Economics Global Attractions Attendance Report 1 Credits TEA/AECOM 2013 Theme Index: The Global Attractions Attendance Report Publisher: Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Executive Editor: Gene Jeffers Research: Economics practice at AECOM Editor: Judith Rubin Publication team: Natalia Bakhlina, Beth Chang, Linda Cheu, Alisa Cohen, Daniel Elsea, Gene Jeffers, Kathleen LaClair, Jodie Lock, Ben Martin, John Robinett, Judith Rubin, Brian Sands, Matt Timmins, Chris Yoshii ©2013 TEA/AECOM. All rights reserved. Contacts For information about TEA: Judith Rubin, [email protected], T: +1 314 853 5210 Gene Jeffers, [email protected], T: +1 818 843 8497 www.TEAconnect.org For information about AECOM’s Economics team and the report: John Robinett Chris Yoshii Senior Vice President, Economics Global Director, Asia [email protected] [email protected] T: +1 213 593 8785 T:+852 3922 8000 Natalia Bakhlina Brian Sands, AICP Associate Director, Europe Vice President, Eonomics + Planning [email protected] [email protected] T: +44 20 3009 2278 T: +1 202 821 7281 Global Attractions Attendance Report The definitive annual attendance study for the themed entertainment and museum industries. Published by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the Economics practice at AECOM. 3 THE BIG PICTURE 7 Optimism and economic recovery, Asia starts to pull ahead of North America, and Museums join the mix. 2012 THEME INDEX 12 America 23 Asia-Pacific 35 Europe 45 2012 MUSEUM INDEX 52 America 60 Asia-Pacific 62 Europe 64 About this study 66 About TEA snd AECOM 67 4 List of figures page 2012THEME INDEX Worldwide 1 Top 10 theme park groups worldwide 13 2 Top 25 amusement/themeparks worldwide 14–15 3 Top 20 water parks worldwide 20–21 Americas 4 Top 20 amusement/theme parks in North America 28–29 5 Top 10 amusement/theme parks in Latin America 30–31 6 Top 20 water parks in North America 32–33 Asia-Pacific 7 Top 20 amusement/theme parks in Asia-Pacific 40–41 8 Top 15 water parks in Asia-Pacific 42–43 Europe 9 Top 20 amusement/theme parks in Europe 50–51 2012 MUSEUM INDEX 10 Top 20 museums worldwide 57–59 11 Top 20 museums in North America 60–61 12 Top 20 museums in Asia-Pacific 62–63 13 Top 20 museums in Europe 64–65 5 6 THE BIG PICTURE Optimism and economic recovery, Asia starts to pull ahead of Interview with North America, and John Robinett Senior Vice President, Museums join the mix. Economics In broad strokes, what kind of a year did the global theme park/water park industry have in 2012? The European, Asian, and North American major operators all 5.2% had a successful year with an average attendance increase Global increase in of 6.7% at the top ten global operators. In Asia and North attendance to theme America attendance was strong, with each over 3%. Europe, parks from 2012 which is still in recession, experienced softer numbers. It is our view that, given the economic conditions, theme parks have done a good job this year in maintaining single digit growth in major markets. The market in North America was, this year as last year, driven by major reinvestment at major operators’ parks. Last year, Orlando led the way with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida. This year, it was Southern California, with substantial increases at Disney California Adventure (where additions included Cars Land) as well as Universal Studios Hollywood (which added Transformers: the Ride 3-D). 7 The European, Asian and North American major operators all had a successful year. In Asia there has been double digit growth on the part of leading international and domestic operators. Hong Kong Disney and Universal Studios Japan were up 14%. Lotte World, Chimelong and other major parks saw tremendous growth as well. Europe’s theme parks experienced, for the most part, some small gains and some small losses, consistent with the region’s economic malaise. But in the midst of that were some inspiring successes. Parc Asterix, Legoland Windsor and Puy du Fou all benefited from smart reinvestment in attractions as well as marketing, reaping attendance increases ranging from 5 to 8%. The water parks business grew in both North America and 16m Asia. We forecasted in last year’s Theme Index that the Top 15 Asia-Pacific industry in Asia would begin to outpace the industry in North waterparks total America; in the water parks we track, we’ve seen the first attendance in 2012 clear sign of it. Our water park figures show that the Asian attendance totals have for the first time surpassed those of North America. The Asian water parks market showed 7.4% growth with total attendance at 16 million, about 1 million more than North America. Especially strong performance was seen in China and Southeast Asia. When do you forecast Asian theme park attendance will overtake North America? 