Adventure Park Insider Spring 2019

TRENDING # new_products # root_cause_analysis # just_add_water # driving_innovation # park_spy # and_much_more

Adventure Park Insider Evacuation Systems Rescue at height is a matter of when, not if. How well are you prepared for it?

SPRING 2019

Kids on Course Children are extremely important customers, but they require an extraordinary level of care.

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ETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Time to Take Stock The annual ACCT conference is a wonderful time to take the pulse of the industry. What stood out?

Positive energy. There’s a universal sense of contributing to the greater good in the aerial adventure world. An overwhelming desire to share a love of being in the woods and off the ground. A desire to help people experience something new, and to discover skills and bravery they didn’t think they had.

More importantly, the desire to share and help extends beyond what operators do for paying guests—there’s also a spirit of helping one another. If the ACCT conference were a poker game, most everyone would be showing their hand, not holding it to their chest.

More options than ever. The trade show was full of the usual hardware displays, alongside a slew of new, high-dollar adventures. There’s definitely a trend toward more mechanized adventures—a bit of a contrast to the minimalist thrill of gliding along a thin wire rope on a small trolley or testing one’s balance and creativity on a trekking course. Will these new contraptions catch on with existing operators? Will they take hold in a different area of the adventure world?

Strength in the basics. There’s plenty of evidence that guests take delight in traveling up in the air, whether on a zip line, aerial adventure course, or high ropes challenge.

That, and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it, should fuel the aerial adventure industry for quite some time. It’s no wonder that members of the industry are so energized and enthusiastic.

Growing pains. With the fast pace of growth continuing, the industry is becoming more adept and agile at facing the many challenges that come with greater visibility (and scrutiny) and business volume. Operators, vendors, and suppliers are tackling several sticky issues. Increased transparency and the “we’re in this together” mentality displayed at the conference has helped move the industry in a positive direction.

This issue of the magazine looks at both the challenges and the opportunities that operators face, from legal and regulatory issues to new products and broadening the participant base. The “State of the Industry Report” provides a tremendous overview, and the online deep dives based on the survey offer more specific insights. Success is never guaranteed, but the chances sure look good.

The Editors

Thank You! Since establishing Ropes Park Equipment in 2008, we’ve seen other suppliers and equipment come and go. The adventure industry is constantly changing. And we’re right there with you, providing the latest and the proven and the best you need to build and operate your adventure course.

Thank you— to all our customers who have allowed us to serve them for the past decade.

Today we look forward to welcoming new ones to the world of Ropes Park Equipment. Builders, ask about our exclusive prices.

Visit us online or call us today. At your service—as always.

“A world of equipment for the world of adventure”

(203) 692-4644

RopesParkEquipment.com

5 Spring  2019

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VOL. 5 | NO. 2 | SPRING 2019

CONTENTS ON THE COVER Evacuating guests at height takes practice. Petzl’s JAG Rescue Kit, shown here, is one option for making the process as smooth, safe, and quick as possible.

Photo by LaFouche

Special thanks to our advisers, The 2019 Adventure Park Insider Edit Squad

Bahman Azarm, Outdoor Venture Group Jamie Barrow, Vail Resorts Bruce Brown, Royal Gorge/Castle Rock Zip Line Tours Paul Cummings, Strategic Adventures Micah Henderson, Bonsai Designs Keith Jacobs, Experiential Systems Lori Pingle, Adventure Development Team/ ZipZone Outdoor Adventures

3 Letter from the Editors Time to Take Stock 6 Park Briefs ’Tis the season for conferences, both ACCT and PRCA, and for crafting changes in regulations, standards, and accreditation.

A Staff Report 12 Water, Water Everywhere Water and aquatic activities can complement aerial adventure smoothly, as five extremely different examples illustrate.

By Peter Oliver

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20 New Products A baker’s dozen of innovations in gear, software, and hardware, from harnesses and brakes to chatbots and ninja courses.

By Sarah Borodaeff

EDITORIAL OFFICE P.O. Box 644 • Woodbury, CT 06798 Tel. 203.263.0888 / Fax 203.266.0452 Website: www.adventureparkinsider.com Publisher Olivia Rowan­—olivia@adventureparkinsider.com Editor Rick Kahl—rick@adventureparkinsider.com Senior Editor Dave Meeker—dave@adventureparkinsider.com Associate Editor Sarah Wojcik—sarahW@adventureparkinsider.com Digital Editor / Project Manager Sarah Borodaeff—sarah@adventureparkinsider.com Graphic Design Consultant Joerg Dressler—joerg@dressler-design.com Production Manager Donna Jacobs—donna@adventureparkinsider.com

Insights on Aerial Business

Evacuation Tools

52

34

28 Park Spy We posed a reader’s question: “How does your park compare to others in the area?”

By Sarah Borodaeff

48 What Drives Innovation?

Profiles of three companies and their recent product developments illuminates the creative process.

By David Saenz

Our third annual report charts the challenges and opportunities.

By Sarah Borodaeff and Rick Kahl

30 Find the Root of the Problem When things go wrong, a root cause analysis can reveal the underlying reasons—and highlight how to deal with them.

By Dr. José González 40 No Kidding Around Children are an important part of your audience, and they require a greater duty of care.

Make sure you know what’s needed.

By Robert Monaghan 44 Diversity Pays There’s a strong business case for increasing the diversity of both staff and clientele. It comes down to a simple equation: diversity = growth.

By Paul Thallner CONTRIBUTORS Cameron Annas Peter Oliver Scott D. Baker Mark Petrozzi Sarah Borodaeff Michael E. Smith Katie Brinton Paul Thallner Bob Curley Morgan Tilton Moira McCarthy Dave Zook SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR Paul Cummings ADVERTISING/MARKETING OFFICE 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. 508.655.6408 / Fax 508.655.6409 Advertising Director Sharon Walsh—sharon@adventureparkinsider.com Marketing Manager Sarah Borodaeff—sarah@adventureparkinsider.com

Be prepared for those moments when someone must come to the rescue.

By Chris Rooney

CORRECTIONS We neglected to note that the Winter 2019 cover showed a Beanstalk Builders’ installation at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Our Winter 2019 article, “New Parks & Tours,” misstated the number of “micropiles” that support the ERI Gatlinburg SkyBridge. It’s built on 20 micropiles, which cost a total of $500,000.

WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Visit our website for industry news, articles, classifieds and more at adventureparkinsider.com.

CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTIONS 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. 508.655.6409 / Fax 508.655.6409 subscriptions@adventureparkinsider.com Circulation Manager Sarah Borodaeff—sarah@adventureparkinsider.com A subscription to Adventure Park Insider is COMPLIMENTARY to adventure park industry professionals. Visit our website, www.adventurepark­insider.com, and click on “Subscribe” to get on our list to receive the publication and online content.

ADVENTURE PARK INSIDER — Vol. 5, No. 2, Spring 2019, published by Beardsley Publishing Corp., P.O. Box 644, Woodbury, CT 06798. Copyright 2019 Beardsley Publishing Corp. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Beardsley Publishing, P.O. Box 644, Woodbury, CT 06798.

