, compared with **% for most tourist services. "In almost all cases, it would have been economically more profitable not to open, and losses would have been even lower. But we had to contribute to normality", explains AEPA.

with the exception of ...

2.1 The profile of leisure park visitors

The services offered by leisure parks are mainly aimed at families and children. The parks' marketing strategies also target tourist groups (***). Businesses are also an increasingly popular target group for the parks, for whom they offer to organize seminars in hotels or in areas equipped with conference rooms .

The Department of Tourism of the Canary Islands has drawn up a report on the profile of tourists visiting a leisure park on their territory. We therefore consider it worthwhile to develop this section by drawing up a visitor profile.

The majority of visitors are Spanish (***).

Origins of tourists visiting a Spanish theme park, by nationality Spain, ****, in Source: ****

there is almost perfect equality between male and female park visitors. Gender of tourists visiting a Spanish theme park Spain, ****, in Source : Turismo in terms of age, the majority of park visitors are aged **-** (***). age of tourists visiting a Spanish theme park Spain, ****, in Source: Turismo most of these people come with their partner (***). Accompanying persons of tourists visiting a Spanish theme park Spain, ****, in Source: Turismo this means that half of our groups are made up of * people (***). Composition of tourist groups visiting a Spanish theme park Spain, ****, in Source: ****

2.2 Demand drivers

The economic and financial situation of households:

This can influence their budget choices and alter their spending habits. For example, pressure on purchasing power may lead to a reduction in spending on entertainment, such as theme parks, or a decline in their attendance. However, these parks could also benefit from a reduction in household vacation budgets, by becoming an alternative for them.

Changes in the child population:

Leisure park attendance is closely linked to changes in the child population. These establishments mainly target families with children, often the incentive for parents to visit the parks and make purchases such as souvenirs, merchandising, drinks and sweets.

In Spain, the child population has been on a downward trend in recent years, as shown in the graph below.

Infant population trends (***) Spain, ****-****, in millions of children Source: ****

Spanish tourism:

The tourism dynamic, whether it's Spaniards or foreign tourists visiting Spain, is a key factor for leisure park business. Vacations often represent an opportunity for families to spend time in these parks, whether theme parks, zoos or aquariums. Smaller parks in particular are heavily dependent on the tourist numbers in their region.

Evolution of the number of international tourists in Spain Spain, ****-****, in ...

2.3 Spain's favourite parks

Puy du Fou Spain in Toledo has won a double award. The new park impressed the public with its artistry, high standards of visitor care and immersive attractions. Puy du Fou España arrived on a solid footing despite the pandemic. All this helped it win the award in the "Best New Park ****" category and the award in the "Amusement or Theme Park of the Year in Spain" category. Other parks such as Isla Mágica, Parque Warner, Horrorland and Aquabrava were also nominated in these categories.

Aquabrava, in Catalonia, won the award for "Water Park of the Year in Spain". Its new AquaXjump slides represented a revolution in the sector. The Girona site has integrated new technologies and succeeded in setting itself apart from the other nominated parks: Water World and Siam Park.

Sendaviva, in Navarre, was rewarded as the best in the "Nature Park of the Year" category. Its efforts to continue adding new experiences that bring visitors closer to nature won it this award. Bioparc Valencia and Dinópolis Teruel were also distinguished as nominees in this category.(***)

2.4 Seasonal demand

Leisure park business is highly seasonal . This is broken down into cycles of low (***) to smooth out their attendance over time.

This seasonality of demand can be observed using google trends and web traffic monitoring on the websites of Spain's two biggest parks: Port Aventura and Parque Warner.

We see a peak in traffic in the spring and approaching summer, generally around April-May, which consolidates until August-September before dropping off again during the winter.

