Funworld November 2011

2011 IAAPA Chairman Bob Rippy Reflects on His Year Leading the Association

by Jeremy Schoolfield

Bob Rippy knew he’d be busy during his year as IAAPA chairman … just maybe not this busy.

“The great thing about being chairman is it’s only one year; and the bad thing about being chairman is it’s only one year,” jokes the owner/operator of Jungle Rapids, a family entertainment center (FEC) in Wilmington, North Carolina. He’s looking forward to getting back to his normal life, but will definitely miss getting to meet so many fellow attraction operators and manufacturers on such a regular basis.

During the course of his chairmanship, Rippy oversaw the search for the association’s new president/CEO (Chip Cleary was brought on in April), and traveled the globe representing IAAPA at various official functions and member visits. His journey took him to facilities both near and far, including South America, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and China.

“I’d like to extend a big thank you to my FEC friends and colleagues, especially, for their support this year, and all they’ve done to make IAAPA the organization it is,” Rippy says.

Funworld caught up with Rippy during one of his last official trips as chairman, where he spent several days in Europe leading up to the association’s Euro Attractions Show 2011 in London at the end of September. Here are his thoughts on 2011, which he says was rewarding both personally and professionally.

What has your year as chairman been like?
It’s been a great year. We’ve hired a new CEO in Chip Cleary, and we’re real excited to have an industry person as the head of IAAPA. I’ve enjoyed visiting parks and manufacturers all over the world. It’s been more than I ever dreamed it would be.

What stood out the most to you during your travels?
I was reminded how everyone in our industry loves our industry. The people running these parks enjoy going to work every day. I didn’t go to a single one where the person I was talking with didn’t enjoy the industry and what it has to offer its customers. No matter where you go, people tell you, “This is what I love to do.”

What is one great memory you’ll take with you from this year?
Our board meeting in Guatemala was one of the highlights, where our board members from around the world got to visit the wonderful IRTRA parks. It’s special for me being the chairman for our first board meeting ever in Latin America. But all my travels … it’s hard to pick one out they were all so good.

Another highlight was being the chairman to visit our members in Indonesia. It was a great opportunity to visit with the ministers of tourism from Asia Pacific and spread the IAAPA name around the world. We can hopefully help make their lives better and they can certainly help make IAAPA better.

You’ve seen and done a lot over the course of your career, but it seems like this chairmanship added a whole new chapter.
Absolutely. It’s been a fulfilling four years, including my time as a vice chairman. When I look at all the places I’ve been able to go and people I’ve been able to meet in this industry— from the titans to local guys running an FEC—it’s been one of those things I’ll look back on forever.

Is there anything you’ve seen or learned over the year that you will take back to Jungle Rapids?
Really it’s just the philosophy of enjoying our jobs. This year has reinforced the fact that our employees should enjoy what they do as much as they can. That, and we also upgraded our laser tag arena after visiting a facility in Australia.

Now that you’ve seen the industry from a worldwide perspective, what are your thoughts on the 2011 season as a whole?
In conversations with members in the Northern Hemisphere it’s been a good, but not spectacular year. People have had weather problems, but you don’t see businesses going down like they were a few years ago; they’re actually picking back up.

In South America business is robust, and business is growing fairly quickly in Asia, as well, as new parks come out of the ground. Europe has had a good season, too, despite some weather problems.

So I think the industry’s held its own through this downturn, but of course there’s still a lot of concern, especially in Europe, about what happens next regarding the stability of the monetary system. But all of IAAPA’s trade shows were successful this year, which is great for IAAPA and shows hopefully our manufacturers have had a good year, too.

What are your thoughts on IAAPA as you prepare to hand the chairmanship over to Roland Mack at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2011 in November?
IAAPA is in great shape at this time. Roland will be a fabulous leader for the organization with his background in the industry and operating one of the finest parks in Europe; he’ll bring a lot of expertise to the chairmanship.

Chip is doing a great job in Washington, and the IAAPA staff is taking hold of his management style and what he’s trying to do. We have a great idea of where we are, where we’re heading, and why.

Contact Senior Editor Jeremy Schoolfield at jschoolfield@IAAPA.org.