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PARK BRIEFS PRCA Hosts Annual Conference The Professional Ropes Course Association (PRCA) held its 16th annual conference March 7-10, 2019, at the Holiday Inn Westshore in Tampa, Fla. More than 50 people attended, including aerial adventure operators, volunteers, presenters, and exhibitors. The biggest change for this year was holding the event at a paid venue rather than a volunteer location or campgrounds, according to Steve Gustafson, VP, board of directors for PRCA. Conference workshops covered a variety of topics, from facilitation and communication to course inspections and lessons learned from a serious accident at a camp.

9 Things to Know About OSHA

By Patrick Ferebee, Director of Ecommerce and Product Strategy, Aerial Adventure Tech

You are likely aware of the need for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance. But where do you begin? Here are nine things to know first.

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1. OSHA Compliance is Law Most organizations are aware of this, but many do not prioritize accordingly. In addition to the obvious ethical obligation to protect your employees from harm, there is serious financial risk to your business if found to be non-compliant. The less serious categories of violations have a maximum penalty of just over $13,000 per citation. Willful or repeated violations are capped at $132,598, with even higher fines and criminal conviction possible.

2. OSHA Compliance is the Employer’s Responsibility You might reasonably assume that the professionals you hire are paying attention to all of your OSHA compliance needs. While your vendor is expected (and often required by standard) to provide you with products and services that comply with relevant municipal, state, and federal laws, your vendor is not liable for OSHA violations at your site. Your vendors are great resources, and you should tap them for advice and instruction whenever possible. But the documentation, training, and refinement of an employee safety program falls on the employer.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE AERIAL ADVENTURE INDUSTRY

In addition, there was an ASTM F2959 scope meeting (concerning the proposed elimination of the standard’s exclusions for therapeutic, educational, and experiential programs and camps), PRCA consensus body meeting, as well as board and membership meetings.

Attendees were able to engage with a half-dozen exhibitors who were there promoting their products and services, including KONG USA, Kanopeo, Koala, EBL Zip Lines, Hibbs Hallmark Insurance, and CMI. Off-site activities included a boat tour and a visit to nearby Tree Umph! aerial adventure park.

The 17th annual PRCA conference will be held at the same Holiday Inn Westshore, March 5-8, 2020.

Discounted rates will be available for early registrants.

A call for presenters will go out mid-summer 2019.•

3. OSHA Isn’t Just Concerned with Work at Height While fall protection violations are the most-cited violations over the past six years, OSHA is generally concerned with the health and safety of workers. OSHA standards cover everything from signage to sanitation.

Comb the standards and ensure the proper policies, procedures, documentation, and protective measures are in place for each aspect of your operation.

4. Start with a Hazard Analysis You might have heard these called by a few different names: job hazard analysis (JHA), risk assessment, etc.

Hazard analyses are the first step in making hazards transparent to employees and implementing the proper controls to protect them.

Top: PRCA conference attendees participated in workshops on course inspection and documentation. Bottom: Curtis Rowland delivers a workshop on game instruction. Photos: Steve Gustafson.

unconscious maintenance worker suspended on rope, and plan and practice for these situations.

7. Documentation is Important A hazard analysis gets things started, but there are other requirements based on your type of business.

For example, you will likely be required to identify all necessary PPE for employees, certify that PPE is available to them at no expense, and that employees have received training in how to utilize it. Additional documentation may include Emergency Action Plans, blood-borne pathogen exposure programs, and work-related injury and illness logs. Remember that documentation is evidentiary, so whether required by law or not, it can be used by OSHA for regulatory citations.

5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a Last Resort PPE and safe work methods have dominated the conversation around OSHA compliance in the aerial adventure industry, and for good reason, as strides need to be made in that area. But in the OSHA hierarchy of controls for hazards, PPE is the last resort. PPE only protects the user wearing it, can never provide 100 percent protection, and always has the potential for user error. Based on your hazard analysis, assess where you can minimize and eliminate risk before deciding what PPE is necessary.

8. OSHA Inspections Can Be Proactive and Low Consequence OSHA’s staff is available to help you find gaps at your site or interpret standards. Very often, you can contact a local inspector and they will audit your operation and offer a list of infractions to remedy. Doing this can both familiarize your regional OSHA office with the unique aspects of our industry and allow you time to resolve compliance gaps before an unannounced inspection or employee incident.

6. Don’t Forget Rescue Plans for Staff OSHA requires that an Emergency Action Plan be in place for employees, and that they receive practical training on these procedures. Pretty much every operation has a rescue plan in place for its participants.

Have you accounted for the rescue of a staff member though? Work through the worst-case scenarios, like an

9. Educational Opportunities Exist This world is admittedly hard to navigate, and the push for compliance is fairly new in our industry—even though compliance has been required all along.

Resources and formal training do exist, so check out the digital version of this article for links to expand your knowledge.•

WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Check out other current and recent news of park openings, developments, and more in the “Park Briefs” pages at adventureparkinsider.com.

ACCT Conference 2019 Continued growth in the number of businesses getting into the aerial adventure industry was on full display at the 2019 Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) Annual Conference and Expo, held Feb. 7-10 in Denver, Colo. More than 1,000 people attended the event, which gathers traditional and commercial aerial adventure operators, as well as suppliers and speakers from around the world.

More than 100 different workshop sessions covered every aspect of business and operations. From teambuilding, facilitation, and gamification to finance, marketing, risk management, and more, attendees could learn about the latest trends and best practices.

Left: Nick Thompson, Climb Works; Bryan Turley; Hackwell Innovations; and Grady Dycus and Adam Thompson, Singenuity, are all smiles at the ACCT trade show. Right: The Adventure Park Insider Edit Squad gathered to plan for the 2019-20 editorial year.

Top row: Keith Jacobs, Experiential Systems; Micah Henderson, Bonsai Design; Lori Pingle, Adventure Development Team/ZipZone Outdoor Adventures. Middle row: Jamie Barrow, Vail Resorts; Rick Kahl, API; Bahman Azarm, Outdoor Ventures. Bottom row: Dave Meeker and Olivia Rowan, API; Paul Cummings, Strategic Adventures; Sarah Borodaeff, API; and Bruce Brown, Royal Gorge and Castle Rock Zip Line Tours. View the full conference report and photo gallery at www.adventureparkinsider.com.

Read the full wrapup and check out the gallery of photos from the show at www.adventureparkinsider.com.• ANSI/ACCT 03-2016 STANDARD The new edition of the ANSI/ACCT standard, currently nearing adoption, contains some key revisions. Perhaps the biggest: a revamped operations section.

By Rick Kahl

A session at the ACCT Conference in February pointed out that the changes stemmed from the goal of creating an effective standard for commercial parks.

The original ANSI/ACCT standard didn’t really address aerial adventure parks; the new edition has an entire section related to them.

