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Leaps and bounds Trampoline parks are as popular as ever; we catch up with the industry with an eternal spring in its step

AST year, InterFun reported that visitors are also very important. This includes the trampoline park industry areas like the café and viewing areas. usually age specifi c and fall short of providing had fi rmly made its way from The evoluti on of the trampoline park into a an experience the enti re family can enjoy the periphery of the family diverse and varied locati on has been relati vely together. The multi -att racti on concept of entertainment industry onto the swift and it is clear to see in the range of trampoline parks ensures that everyone can mainL stage. Over the course of around a att racti ons, and parks, now available. join in on the fun.” decade, it has steadily become an acti vity The fi rst generati on of parks featured a The appeal of the trampolines themselves practi cally synonymous with family fun, and if basic layout of trampolines in a wide-open remains paramount but peripheral acti viti es you were to break it down into its composite space - and that was the extent of the off ering, have become a staple of the park, so much so parts, the appeal of the medium becomes in most cases. Fast-forward to 2018 and this that all-encompassing locati ons such as these apparent: healthy, varied, interesti ng acti viti es couldn’t be further from reality, with multi ple are fast becoming big enough to rival the FEC in interspersed with F and B make for a well- att racti ons and food and beverage opti ons now some parts of the world. rounded day out. the standard. The US-based Best American “The family entertainment industry is A year on from that issue of the magazine, Trampolines, which has operated in the market constantly evolving and trampoline parks this kind of family entertainment locati on is as since 2007, has been at the forefront of are not excluded from this evoluti on,” said popular as ever. There isn’t a secret ingredient these changes. Mercer. “Park owners are incorporati ng new behind the formula, however, said Samurai “Trampoline parks are multi -att racti on and exciti ng att racti ons like cloud coasters, Trampoline Products’ Anthony Bull. entertainment centres that allow guests to drop zones, and extreme climbing walls into “It’s quite simple, really,” he said. “It’s an create a unique and memorable experience their parks for guests that crave a new and acti vity that kids are drawn to because they with each visit,” said the company’s Erica exciti ng adventure. enjoy jumping up and down and having fun. Mercer. “Parkgoers can experience a wide “Our Ninja Warrior Course conti nues to be Trampoline parks have, however, moved on variety of exciti ng and engaging acti viti es in one a very popular att racti on. First and second- from being just a place to jump up and down. locati on. Parents have the opti on to parti cipate generati on trampoline parks are updati ng their Our research indicates that many operators are or relax in comfortable seati ng while their venues to keep up with consumer demand looking beyond just trampoline-based acti vity kids jump on the trampolines, climb extreme and the Ninja Course is a popular product they and have been for some ti me. They need to rock walls, soar through the air on a cloud choose to incorporate into their current model. keep their customers happy. Standing sti ll in coaster and enjoy the variety of att racti ons the Likewise, trampoline parks that are new to the any industry means you are likely to be left trampoline park has to off er. market are including Ninja Warrior Courses in behind so you always have to innovate and the “Trampoline parks cater to all ages. their att racti on list with the goal of appealing trampoline parks are no diff erent.” Traditi onal family entertainment centres are to guests that seek a more challenging acti vity.” With such a global focus on health and The US was one of the fi rst markets, if exercise, an increased demand in acti viti es that not the fi rst, to wholeheartedly take to the are healthy is inevitable and the trampoline trampoline park, but operator Sky Zone is the park has met that demand in spades. It has perfect example of the universal appeal of created something of a holy grail of an acti vity the concept. as far as parents are concerned: one that The company was initi ally founded in 2004 makes exercise fun. by entrepreneur Rick Platt , who, according to “Parents like the fact that their kids are being the company, “had the intenti on of creati ng a acti ve,” said Bull. “They can relax in a café or new professional sport that involved athletes watch their kids having fun. For some parents, jumping through a suspended hoop while this is a welcome break as they have ti me to holding a ball. themselves. Therefore, while a park is geared “When it didn’t take off , he saw the potenti al towards the people that take part in acti viti es, to reinvent his concept when neighbourhood the faciliti es off ered to parents and other children expressed an immediate interest in