EAS 2011: In Review

Record number of exhibiting companies draws more than 7,000 to London
Reporting by Juliana Gilling; Photos by Chris Hutty

It was a record-breaking September in London, as temperatures and exhibitor numbers soared during Euro Attractions Show 2011 (EAS) at the Olympia convention center. Some 336 exhibitors shared the largest trade show floor in the event’s history, showcasing everything from rides, interactive attractions, waterslides, and admission systems to more than 7,000 visitors from 99 countries. EAS demonstrated “the European industry is as vibrant as ever,” said Mats Wedin, chairman of the IAAPA European Advisory Committee. “We are extremely pleased with this show and the support of the associations in the UK.”

The stellar education program was also a success, as it filled 1,000 seminar seats and included insight from top European industry leaders, such as Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group, who headlined the new breakfast event to a sold-out crowd.

Next year’s event will take place at Messe Berlin, 9-11 Oct., 2012. “Germany has many theme parks, family entertainment centers, and waterparks. Besides that, the country has an outstanding reputation of manufacturing for our industry, so Berlin is the perfect place for the 9th edition,” said Wedin. As of show close, 58 percent of next year’s exhibition space was already sold.

Here is a rundown of some of the ideas and exhibits shared at EAS 2011.

EAS Education Spans the Spectrum of the European Industry

Leadership was a key theme at this year’s show, as the industry seeks ways of dealing with the opportunities and threats arising from European financial instability, weather fluctuations, competition, and the Internet.

At the Leadership Breakfast, Nick Varney, CEO of Merlin Entertainments Group, charted Merlin’s journey from a one-brand company (Sea Life) into the world’s second-largest visitor attractions operator. It now has multiple brands and 78 attractions, including the new Legoland Florida. Legoland Malaysia will follow in 2012, alongside midway attraction launches like Madame Tussauds Tokyo.

Tours introduced delegates to what’s new at Merlin’s London sites, which have used “cluster sales” (cross-selling attraction tickets) to great effect. Madame Tussauds and the EDF Energy London Eye have added 4-D theaters, and the Eye’s 32 capsules are getting an upgrade to accommodate the latest technology, such as augmented reality, in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

Varney’s motivation has always been “to create a high-growth international family entertainment business based on high-value brands.” Building a balanced portfolio—demographically and geographically, indoors and outdoors— has helped take the volatility out of the business, he said.

He urged the industry to defend itself against accusations of expensive pricing. Parks and attractions offer better entertainment value per hour compared to cinema, Premier League football or theater, Varney argued. By “underpricing the experiences we offer in Europe” attractions are under mining themselves because “capital expenditure is the main driver of growth,” he said.

Experts Assess the European Attractions Market
The EAS education program filled 1,000 seats over the course of the conference, with topics ranging from harmonizing safety standards to building an engaged workforce.

Olivier de Bosredon, the guiding hand behind Parc Astérix, outlined his involvement in a new children’s entertainment venture in France, La Boite aux Enfants. Working with French television channel Gulli, the company will open its first family entertainment center (FEC) in November (linked to Ikea) with the aim of building a chain.

Bosredon predicted a reversal of the consolidation that has dominated the European market. With attraction assets valued more realistically and real estate developers looking to fill their spaces, Bosredon sees an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to enter the market: “This is the time to buy back well-maintained parks at a good price. We could see the rebirth of local parks.”

He was joined on the European Theme Park Legends panel by John Collins, director of John Collins Leisure, and Colin Dawson, former CEO of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers, and Attractions (BALPPA), both awarded OBEs for their services to leisure and tourism. During Dawson’s tenure at BALPPA, accidents fell by 80 percent due to new safety initiatives, while Collins cited proper market research as fundamental to business success.

Inspiration Key to Productive Employees
Mikael Ahlerup, managing director of Astrid Lindgren’s World and winner of Sweden’s Managing Director of the Year 2011 award, was among those hoping to inspire tomorrow’s leaders on the European Institute for Attractions Managers program. Nearly 40 professionals from Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Romania, and the UK signed up for coaching on finance, marketing, operations, safety, and revenue management.

For Ahlerup, a great team is crucial to effective leadership: “Do you think of your staff as an investment, or as a cost?” he asked. He agreed with Europa-Park’s Michael Kreft von Byern that managers should lead by example, whether that’s picking up litter or helping guests. “Be present, go out there with a full heart, and be prepared to make mistakes,” Ahlerup said.