It’s a busy time for standards and regulations. At press time, several developments were in the works:

• ASTM was balloting new language regarding the scope of the ASTM F2959 standard, once again aiming to eliminate the exclusions for educational, therapeutic, physical fitness, teambuilding, and other “non-commercial” operations.

• ACCT was nearing completion of work on a

The new standard prescribes practices based on the operating system used on the course. It more clearly delineates the requirements for different types of activities, such as aerial trekking, zip lines, facilitated programs, etc. That should make it easier to follow, and to find the relevant info for a particular operation.

new edition of the ANSI/ACCT standard.

• PRCA was working to refresh the ANSI/PRCA standard, which is now in its fifth year, and in need of updating.

• Colorado was considering new rules for aerial parks, Utah passed and signed into law an amusement park standard—the state’s first— including aerial adventure parks, and North Carolina was considering two regulatory bills.

For example, the function of monitors is more clearly defined; the standard includes a chart that details the level of monitoring needed for different types of safety equipment (lobster claws, smart belays, etc.).

Some language has been incorporated from OSHA, primarily in sections that apply to employees and PPE.

• ACCT’s operations accreditation program,

The new edition also contains small revisions to design, performance, and inspection sections, primarily editing changes to clarify particular points and make the standard easier to understand.

which can be seen as a sort of “voluntary standard,” was moving forward and approaching a launch date.

To make the standard less costly to produce, and thus easier for operators to buy, ACCT is removing some an-

cillary materials from the standard, such as practitioner certification, and publishing these separately.

ACCT expected to submit its BSR9 form to ANSI, seeking ANSI’s approval of the development process, by mid-April. Pending approval, the new edition of the standard could be published soon.

Consensus meetings. ACCT is already working on revisions for the subsequent edition of the standard.

ACCT has posted the dates for upcoming consensus meetings, at which members can hear about and comment on proposed changes, on the ACCT website.

“We want people to take part, so they understand the process and get involved,” says Scott Andrews, ACCT policy director and secretary for the Consensus Group.

“That’s how we get a better standard.”

One task group is working on operating at height, to align the ANSI/ACCT standard with OSHA regulations and bridge gaps between the two. The current ACCT standard omits workers at height; it applies to participants only. On the other hand, OSHA regulations are aimed at the construction industry, and don’t always translate smoothly to the aerial adventure world.

Harnesses are a point of focus. Language currently under consideration will spell out when less than a full harness for staff as well as participants is appropriate, and when something more is required. Certain body types, or circumstances in which participants can be put into difficult situations, may dictate use of more than a seat harness. >> continued on page 8

7 Sprint 2019

Standards and Regulations Advancing on Several Fronts

PARK BRIEFS

ASTM F2959-18 On March 22, ASTM F2959 Evolution Task Group head Jeff Borba initiated a ballot on the revision of ASTM F2959-18 regarding the scope of the standard. Last October, the Evo task group had proposed eliminating the exclusion of many “non-commercial” aerial operations from the F2959 standard. After members of ACCT and PRCA raised objections to some of the language, the F2959 committee agreed to table that proposal for a year.

However, the task group assigned to work on alternative language regarding the exclusion had made little apparent progress. So, following comments received at the ASTM meetings in February, Borba drafted new language intended to reflect those comments and submitted it to ballot. The voting period was to end April 22.

would be considered at the ASTM meetings next October. Some were less than pleased by the March ballot.

PRCA president Mike Barker, the industry lead for the scope revision, conducted a working session on the scope language at the PRCA conference in early March. He told Adventure Park Insider that his task group discussed several possible language options, which he planned to describe in his ballot.

Though the balloted language was quite different from what his group was pursuing, Barker suggested the ballot language might be acceptable, if it referenced the ANSI/ACCT and ANSI/PRCA standards for the cited activities.

ACCT was preparing a formal response to the ballot as we went to press.

The main change was the addition of a section under “Scope” that reads, “Scope of this practice does not specifically address all human factors, particularly those intrinsic in certain educational curriculum; physical fitness, therapeutic, training and team and confidence building programs; and organized competitive events.”

In an email to voting members, F2959 chairman Jared Krupa said, “To clarify, if this ballot is supported, it will replace the original scope revision document and move forward to publication, and if it is rejected, then the task group will consider both the original and new drafts and decide how to move forward.” The ballot will be taken up at the ASTM F24 meetings in October.

The new ballot caught many in the aerial adventure world by surprise, since they thought new language

In the meantime, work continues on several other aspects of ASTM F2959-18, including braking, wire

by

rope, geotechnical requirements, updates to the F1193 standard, SARC test, via ferrata testing, and auditing requirements.

Krupa said that input on the scope ballot should be directed to Borba at precisioneering@gmail.com. Questions about other revisions can go to Krupa at jared@ k2eng.net.

Krupa, Barker, and ACCT policy director Scott Andrews all urged interested non-members to join the organization and participate in future activities of the F24 committee and the F2959 task groups. For general questions about ASTM International/F24 and membership contact Katerina Koperna at kkoperna@astm.org.

On a related note, Krupa, Barker, and Andrews all said that work on harmonizing all three standards— ASTM F2959, ANSI/ACCT and ANSI/PRCA—has been progressing. The aim, Andrews said, is to “find and fix the blind spots in each of the three standards,” and tailor them “to suit the industry across the spectrum, from amusement parks to experiential, educational, and therapeutic programs.”

ACCT OPERATION ACCREDITATION The long-considered ACCT operation accreditation >> continued on page 10

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program is coming closer to fruition. While some details remain, not the least of which are cost and how to certify the program’s reviewers, the outlines are becoming clearer.

Accreditation will involve an on-site inspection and a review of operations and training. Much of that revolves around the operations section of the ANSI/ ACCT standard. Accreditation will be based on a review of documentation of procedures and training, as well as a review of the operation in action.

At the ACCT Conference, ACCT policy director Scott Andrews emphasized that the inspection is not a simple “pass/fail” test, as an operator would have a limited amount of time to correct deficiencies and still become accredited. But he also emphasized the importance of reviewing the requirements and correcting any deficiencies before initiating the review process, as that can vastly speed the timeline and reduce the potential for headaches.

consensus group is working on that project. PRCA president Mike Barker encourages interested parties, both vendors and operators, to join the effort. Some of that involves simple edit changes, but some sections— such as emergency braking—are more involved. “We want to expand on emergency braking and other areas to reflect and update the standard, to take account of changes and innovations in the industry,” Barker said.

The effort will also include harmonizing the ANSI/PRCA standard with ASTM and ANSI/ACCT where possible, he added.

“I hope this process helps people learn whether what they are doing is acceptable, but also learn what they could do better. The aim is to raise the bar,” he said.

STATE NEWS Colorado is updating its amusement rides and devices regulations, which specify application of the ASTM F2959-18 standard for aerial adventure courses and zip lines. A stakeholders meeting was scheduled for April 1 (no kidding). The regulations, administered by the Division of Oil and Public Safety in the Department of Labor and Employment, include requirements for daily and annual inspections and recordkeeping for same, and a provision for reporting injuries caused by the malfunction or failure of a ride or device, or by operator or patron error. Proposed effective date is June 15, 2019.