Web traffic trends on Port Aventura and Parque Warner sites Spain, ****-****, in google trends index base *** **** Source: ****

3.1 Growth drivers for parks

The main levers for growth in park business are :

The economic and financial situation of households, which determines the level of spending on theme parks; The evolution of the child population, given that families with children are the main target population; French and international tourist numbers; Weather conditions, mainly between April and September. Unfavorable weather conditions lead to a reduction in attendance at parks where activities are exclusively outdoors, whereas aquariums or indoor play areas benefit from them; Changes in tourist behavior, with an increase in long weekends and short stays; Renewal of the offer (***) to attract new customers and retain existing ones, or to justify a price increase; Competition from border countries and public parks: theme parks and amusement parks face direct competition from border parks such as EuropaPark in Germany or PortAventura in Spain, while animal parks face competition from public parks (***); The development of ancillary services: hotels, stores, restaurants or paid parking.

Substantial investment in facilities is necessary to modernize and renew the offer, and thus sustain park attendance.Financial investment in infrastructure was stable overall before covid-** (***), but will be around ** million euros in ****.

Trends in theme park infrastructure investment Spain, ****-****, in millions of euros Source: ...

3.2 Employment in Spain

The theme park industry directly and indirectly employs nearly *,*** people, and is gradually recovering from the loss of nearly *,*** jobs in ****.

In ****, there will be almost *,*** businesses directly and indirectly involved in the sector, which has also been recovering since **** following the bankruptcy of certain companies.

Growth in the number of theme park companies and employees Spain, ****-****, in numbers Source: ****

The sector faces a labor challenge:

High manpower requirements to ensure the smooth running of the park(***) Heavy reliance on seasonal workers; Increasing automation of attractions, which has enabled operators to optimize staff costs on the margins.

With the slowdown in economic activity, coupled with minimum wage increases and recruitment difficulties for seasonal jobs, the financial burden linked to salaries will increase more rapidly. At the same time, managers will find it difficult to reduce external costs, notably due to high maintenance and energy costs.

The ability of companies to adjust their workforce in line with business activity is crucial to mitigating the impact on margins and liquidity. However, the adjustment of personnel costs is generally not instantaneous, but rather delayed over time. This adjustment is strongly influenced by recruitment difficulties and the flexibility of employment contracts. In some sectors, ...

3.3 A market dominated by two major groups but subject to numerous changes

Parques Reunidos, founded over ** years ago with the construction of Madrid's Parque de Atracciones, has grown to become one of the world's leading leisure park operators. It operates in various key sectors of the leisure market, including theme parks, aquariums, zoos, water parks and even cable cars. Operating in ** countries on four continents, the group attracted over ** million visitors in ****, generating around €*** million in revenues and averaging over **,*** employees. at the end of that year, Piolin BidCo, a company formed by Swedish investment fund EQT, Spain's Corporación Financiera Alba and Belgium's GBL, acquired virtually all the group's shares.

Number of Parques Reunidos theme parks and leisure centers, by type World, ****, in numbers Source: ****

Number of Parques Reunidos theme parks and leisure centers, by country World, ****, by number Source: Parques Reunidos Parques Reunidos in contrast, Aspro Parks, another Spanish group, has a diversified portfolio but is concentrating its expansion in Europe. In addition to its activities in theme parks, zoos, aquariums and water parks, it also manages spas via its subsidiary GMF (***) in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. It even owns a ski resort and campsite in Finland. With operations in ** countries, it is mainly based in Germany, Spain, France ...

4.1 Typology of leisure parks

The offer corresponds to the nature of the park, and is broad enough to appeal to all generations (***):

Amusement parks: enclosed spaces devoted entirely to leisure, games and entertainment. Generally speaking, amusement parks offer a wide range of rides for adults and children, depending on the desires of the target clientele. The best-known examples are Dysneyland Paris, Futuroscope and Parc Astérix. Zoos: open to the public, most of which charge a fee, zoos are establishments where domestic or wild animals are kept in enclosures or in semi-liberty (***). Aquariums: aquariums are establishments that exhibit aquatic and sometimes marine species in tanks (***) Theme parks: theme parks such as Puy du Fou or Ok Corral aim to immerse visitors in a particular universe, developed around installations and attractions revolving around this universe. Water parks: these are enclosed entertainment areas offering water-related activities and attractions (***). Children's indoor playgrounds: these are enclosed, covered areas designed for children, offering recreational or cultural activities (***)

Leisure parks also offer a variety of activities, depending on the target clientele. For example, amusement parks offer rides for adults. While some of these parks initially offered relatively simple attractions derived from funfair culture, such as ghost trains, technological advances have enabled ...