10m I wouldn’t want to box myself into predicting a specific year, but we will hit a milestone with the opening of Shanghai Expected attendance Disney in 2015. Assuming that the Shanghai Disney opening in first year at Shanghai Disney, will be consistent with the openings of other major Disney opening in 2015 parks in large international markets, it’s reasonable to expect something in the neighborhood of 10 million attendance in its first year. It will be the largest theme park development in China to date and can be expected to put Asia within striking distance of surpassing North American theme park attendance totals. 8 Weather was a big factor holding back attendance growth in European theme parks in 2012. Should operators consider climate patterns when they think about reinvestment to boost growth? If exposure to extreme or uncomfortable weather conditions is keeping visitors away, it’s worth addressing the issue with careful and thoughtful investment. The cost of creating comfort should create commensurate benefits. Short of enclosing a property outright, there are plenty of options that can provide relief to guests, such as shade structures, landscaping, misters, air-conditioned theaters, and outdoor heaters. What are some important trends as Asia grows toward global dominance in visitor attractions? Asia brought something new to the destination resort mix by incorporating casinos and cultural facilities along with theme parks, retail and hospitality, what they call “integrated resorts”. This broader spectrum of elements has been very successful in their markets. It’s a business model of cross subsidization, with the high cash flow casinos supporting the lower cash flow cultural elements. Is the Middle East attractions market making a comeback? What’s happening in the Middle East, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi, reflects the overall, worldwide return to a positive outlook in attractions markets. There is more optimism now, a lot of interesting projects being planned, and expectation of future growth and expansion. One unique factor is demographics, in some Middle East countries, people are much younger than in other markets. What’s happening in the Middle East, especially Dubai and Abu Dhabi, reflects the overall, worldwide return to a positive outlook in attractions markets. 9 This year’s Theme Index includes attendance numbers for top museums in Europe, North America and Asia. Why has AECOM begun to track museums? Museums represent a very important category of the leisure market with clear commonalities to commercial attractions. They compete for people’s time and money in similar markets; they cater to families; they help drive tourism; and they play a cultural and economic role in their communities. Increasingly, museums are focusing on the guest experience, operations, and marketing in ways that mirror commercial attractions. While their markets are not identical, they overlap and are similar in scale. Both court group attendance. Although museums are nonprofit entities with educational missions, earned revenue streams are important to them — especially as government funding sources have receded. Tracking their attendance from year to year and studying the growth factors, as we do with theme parks and water parks, will help convey a picture of the dynamics that is instructive to both sectors. Tracking museums in addition to theme parks puts Europe in a different light. While Europe came in last for theme park attendance compared to other major global markets in 2012, it was first in museums. In Europe, the top museums get more visitation than do theme parks: 72 million total attendance for museums versus 58 million for theme parks. Further, museum attendance was up 5% in Europe, where theme parks were flat. Increasingly museums are focusing on the guest experience, operations, and marketing in ways that mirror commercial attractions. 10 Although museums are nonprofit entities with educational missions, earned revenue streams are important to them — especially as government funding resources have receded. AECOM and TEA, the producers of this report, are both very active within the museum community. AECOM is interested in helping operators improve how they track and analyze their audiences and operations to better achieve their missions, serve their communities and maximize the bottom line. IAAPA’s annual Museum Day, set up specifically for this kind of information exchange, is one of the forums in which we regularly participate. For its part, TEA recognizes museums as a significant client market for its members, and reaches out to museum operators to honor excellence in the field with its Thea Awards. Museums and museum exhibits that have been honored with Thea Awards include Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, the Coal Mine and the U-505 exhibits at MSI Chicago and Beyond All Boundaries at the National World War II Museum. Museums can achieve dramatic attendance growth through reinvestment and improvement of the guest experience — it’s just as true for them as it is for theme parks.