ANSI/PRCA 1.0-.3-2014 This is the five-year anniversary of the ANSI/PRCA standard, and as such, it is due for renewal. A PRCA

The Utah legislature has passed the Amusement Ride Safety Act, regulating amusement rides and zip lines in the state for the first time. Utah had been one of

six states with no regulations for amusement parks.

The bill has been in the works since early 2019, and moved swiftly through both houses of the legislature.

It arrived on the Governor’s desk for signing into law on March 22.

Among the bill’s provisions, it specifies that ASTM F24 Committee standards will apply (for aerial parks, that means ASTM F2959). It also details annual and daily inspections, insurance requirements, and other activities. The provisions are to take effect in April 2021. The bill gives authority for the regulations to the Utah Department of Transportation. The department also oversees the Utah Passenger Ropeway Safety Committee, which regulates the operation of ski lifts.

The amusement park bill was modeled after the lift regulatory system.

The North Carolina House is currently home to two competing bills, neither of which appears close to adoption. One, HR 380, would require daily and annual inspections, injury reporting, and adherence to ACCT, PRCA, ERCA (European Ropes Course Association) or ASTM standards, depending on which is or had been followed during construction. That bill has failed to move beyond the Judiciary Committee.

A second bill, HR 395, is much simpler, and specifies adherence to ANSI/ACCT. It was first submitted to Judiciary for consideration on March 21. •

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A tour comprising nine zip lines, two sky bridges, and two rappels now spans a total of 1.5 miles, typically engaging guests for as long as three hours. Add a full morning’s adrenaline rush of zip lining with a more mellow afternoon of still-water kayaking on nearby wetlands, and you have the kind of harmonic balance that Plato would have appreciated.

Because the zip line tour gives guests “something totally different,” Jen Roe says, “it fits really well with what we were already doing.” As different as zip lining and still-water kayaking might be, they still have broad appeal to a similar, family audience—both kids and adults, according to Roe. “Our product development [meaning the addition of the aerial tour] was based on what we like to do as a family,” Roe says. When the Roe family went zip lining before creating Crater Lake ZipLine, both parents and children had an immense amount of fun and could see the obvious fit with their water-based activities.

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

BY PETER OLIVER

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Water is one of the four classical Platonic elements. And if the great philosopher considered it essential, perhaps more adventure park operators should put it to good use.

Water, in a variety of ways, can be a great complement to land-based activities and provide a cool-down activity on hot summer days. Plus, as anyone who has watched pre-teen kids in a pool can tell you, water is immensely alluring to younger members of the family. In short, water works, especially for families.

Even for parks without natural water, there are creative ways to overcome that shortcoming. Some parks, of

course, have natural water features at their disposal—lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams—either on site or close by.

USE NATURAL WATER FEATURES Consider a couple of examples of parks using natural water features for activities to integrate with traditional, land-based adventure park activities.

Crater Lake ZipLine. Located in Oregon, the company is an outgrowth of Roe Outfitters, a well-established kayaking, fishing, and hunting guide service in the Crater Lake area. In 2015, owners Darren and Jen Roe decided to launch a new company, Crater Lake ZipLine, to add an aerial adventure tour to what they already offered.

Splicing an adventure tour together with water activities has meant that the Roes can offer guests “a full day of adventure” that is not repetitive. That kind of well-balanced, full-day offering makes a lot of sense in an area that sees mostly vacationing guests (rather than day trippers), who are interested in more than just an hour or two of diversion from their daily lives.

Deep Creek Lake Adventures. Deep Creek Lake Adventures in Maryland took a different route into the adventure business. The owners of a marina decided in 2016 to “branch into the family-friendly adventure area,” operations manager Jordan Smith says, by opening Splash Island, a waterpark consisting of inflatable elements. The following year, Top photo: Climbing wall with a wet landing at Jay Peak Resort, Vt. Photo: ADG Below: Kayaking on Crater Lake.

they went to dry land with the opening of Monkey Business, an aerial adventure park, and more recently, added a weatherproofed activity to the mix by opening an indoor ninja course.

and a jungle gym. Given the lake setting, it was a no-brainer. The waterpark offers a great cool-down activity for steamy Maryland summer days in a relatively low-cost enterprise.

The idea, of course, was to round out a full package of complementary offerings. The waterpark consists of 30 inflatable elements made by Aquaglide, including water slides, a hamster wheel,

The inflatable elements cost roughly $200,000 to $250,000 and are anchored to moorings weighing a couple of hundred pounds, according to Smith. Operational costs have been minimal, with a few lifeguards necessary for staffing and little more than the occasional re-inflation of the elements for maintenance. In addition, the inflatables can be stored in a relatively compact space when deflated for the off-season. With ticket prices going for $30 for the first hour and $15 for each subsequent hour, roughly 100 people a day on hot days could produce a nice revenue stream and a fairly quick return on investment.

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The floating fun of Splash Island at Deep Crater Lake Adventures.

When Monkey Business came online, the fit with water activities was, like at Crater Lake, obvious. While many guests engage

in both activities, the waterpark and aerial adventure represent great alternatives to match the moods of the weather. According to Smith, on cool, overcast days, the aerial adventure is the main attraction; the waterpark is the big draw on hot and sunny days. And now, with the indoor ninja course, Deep Creek Lake has all its weather bases covered.

JUST ADD WATER But what about adventure park settings without natural water features to exploit?

Water can still be brought into the mix, and at a wide range of cost. A park operator can get into the water game for well under $100,000, or go big with an installation costing several million dollars.

WaterWars. In the early 1980s, the Woog family in Minnesota opened an ATV park that became a popular attraction, but after one especially hot summer, the family realized that they needed to offer a cool-down activity as

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WaterWars’ Hydro Blast activity. well to beat the heat. Thus was born WaterWars, a company that supplies a range of inexpensive water activities.

Essentially, most WaterWars products are based on an old kids’ favorite—a water-balloon fight. On aluminum-framed or inflatable structures, participants launch balloons not directly at other combatants but at overhead targets that release water and douse the opponent. Another product, Downpour Derby, provides a different way to douse participants on a hot day: up to four players pump water into overhead buckets until one bucket

Some WaterWars products are portable, making them especially useful for special events, and some are stationary. But none are real budget-busters.

According to WaterWars owner and president Tommy Woog, the price range per product is $6,500 to $65,000. In a typical WaterWars scenario, customers pay $2 to $5 for a bucket of seven balloons, with “a high percentage of repeat business,” Woog says. He estimates that, when in full use, a WaterWars installation can produce $750 to $1,000 an hour in revenue.

In addition, Woog says a minimal amount of staffing is required, with “a decent percentage of parks running WaterWars without staff.” That’s music to the ears of any operator. Do the math, and, depending on weather, the return on investment for a WaterWars product can be pretty quick.