Industry Leaders Discuss IP Issues
Chip Cleary, president and CEO of IAAPA, announced the association’s plans to clamp down on ride copying, which threatened established manufacturers and raised safety concerns. After German attorney Jochen Peschel updated delegates on intellectual property rights, Cleary announced measures that could include new binding contracts for vendors based on IAAPA’s code of conduct.

Integrating intellectual property (IP) into an attraction was the subject of a Themed Entertainment Association session. Hester Kloosterboer, director of The SMILE of Experience, and Jora Vision’s Marjolein van de Stolpe canvassed views on the pros and cons of buying an IP versus creating one. Gerald Raines, senior director of theme parks and attractions at Nickelodeon, emphasized the importance of clarifying expectations between park owners and IP owners.

Ophélie Barrière from Compagnie des Alpes said since Walibi’s brand revamp, more families with 8- to 12- year-olds have visited, and retail spend, approval ratings, and media visibility were up, although attendance remained the same. Analysis by Michael Collins of Leisure Development Partners showed a modest link between IP and higher penetration rates at major European parks, but the quality of the visitor experience was universal among the best performers.

FEC Day at EAS 2011
The first FEC/Indoor Playground Day at EAS, in association with the Play Providers Association, provided a timely overview of the market. Germany’s FEC sector has suffered a decline, from a peak of 550 sites in the last decade to 110-140 sites in 2011. Operators (mainly independent) are shrugging off the sector’s poor image by focusing on quality and differentiation. France is seeing the debut of multiactivity FECs, and operators are exploring synergies with shopping malls.

In the UK, developers are recognizing the value of FECs as anchor tenants, reported Richard “Charlie” Farley of Kidspace Adventures. He’s seen a rise in secondary spend and diversification into areas such as child care. An increasingly saturated market is forcing FECs in the United States to reinvent their offers, according to Richard Sanfilippo, president of Sam’s Fun City. Sports- and physical activity-centered FECs are emerging as a new trend.

Water, Water, Everywhere
New arrivals in the waterpark industry include Galaxy Schwarzwald (Germany), Acquaworld (Italy) and Tsilivi Waterpark (Greece), according to IAAPA Europe’s Jakob Wahl. Existing facilities are adding wellness, hotels, and new attractions, with racing slides proving popular. Waterpark developers should match their offers to their target audiences, advised Dim Hemeltjen of M2 Leisure. Rainer Braun, managing partner at Hartwigsen, brought delegates up to speed on the DIN EN 1069 safety standard for waterslides.

Center Parcs’ creative director, Michael Linet-Frion, showed its new generation of waterparks. These retain the company’s signature greenery and strive for “total immersion” using natural settings, theming, and defined areas for different activities. These dreams are firmly rooted in reality, concluded industry consultant Ulla Harrison.

Social Media Still a Hot Topic
The advent of social media means everyone can be a publisher, and attractions are dealing with the implications. Bart de Boer, president and CEO of Efteling, uses Twitter to communicate with followers (@drsbartdeboer). He values the freedom it gives him to set the record straight and has tweeted clues about new attractions. “Embrace your fans, even if it’s hard sometimes,” he said.

Fans want to be heard, and it’s in parks’ best interests to foster positive relationships with them, said leisure graduate Lianne van Lith, who presented research into the impact of fan communities on parks’ online reputations. IAAPA asked Ilona van Golen from Eftelist, Oscar Abbenhuis from the European Coaster Club, and Europa-Park’s Sina Krenz for their insights. Tips included sharing information with fans, acting on suggested improvements, providing real rewards for enthusiasts, and dealing openly with criticism.

Attractions should “federate and activate the right e-influencers,” said Francois Banon, vice president of communications at Disneyland Paris. He advocated open-mindedness because social media is changing every day. The park has experimented with customized landing pages, flash mobs, viral videos, Tilt-Shift, Google Earth, mobile apps, and Pixar characters who appeared on Facebook profiles. User-generated videos were at the heart of this year’s UK advertising campaign, which captured children’s reactions on hearing they were going to Disneyland Paris (“The magic begins from the moment you tell them” was the slogan).