26 ISSUE 3 2018 iNTERFUN www.intergameonline.com Feature using the space to jump on the trampolines. “News travels fast and while trampoline Today, Sky Zone has almost 200 locati ons in 11 parks took off in the US initi ally, they quickly countries including , , , spread to other parts of the world. Countries Guatemala, , , Mexico, , like the US and UK are now established markets , and the UK, and is where the phenomenal growth has slowed currently the largest trampoline park chain in when it comes to parks. Other territories in the $1.5bn industry.” Europe, the Middle East and South America Today, Sky Zone prescribes to the model that are now going through a similar aggressive has practi cally become the benchmark for the growth model.” sector - that a broad spectrum of att racti ons The kind of expansion evidenced in the for multi ple age groups is the key to success. world’s operators is indicati ve of an industry “Many of our parks have added new with a great deal of ingenuity and passion innovati ons and att racti ons, such as warrior competi ti on. We’re always looking to add new behind it. Embodying this is the Internati onal courses that test speed, strength and agility, elements to our birthday parti es - for example, Associati on of Trampoline Parks, which and free climb, which is a bouldering wall. we are now off ering superhero themed parti es came into being to guide the industry out of These are just two examples of the new and glow (dark light) parti es. Another example its infancy and into the age of prosperity it att racti ons we are conti nuously rolling out. is Toddler Time, during which litt le ones get currently resides in. At the same ti me, our original att racti ons to discover the joy of being acti ve, bouncing “The IATP began in 2012 when the industry remain popular and a core element of the under the supervision of their parents, and fi rst started to pick up,” said Bethany Evans, Sky Zone experience, such as freestyle jump, without interference from the ‘big kids.’ executi ve vice president of the IATP. “When where guests jump on our massive wall-to- Most of our parks also off er sensory hours to we fi rst began, there were 40 parks globally. wall trampolines.” enjoy the freedom of jumping. These sensory We were instrumental in creati ng the ASTM As this approach has become something hours provide a quieter, toned-down jumping standards in the States, which were the only of an industry standard, there are certain experience for those with special needs. standards at the ti me for the industry to follow. ways in which Sky Zone sets itself apart from “Because consumers are consistently That was imperati ve to guide growth in the the competi ti on. looking for new experiences, fi nding ways to right directi on. So, as we moved forward, 2015 “While many trampoline parks simply off er conti nually off er fresh and new att racti ons and was when the fi rst trampoline parks started wall-to-wall trampoline entertainment, Sky programmes is one of Sky Zone’s top prioriti es. to pop up in the UK. That was imperati ve to Zone recently launched innovati ons that are As such, Sky Zone has recently adopted guide growth in the right directi on. At that popping up in our parks across the world. programmes such as overnight lock-ins and ti me, there were around four parks identi fi ed Some of these att racti ons include SkyLine, on launched att racti ons that have a ‘gamifi cati on’ and we began working with the founding parks, which guests must balance their way across element to them.” bringing them in under the IATP umbrella to a millimetres-thin raised slack line, SkyJoust, The industry’s rapid growth is testament to conti nue to grow the industry in a safe and Warped Walls and parkour-style obstacle the simple fact that it is incredibly enjoyable responsible manner. We then formed a UK courses. We also pride ourselves on delivering and, subsequently, profi table, said Bull. committ ee, which was chaired by Peter Brown, an excellent customer experience from the “The industry has grown phenomenally who is the managing director of Freedome, and moment guests walk through our doors. these last few years because trampolining then we had our founding members that were “At Sky Zone, we off er an array of specifi c is a fun acti vity that appeals to kids and part of AirHop, Gravity, AirSpace, etc. programmes that helps set us apart from our parents alike. “We worked very hard to create the

IATP EU Conference and Trade Show Amsterdam, Netherlands ANOTHER year, another successful event Conference and Trade Show. We welcomed quality over just two years, the signs look for the Internati onal Associati on of 275 vendors and att endees. This year, we positi ve for the IATP’s next trade show. Trampoline Parks and, although it is only hosted nearly 400 att endees and vendors “We set a clear agenda for the EU market the second show, signifi cant progress has from over 30 countries, increasing our for the remainder of 2018 and the fi rst part been made, said Bethany Evans. The general exhibit space from 25 to 60.” of 2019,” said Evans. “Our member parks will verdict was positi ve from both exhibitors The industry itself has noti ceably be leading the way in regards to regulati on and visitors. progressed in the 12 months since last year’s and safety standards in their respecti ve “The energy levels were high at the Beurs event, said Evans, and this progression was countries. Additi onally, the educati on van Berlage,” she said. “The one questi on I apparent in Amsterdam. and resources provided at the event are answered over and over is ‘where will next “The growth throughout the European all geared towards helping owners and year’s EU event be?’. I think this is a great market has been signifi cant. Wxe had an operators eff ecti vely run their trampoline testament to how this year’s event went. increase in visitors from throughout Europe parks and to grow the industry responsibly. We look forward to bringing park owners, and the Middle East, whereas last year a “Our next event will be held in Ft operators and vendors an event bigger and majority of our guests were from the UK.” Lauderdale, Florida, on September 16-18. We bett er event in 2019. The event has proved benefi cial to all that will be announcing the dates and locati on for “London was our fi rst annual EU att ended and, having set a precedent for our 2019 EU event this summer.”