Full-scale waterparks. At the other end of the budget spectrum is a fullblown waterpark, the kind built by companies like Aquatic Development Group.

According to Jessica Mahoney, ADG’s director of marketing, the entry-level cost of an ADG installation is about $100,000 for a single splash pad—a deck that sprays water—and can rise to several million for a full waterpark with slides, rivers, and a wave pool.

“One of the challenges is obviously the budget,” Mahoney says, noting that the cost of a relatively simple installation of a FlowRider cove, with a wave deck and

FlowRider at Camelback Resort, Pa. Photo: ADG

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beach, can be in the $2 million to $3 million range.

Clearly, that’s a budgetary hit that most park operators are unwilling or unable to take, but it can make sense for “parks that want to become destinations,” Mahoney says. That might be an especially sensible strategy at a resort with hotel rooms to fill. As Mahoney points out, the additional amenity of a waterpark can allow resort operators to increase room rates as part of a package-pricing strategy.

18 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

Mahoney suggests that, to justify the expense of an indoor waterpark, a bed base of at least 250 rooms is probably a starting point. She points to Camelback in Pennsylvania and Jay Peak in Vermont as relatively remote four-season destination resorts where waterparks— outdoor and indoor at Camelback, indoor at Jay Peak—have worked well in rounding out the resorts’ activities offerings.

INTEGRATE WATER FULLY Geyser Towers. One final option is the full integration of water features into an adventure tour. That’s the scenario for Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain Park, Ga. Rope bridges and net tunnels are the principal adventure components, with water erupting or spraying participants from time to time. For those who don’t want to get wet, there are routes that avoid the water.

According to Nathan Jones, president of the Park Attractions division for Whitewater West, which installed Geyser Towers, the structure “checked a couple of boxes.”

It tapped into what Jones calls “the timeless interaction between children and water,” but still did not entail the “giant [budgetary] leap to a waterpark.”

It wasn’t cheap—Jones puts the Geyser Tower construction costs between $1 million and $1.2 million—but in a warm-weather region like Georgia,

having a cooling component built into an adventure course makes sense. And during cooler shoulder seasons, Jones says, it’s possible to reduce the flow of water or turn it off altogether. In short, it works for all people and all seasons.

So as park operators figure out ways to incorporate water into their slate of activities, with aerial adventures covering earth and air, the next big challenge will be to incorporate the final Platonic element— fire. That could be very interesting.

Let us know if you pull it off.

Geyser Towers at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. Photo: Whitewater West

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NEW PRODUCTS

BY SARAH BORODAEFF

Adventure Park Insider rounded up a baker’s dozen of new technology, gear, and equipment aimed at improving operations and enhancing the guest experience.

1. RESMARK SYSTEMS INTEGRATED SOFTWARE

1.

2.

Resmark Systems recently launched a redesigned platform for its digital reservations booking system that integrates marketing, sales, and operations tools directly into a single application. The aim is to simplify sales and fulfillment for guests and operators alike, and to facilitate easier management overall.

“It’s critical that no steps are missed from an initial website visit, to generating a lead, to following up automatically, to closing a sale, to communicating prior to an event, to collecting signatures [related to liability issues] and guest information, to posting trusted reviews,” says Chip Broyles, business development manager. A key feature of the platform is TrueConnect, which enables communications with other suppliers and resellers. This allows for customization of tour marketing details and pricing via the wide variety of distribution channels used by operators. www.resmarksystems.com

3.

2. KANOPEO SAFEROLLER TROLLEY V3 The new Saferoller Trolley V3 continuous belay trolley offers higher performance and “attractive pricing” in a package that is 30 percent more compact

than previous versions. Key changes: the connection anchor is hot forged for increased strength and durability; a new Dyneema/nylon blend connection strap has a 360-degree swivel system that makes it easier for guests to move through the course. The double-lock evacuation system allows for safe and quick removal from and reconnection to the line in the event of an emergency evacuation. Wear parts are easily accessed and replaced. The Saferoller Trolley V3 conforms to EN15567 and the upcoming EN17109 standards. www.kanopeo.com 3. FRENCH CREEK 4330-XS HARNESS French Creek’s 4330-XS is an extra small version of the 4300-series harness.

This full body harness fits the smallest adventure course enthusiasts with an adjustable waist size from 14” to 30”.

Constructed of heavy-duty webbing, and rated to 400 pounds, the 4330-XS meets both OSHA and ANSI standards.

Harness features include: adjustable waist, leg, and torso, an additional front chest connection point to keep the rider upright, and fixed buckle connections so they cannot be taken apart. Standard harness comes in black, but many other color options are available. www.frenchcreekproduction.com www.aerialadventuretech.com

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4. ZIP-COASTER UPLIFT SYSTEM

4.

The Zip-Coaster itself is a relatively new concept, a sort of hybrid zip line and mountain coaster, a zip line on a rail that includes curves and dips. The new Zip-Flyer Uplift System is a motor-driven tow cable system that transports Zip-Coaster riders to the highest point on the track and releases them onto the gravity-driven downhill portion of the track. This, along with an eddy current braking system and an anti-collision

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system, allows multiple riders to be on the track at the same time, increasing overall throughput. The Uplift System also makes it possible to locate the start and end points of the track in the same zone, which means as few as two staff may be needed to operate the ride. www.zipflyer.com 5. ELDORADO GLOWHOLDS The GlowHolds Interactive Climbing System adds a fun new element to indoor climbing walls, especially for kids.

Interconnected wall-mounted hexagons—each with 12 pre-installed, light-up, programmable, touch-sensitive holds—work together to create routes and games across a configuration of the hexes.

The touch-sensitive holds change colors when climbers touch them. The holds come pre-installed with a variety of games that can be tailored for single climbers or multiple players.

GlowHolds can be managed using a cloud-based interface to configure, control, and monitor the holds. www.eldowalls.com 6. WALLTOPIA NINJA COURSE

Most Tested.

Most Trusted.

Most TRU. The TRUBLUE Auto Belay is the #1 Auto 22 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

Belay in the world for a reason. Born from groundbreaking magnetic braking technology, the TRUBLUE, TRUBLUE XL and TRUBLUE SPEED are the most tested and trusted Auto Belays on the market.

Visit www.autobelay.com to learn more.

The Walltopia Ninja Course is a modular, steel structure that can be easily customized for different numbers of lanes and obstacles, depending on client preference and available space. There are more than 45 different obstacle options to choose from, with a wide variety of difficulty levels that can be tailored to the operator’s customer base. Course aesthetics can be enhanced with a variety of colors, including fluorescent paint, and custom branded padding. www.walltopia.com 7. MARK DESCENDALL The DescendAll from MARK Save A Life is a descender device for ropes courses that works a bit like a yo-yo and can help speed throughput with faster participant descents.

The device has two connections—as one climber is lowered, the second connection is sent upward for the next participant. The DescendAll has a simple design with no springs or complicated parts, so it’s easy to maintain with no required recertifications.