4.2 Price typology

The above prices are the basic park entrance prices. However, prices may vary depending on the period (***). Depending on the park, preferential rates are available for families, groups, people with reduced mobility, senior citizens and students. Tickets purchased online, through a works council or with a Pass are generally less expensive than those available at the ticket office. On the other hand, some parks offer paying services such as queue-cutting tickets, behind-the-scenes access or additional entertainment.

Source: ****

4.3 Supply trends: ancillary expenses and odorless games

Amusement parks derive their revenue from the sale of admission tickets, but they also seek to get customers to spend money once they're in the park. A range of services is therefore deployed alongside entertainment and attractions to meet visitors' needs and desires.

Services for professionals

In order to generate income in the off-season, the parks are developing specific infrastructures to welcome business customers for seminars, conventions, meetings, team-building events or private parties:

The rise of indoor playgrounds

Alongside children's play parks, escape rooms, karting, laser games and bowling, the indoor playground segment has been on a roll in recent years. Unlike amusement parks, the barriers to entry are low (***). Admission is free for parents. Networks generally develop through franchising.

4.4 Focus on theme parks

To give you an idea of the catalog of attractions in Spain, in this section we present the rankings of the fastest and highest roller coasters in Spain.

Ranking of Spain's fastest roller coasters Spain, ****, in km/h Source: ****

as can be seen, they are mostly concentrated in Spain's biggest theme parks: Port Aventura (***) and Parque Warner.

Ranking of Spain's tallest roller coasters Spain, ****, in meters Source: ****

5.1 Attraction facility regulations

Regulations governing amusement facilities in Spain are governed by various laws and safety standards to ensure the protection of users. Here are five detailed points on these regulations:

Safety standards and certification:

In Spain, amusement facilities must comply with strict safety standards. They must be certified and comply with the requirements laid down by the Spanish Standards Association (***). Attractions must be inspected regularly by independent control bodies to ensure compliance with current standards.

Liability and insurance:

Attraction operators are responsible for the safety of their installations. They must take out liability insurance to cover any accidents or damage caused to visitors. This insurance must comply with legal requirements in terms of coverage and insured amounts.

Regular inspections and controls:

The competent authorities in Spain require periodic inspections of attractions. Operators must submit their installations to regular checks by engineers specializing in attraction safety. These checks are designed to ensure that the equipment is working properly and to identify any potential faults.

Design and maintenance standards :

Attraction facilities must be designed, installed and maintained to specific technical standards to ensure the safety of users. This includes regular monitoring of equipment, preventive maintenance, and immediate repair of any faults or anomalies detected.

Visitor ...

5.2 Regulations governing playgrounds and leisure areas

The regulations governing playgrounds and leisure areas in Spain are governed by specific standards designed to ensure the safety of children and users alike. Here are five detailed points on these regulations:

Safety standards and playground design:

In Spain, playgrounds and leisure areas must comply with strict safety standards. The UNE-EN **** standard, in line with European Union directives, sets out safety requirements for the design, installation and maintenance of play areas. It covers aspects such as materials used, permissible fall heights, impact protection, etc.

Operator responsibility and maintenance :

Playground operators are responsible for ensuring that their facilities comply with current safety standards. They must carry out regular inspections to check the condition of equipment, floors and structures, and take corrective action in the event of failure or potential danger.

Signage and user information :

Play areas must be clearly signposted with information panels indicating safety rules, recommended ages for each piece of equipment, and any restrictions on use. This information is designed to make parents and children aware of the rules to be observed to avoid accidents.

Compliance checks and audits:

Local or regional authorities responsible for public safety carry out inspections and audits to check that play areas comply with established ...

6.1 Player segmentation

Source: ****

• Aspro Parks
• Looping
• Parques reunidos
• PortAventura Entertainment SAU
• Madrid Theme Park Management
• Park Acuatic Roses
• Parcs Acuatics de la Costa Brava
• Le Puy du Fou