www.intergameonline.com iNTERFUN ISSUE 3 2018 29 Feature

running with opti mal safety at all ti mes; if we to take advantage of the IATP and include a don’t have guest safety, we have nothing.” one year pre-paid membership with each new With its growing prominence has come an client park.” increased scruti ny when it comes to safety With such expert backing and an ever- in the industry. Of course, this scruti ny is a increasing network of professionals at the prerogati ve for parents whose children’s safety helm, it looks doubtf ul that the industry’s is their number one concern, and the media bubble will burst any ti me soon. has focused parti cularly keenly on the potenti al “The trampoline park industry is in the for injury in trampoline parks in recent months, middle of a big boom, with no signs of slowing making it even more vital that no stone is left down, in both domesti c and internati onal unturned safety-wise. markets,” said Sky Zone. “Trampoline parks are “These concerns can be addressed by parks multi -generati onal and cater to both families being as vigilant as possible and working and millennials. For families, they provide an customer safety into every aspect of their all-ages friendly, safety-focused environment operati ons,” said Bull. “Parks are in the media that promotes healthy acti ve fun. It also has spotlight and have been for some ti me so it is the bonus side eff ect of keeping kids away from PAS5000, so that the industry in the UK would up to the industry to do as much as possible computer and phone screens. Trampoline parks have a standard that they could adhere to. That to reduce serious injuries and keep their also appeal to the millennial audience, as they standard was implemented around March 2017 customers safe. We are IATP members so we tend to spend their money on experiences and now that we come up on IATP renewal know that they have been very acti ve in helping and acti viti es as opposed to material goods. in September 2018, parks will have to have a the industry to improve safety. It allows for a communal, social experience PAS5000 inspecti on to become a compliant “In terms of what parks can do to improve that only spreads with their positi ve reacti ons member of the IATP. That goes a long way in safety, we interviewed quite a few park owners among friend groups and social media. For raising the standards of the industry. We’re and managers and we gathered the following all these reasons, we foresee this rapid looking at around 200 parks in the UK, give or advice: follow any guidelines and standards growth conti nuing, especially in unsaturated take - there have been a couple of parks that that apply to your territory, staff training, internati onal markets as the experience have closed down but we are seeing growth customer educati on, not exceeding the capacity economy conti nues to grow.” in the UK specifi cally and a lot of growth for your park and regular staff meeti ngs It appears that the experience economy throughout Europe.” and feedback.” conti nues to reign supreme in sectors such Evans has seen the industry adapt and as this. develop over the years and, as such, expects Additi onal opportuniti es for growth are it to delve deeper into the territory that it is there for the taking in Europe, said Evans, and currently exploring. the UK’s fortunes remain bright, despite an “In terms of the changing of the landscape, overcrowded market. we’re seeing a lot more players, whether that “The market is prett y fi rmly established be stand-alone or franchises, come into the in the UK, we’re sti ll seeing growth with new mix and we’ve seen the parks evolve, adding parks opening, though the market has become other att racti ons to them - instead of just very saturated very quickly. So much of it is trampolines, we’ve got ninja courses, rock based on locati on - there are a lot of parks climbing walls, infl atables, soft play. We’ve opening close to each other, which doesn’t seen the evoluti on of the trampoline parks; bode well for anybody. In any case, we’re sti ll there are sti ll traditi onal parks but we’ve also seeing some growth in the UK. seen more of the added att racti ons and some “With the additi on of att racti ons and of them even go as far as becoming more of lots of growth throughout Europe, we as an adventure park. A diff erent arm of the FEC These guidelines are ones that the industry’s an industry will be working throughout the model, if you will. Always evolving to meet the operators are keen to adhere to, said Sky Zone. various European countries to ulti mately create needs of guests, to keep it exciti ng and keep “Safety is our number one priority. Our a European norm. That will be a huge step people coming back through the door. courts are surrounded with trampoline side- in keeping the industry growing in the right “The directi on in which we’re going is that walls and safety netti ng both above and below directi on with safety at the forefront of the adventure park idea, with trampolines being the trampolines. We also have posted warning agenda. Our focus is on growing the industry the core element within. I really think that’s signs and rules signs throughout the facility, responsibly; we’re in the midst of that right probably how we’ll conti nue to move forward safety videos playing throughout, and our court now. Everyone in Europe has their own idea of - I think the industry’s here to stay, if we at the monitors give a rules speech to guests before how to do things, which is a challenge in itself, IATP can conti nue to do what we’re doing, by they begin jumping.” but we’ve always operated under the umbrella raising the standards, by having the standards Mercer emphasised the importance of the of allowing regional autonomy.” in the fi rst place and holding parks accountable IATP in this area of the industry. Arguably, the trampoline park industry to said standards, that goes a long way to “Ensuring that everyone, from the park has already fulfi lled its potenti al, proving benefi ti ng the industry as a whole. There’s staff to the guests enjoying the facility, have itself to be a worthy additi on to the family constantly a new crop of kids coming through, proper educati on on how to safely navigate entertainment scene. That said, the feeling and it will always appeal to that demographic the entertainment centre is paramount in from those operati ng within the market is that as long as it is awesome, healthy fun. reducing the risk of injury at the park level. the best is yet to come and it is diffi cult to Trampoline jumping is one of the healthiest We also believe that adhering to internati onal disagree with them; a strong enough concept forms of exercise you can get; it’s exhilarati ng guidelines set forth by the ASTM and similar in itself, it is also fl exible enough to adapt to to feel that bounce as you’re jumping high organisati ons are key in promoti ng an opti mally changes in demand and taste. All of the signs and I think that’s one of the biggest draws, safe environment. The IATP is an excellent bode well for it as a mode of entertainment it gives you that feeling of weightlessness, of resource that is dedicated to educati ng the and it seems a safe bet to assume that we will defying gravity. industry on safety standards in trampoline have plenty of developments over the next “The key is making sure these parks are parks worldwide. We encourage our clients 12 months.

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