The DescendAll works with 9 mm static rope and meets EN341 standards. www.ropesparkequipment.com >>cont.

THE MOST ADVANCED BOOKING SOFTWARE CUSTOM BUILT FOR ADVENTURE PARKS

POWERING THE LARGEST ADVENTURE PARKS THE WORLD. Increase Online Bookings Sell “smart” tickets, season passes, and gift certificates through high conversion online booking engine.

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8. HACKWELL INNOVATIONS AUTOPRUSIK The AutoPrusik from Hackwell evolves the tried and true prusik knot into a passive emergency arrest device, suitable for speeds up to 20 mph. When hit by a rider, the AutoPrusik activates the prusik without any action needed from the guide or rider. Designed to be versatile, it can be easily moved back and forth on the line; the stopping power itself can also be adjusted. These features allow the operator to set the AutoPrusik’s stopping power to suit the depth of the landing zone. The AutoPrusik can be an easy update to the traditional prusik knot and offers an additional level of risk management. www.hackwellinnovations.com 9. SUNKID WORLD VIRTUAL REALITY

THE TROLLEY THAT CHANGED THE TROLLEY. The best brake for your zip line, the zipSTOP Zip Line Brake family uses self-regulating eddy current magnetic braking technology to

24 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

brake zip line riders smoothly, comfortably, and consistently at high arrival speeds. Our zipSTOP brakes are the brake of choice for some of the highest profile, highest throughput zip lines in the world!

Visit www.headrushtech.com to learn more.

Virtual reality has been a hot category for consumers, and now it’s being adopted for project planning as well.

Sunkid World’s 3D planning tool allows operators to experience a proposed project or installation in 3D and virtual reality before implementation. Interactive maps are customized to each project, to allow for a unique view of what an installation will look like before breaking ground. This can help save costs, offer a way to present projects to partners and investors, and provide guests an opportunity to view the experience in VR before arrival. www.sunkidworld.com 10. DEIMOS RADIO HARNESS The Deimos adjustable radio harness ($49) is a convenient way for staff to carry a radio while on course, hands free. The black slider fits harness webbing up to 45 mm (1 ¾”) wide.

The adjustable radio pouch fits most radios. The internal Velcro straps can be extended to fit longer units, while the side elastics help keep the radio in place while at height. www.deimospg.com

>> continued

“

is a

family activity that everybody can participate

& play together on.

�

Grant Carey President of Centennial Enterprizes Management Company for Cave of the Winds

(877) 203-0557 | go.ropescoursesinc.com/adventure

NEW PRODUCTS

C L I M B. Z I P J U M P.

11. EDELRID GEAR PILOT The Edelrid Gear Pilot system is a comprehensive tool for the registration, administration, and inspection of personal protective equipment (PPE). The comprehensive app allows operators to view reports about cycles of use or the condition of PPE. It also incorporates an alarm function to remind operators of the next scheduled inspection. An RFID scanner, available as an accessory, allows for the fitting of a transponder to equipment for easy tracking and documentation of PPE inspections. Qualified personnel can use the app to access step-by-step inspection instructions for visual inspection, mechanical function testing, and instructions for small repairs. All of this information is stored in a central database and can be accessed at any time. www.edelrid.de/en/microsite/gear-pilot.php 12. TOMIS AI CHATBOT

FREE FALL FOR ALL. The QuickFlight® Free Fall Device creates a fun and exciting free fall experience for any age.

The TOMIS AI ChatBot is an online tool that allows your customers to ask those frequently asked questions, even when your operation has shut down for the night. Since the ChatBot is always on, it engages website visitors and customers at the moment they are looking for answers. The ChatBot lives on your business’s website, and either answers guest questions or directs customers to the appropriate page of your website where the answer, or more information, can be found. If the bot cannot answer the question, it sends the customer to the phone number or email address designated by the operator. www.tomis.tech/chatbot/ 13. KOALA ALPINE ZIP EMERGENCY BRAKE

Whether creating a standalone, eye-catching 26 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

thrill or adding an unforgettable adventure course exit, QuickFlight is easily installed onto your existing tower, bridge, or ledge. QuickFlight brings free fall to all!

Visit us at www.headrushtech.com for more information.

This tree-to-tree zip line emergency brake, designed to work in conjunction with the Koala continuous belay system, slows and then stops guests who arrive at the landing platform at a higher speed than the average rider, and prevents potential impact with the platform, or with the tree or pole to which the platform is attached. When a trolley comes into contact with the emergency brake, the absorber, which consists of tear webbing inside a zippered fabric pouch, progressively tears and decelerates guests. www.koala-equipment.com

PARK SPY THE QUESTION: “How does your park compare to others in the area?”

What makes your park unique? We wanted to find out how operations sold themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace, so we called parks close to one another. We purposely phrased this question around “other parks in the area” rather than asking what makes the operation unique. Some took the bait and some didn’t.

We present seven of this edition’s Spy missions here. Check out all the Park Spy missions online at www.adventureparkinsider.com and use them as training tools with your team!

Have a question our Park Spy should ask? Send your question to Sarah Borodaeff (sarah@ adventureparkinsider.com) and if we use it, you’re immune for that issue!

28 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

Park #1, TN First contact: Male.

API: Stated question.

Staff: Well, a lot of the other companies vary in how they brake—some allow the customers to brake themselves, some are more extreme than others. We have two [tours]. (He goes on to thoroughly describe each tour, including lengths of the zip lines, how high they are off the ground, the different scenery each one provides, and more.) We do take ’em as young as five years old and as much weight as 275 and we do all the braking for all the customers.

API: What do you mean when you say you do all the braking?

Staff: That we do the braking for you. You don’t have to stop yourself. Some companies you have to wear gloves and reach up and physically pull down on the cable to slow yourself down. On our tours, we take care of that for you. We have trained guides who manage the brakes so all you have to do is sit and zip and have a good time. It is a tour, so the guides interact and that’s half the fun. You get to know each other, hear some stories, and enjoy the scenery.

API: That sounds great.

Staff: Well, when you’re ready to book, you can either call us back or you can go to our website and book online. We do run specials at the beginning and end of the day so if you wanted to come early or do a twilight zip, we have special rates for those.

API: Great. Thank you so much.

Score: 8 Comment: The method of braking seems to

be the differentiator, and rather than putting down other places that do it differently, he touted the experience at his own place.

Nicely done.

Park #2, TN First contact: Female.

API: Stated question.

Staff: So, we have two separate courses you can choose from. (She describes one of the courses, which sounds…)

API: Neat!

Staff: Yeah! (She describes the other course, and how the two experiences compare.) I know you said you might have a group. If you have more than eight people we do offer a 10 percent discount. We do have an age limit of seven years old and a weight limit of 250 pounds.

API: Alright, so the youngest person who can go is seven. Is there an upper age limit?

Staff: Nope, we’ve taken people all the way up through their 90s out to enjoy the view.

API: That’s so great.

Staff: When you’re ready to choose where you would like to zip, just let us know. You can book online on our website or over the phone API: Thanks, I’ll do that.

Score: 6 Comment: She gets points for being nice, knowledgeable, and focusing on describing the experience at her place—but she didn’t actually answer my question.

Park #3, CT Answering phone: Automated system. Chose operator.

First contact: Female.

API: Stated question.

Staff: Well there’s not really a ton to do around here so we’re a really great option! Have you been to an aerial adventure park before?

API: No, I haven’t.

Staff: It’s pretty fun. Basically it’s like an obstacle course through the trees. You make your way from platform to platform, which are built into the trees, and you’re fully harnessed in the whole time and attached to the safety cables. We have four courses that get harder as you go.

API: What makes them harder?

Staff: Well, the elements on the courses get tougher.

You need better balance, or arm strength, to get through it.

API: Does that mean this isn’t necessarily an appropriate activity for my whole family?

Staff: No, this is great to do with the whole family because you can all climb together, but everyone can make their way through different courses at the same time. You do have to be at least seven years old, though, and our weight limit is 265 pounds.

API: OK, great.

Staff: Yeah, it’s pretty fun. So when you’re ready to book you can call us back or go online to our website and pick a time.

API: Great, thanks.

Score: 4 Comment: Strong finish, tough start—be-

Park #4, CA Answering phone: Automated system. Chose operator.

First contact: Male.

API: Stated question.

Staff: Well, we’re actually closed right now, but if you are local to the area and think you’ll come this summer, we’re actually the longest zip line in the area and because of our location you get some really fantastic views as you zip.

API: I’m sure they’re gorgeous.

Staff: Yeah, it’s great. We have X courses so you can get a good range. We also have parallel zip lines so you can enjoy the view side by side with whoever you come with. Ummmm, what else, well you can go up to 55 mph on our zips and, ummmmm, yeah. I think that’s pretty much it.

API: When do you open up for the season?

Staff: Technically we’re open year-round but we’re closed for maintenance right now. I don’t have a solid date of reopening yet.

API: Gotcha, I’ll just call back closer to summer then.

Staff: Sounds good!

Score: 5 Comment: Technically, he answered my question. But, ummmmm, what if I’m not a local? And, yeah, the place is closed, but open year round, but closed for maintenance, and isn’t sure when it’s reopening.

Oh, boy.

Park #5, TX First contact: Female.

API: Stated question.

Staff: Do you know what other zip lines you were looking at so I can compare them to us?

API: I can’t remember the names. I’d have to look them up again.

Staff: (laughs) No worries. So there’s one in [town], it’s a four, umm, five line. Well, they do have five lines but the last one on the tour, you’re just kinda racing each other, so it’s a four-line zip line company. And there’s another one over in [town]. I think they have nine? We are a double-line zip line company, I think the other two are single cables, I know the one over in [town] is.

API: What’s the reason for the one or two cables?

Staff: It’s just extra for safety.

API: Got it.

Staff: You do have to stop yourself on those other two lines. Here, we stop you, so that way you can go fast.

We do have the longest line of everybody, our longest

line is X feet. We have lots of ponds, so we have ponds that you’re zipping over at our beautiful facility. And ummm, we have handles on trolleys, so you don’t have to put your hands up on top of the trolley system.

Every place is going to be fun no matter where you go, but I hope you pick us!

API: Thank you, I appreciate the information.

Staff: You can visit our website and check out the various packages and reserve a tour. But anyway, we’d love to have ya!

API: Thanks!

Score: 8 Comment: She had some knowledge of other operations in the area, which is good.

And she earned my trust by acknowledging I’ll have fun no matter where I zip, which is great—and for that, I’ll definitely pick this place.

Park #6, CT Answering phone: Automated system. Chose operator.

First contact: Female.

API: Stated question.

Staff: I don’t know that there’s anything else quite like this around here.

API: I think there are a couple of other aerial adventure parks locally.

Staff: Yeah, but those are outdoor and I don’t think they’re open right now.

API: OK, so you have an indoor course?

Staff: Yep. API: Great. I guess that means we can take weather off the list of concerns.

Staff: So, like I said, there’s nothing really like us around here.

API: Got it, thanks.

Score: 1 Comment: Not good. Did this place really let a rude, condescending jerk answer the phone? Sure seemed like it.

Park #7, CA First contact: Male.

API: Stated question.

Staff: Well of course, I’d be happy to give you a quick rundown of our course and the packages we offer.

Well, the main thing that sets us apart from other tours in the area is that we have a self-operated brake. So, we provide all of our guests with all the equipment needed. You actually use a gloved hand on the overhead cable to slow yourself down, so there’s a little more interactivity than you’ll find in other places. We also have some of the bigger zip lines in the lower 48

(describes height and speeds), so they’re pretty extreme in all regards. In terms of packages, we have about X main packages that we sell. (Describes each package, the experience each provides, and how much they cost.)

API: Oh, cool.

Staff: If you go to our website, we actually have some videos that show all those elements I briefly described, and you can get an idea of what they look like, the general scenery of the area, and the general experience.

API: I’ll check those out.

Staff: Yeah, if you go to our website and check those out we actually have a great set of frequently asked questions and the website goes into a lot more detail on the packages than I have.

API: Great!

Staff: Are there any other questions I can answer for you?

API: Nope, I think I’ll just head to the website and watch those videos.

Staff: Great, thank you so much for calling.

Score: 10 Comment: He politely described some of the park’s differentiators without sounding pompous, guided me through the packages and experiences I can choose from, and directed me to the website to see it all for myself. Winner winner!

Identity Revealed: Ziplines at Pacific Crest Debrief: Twenty-five percent of respondents to our State of the Industry survey opened their doors in the past five years.

Untapped markets are becoming scarce, which means many of these new operations are entering competitive marketplaces. With so many choices, guests will want to know why they should come to you instead of the place down the street.

It’s easy to prepare for this question, though. Compile each staff member’s favorite thing about your operation, as well as the things they notice guests enjoy most. Take those comments and work them into your selling points.

It’s equally important to know your competition, too. Make note of key differentiators, and make sure whoever is answering the phone knows what sets your place apart, even if it isn’t the biggest, longest, or most elaborate game in town.

Finally—and this is really, really important—present those differentiators in a diplomatic way. In other words, don’t talk smack about the place down the road in an effort to make your place look better. That approach will actually make your place look worse, because it shows insecurity. I was pleased that no one I called jumped on the opportunity to directly bad-mouth the competition.

29 Spring 2019

cause there IS a lot to do in the area where this park is, including other aerial adventures.

FIND THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM After an incident, a root cause analysis can help prevent it from happening again.

Accidents happen—from high-profile disasters that get reported in the media to minor day-to-day incidents.

Simply assuming that these injuries were the result of staff making a mistake, communication misfires, or not following procedures doesn’t help solve the issue. A careful root cause analysis can identify the source(s) of these incidents and help point the way to eliminating or avoiding them in the future.

WHAT IS A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS? Beneath every problem lies a cause, or causes, for that problem. Root causes

By Dr. José González, California State University, Northridge

are specific underlying causes that can reasonably be identified. Identifying them distinguishes the causes of the problem from just the symptoms.

Therefore, the goal of the root cause analysis is to find out how and why a problem happened, and then come up with a plan to eliminate or avoid the root causes. This works in much the same way a medical doctor examines a patient for symptoms, knowing there is an underlying illness that needs to be treated. A root cause analysis is looking for the deeper reasons for what happened. That is, the actual cause of a problem.

DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM Causal factors are typically the human errors and/or equipment failures that at least contribute to a problem occurring.

For example, a worn-out belay device, or guide fatigue from lack of sleep and a long day working, could be causal factors. Most of the time, if the causal factors were not present, the incident could have been prevented, or would have substantially reduced the consequences of the incident.

Root causes often stem from the absence, deficiency, or neglect of the man-

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agement systems that control human actions and equipment performance.

In a root cause analysis, the goal is to reach that higher-level cause or the chain of cause-and-effect relationships that lead to the underlying problem.

THE PROCESS There are several ways to conduct a root cause analysis. The first step will always be to define or clarify the problem (step 1). The five-step process here is adapted from the work of James Rooney and Lee Vanden Heuvel in 2004: Step 1: Define or clarify the problem.

Start by asking: What? When? And where? What went wrong? When did it happen? Where did it happen? It might be helpful to create a chronological description working backward.

Step 2: Collect data. Interview the people involved in the incident, using open-ended questions. Confirm facts with people. Visit the site of the incident. Conduct a literature review of similar incidents. Interview experts who can

provide information to help determine the cause or causes of the incident.

Step 3: Chart the causal factors. Using a sequential diagram, organize and analyze the data collected during step two. Identify gaps and deficiencies in knowledge.

Step 4: Identify the root cause. Peel the layers of the issue until you find system failure or deficiency by looking at procedures, policies, human capital, place, equipment, and methods in place. A strong tool is the “5 Whys,” a problem-solving technique that, by asking why over and over, helps you get to the root cause of a problem.

Be prepared to find more than one cause—it might be a chain of root causes. If you identify an employee behavior as a root cause, don’t stop there; find out the why. Ask yourself: Are the procedures that this person used accurate?

Is the training sufficient for the position the person has? Has the error or mistake ever been committed by another staff member? And the list can go on and on.

Step 5: Generate recommendations and implement. Create a plan or a model for improvement. This plan should have well-defined steps and measurements to make sure that the organization is improving.

A ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS Let’s explore a fictitious example to illustrate these steps.

A staff member got contaminated with bodily fluids after administering first aid to a participant without using body substance isolation (BSI). Initially, we might assume that the problem is not wearing gloves, and if the staff member wore gloves, then this could have been prevented. However, that is just the symptom of a bigger problem.

Step 1: What happened? The staff member got contaminated with bodily fluids from the participant injury while administering first aid. When did it happen? At 9:33 a.m., during the walk to the next zip line. Where did it happen? Just before the second platform. >>

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THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM Step 2: We collect data by interviewing other participants in the group and other staff members involved. The guide or instructor at the scene wrote the incident report, and it is a good starting point to get information about the people involved and the witnesses of the incident, as well as facts that can be corroborated. In this scenario, we interviewed the staff and participant involved, plus we asked other participants to confirm the information gathered.

Step 3: We create a flow chart that illustrates the sequence of how the staff member got contaminated with the participant’s body fluids while administering first aid.

Step 4: Start asking the “five whys”: Why was the staff member not wearing gloves and other personal protection equipment? We confirmed that the medical kits contained gloves.

Why was the staff member not wearing

gloves if the medical kits had them? We learned that other staff members don’t use gloves, either, and that was the reason this staffer did not to use them.

creating and executing the solution, and meeting measurable benchmarks.

Why don’t other staff members use gloves when administering first aid?

Staff members claimed it is too hot to wear gloves. Their hands sweat a lot and “it feels uncomfortable.”

Why are the gloves uncomfortable? Is it humidity, or just heat? Would powdered gloves be better? Is there a way to make it easier/more comfortable to put on/ take off gloves? Why didn’t management know about this?

We determined the root cause to be the company culture of not wearing gloves while providing first aid because staffers think gloves are uncomfortable.

Step 5: Create a plan to change the company culture to address the root cause.

First, assign one person to create a plan. He or she is accountable for

Then, develop a plan, with an execution date and benchmarks along the way. For our example, this plan might include: defining the non-negotiables (wearing BSI), having supervisors and other senior staff model correct behavior, keeping track of whether or not BSI is used every time a first aid kit is used, and lastly, revision or retraining of the scene sizeup process in medical incidents.

THE PAYOFF Conducting a root cause analysis can be a lengthy process, but if the root cause of an incident is not identified and addressed, the incident could happen again. There are some traps, such as human issues or equipment failure, but move past that first layer and keep digging down until you get to the root of the problem. The outcomes and implemented recommendations found in the process are, over the long term, important and beneficial to the organization running the business.

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EVACUATION TOOLS

BY CHRIS ROONEY

Sooner or later, a guest will need a rescue.

How well are you prepared for that? manager at Sterling Ropes. “There’s no real standard way that someone would rescue somebody, mostly because each course is different, each element is unique, and each organization has its own standards and practices.”

For example, Terra Nova provides customers of its unique dynamic trolley systems with a ZipTour Guide Trolley that’s designed for use in zip line rescue and inspections. “We supply two of these along with two rescue kits with all of our ZipTour and ZipRider zip line rides,” says Terra Nova owner Eric Cylvick.

OSHA requires operators to have an emergency rescue and evacuation plan in place for employees. The same legal obligation doesn’t always apply to having such plans for guests, but the plans you develop should apply to all.

Petzl’s JAG system can be used for platform evacuations, mid-zip pickoffs, and more.

Photo: LaFouche

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No matter how user-friendly your equipment, or how efficient your park operation manages to be, you will need to evacuate a guest at height eventually. Whether it’s a guest whose momentum didn’t carry her through the belly of the zip line or a full-blown medical emergency, you must be prepared to act.

As with any negative situation your park faces, having a plan in place and the right equipment on hand—well maintained and with staff fully educated in its effective use—is critical.

HAVE A PLAN The first and most important step is to develop a plan for every imaginable

Once plans are developed and evacuation tools are in-hand, exhaustive training is next—but that’s a whole other discussion for another time. scenario involving evacuation at height.

You can’t train, practice, and ultimately react properly when something happens without a plan in place first.

Keep in mind, plans and standard practices must be instituted and updated by the course operator. Usually, zip line and aerial course manufacturers provide the initial training and equipment with their new installations. Check with your manufacturer about any updates, such as a list of approved rescue equipment, techniques, and other advice.

There exist no common, industry-wide standardized practices for rescue for particular situations, for the simple reason that “every course is different,” says Matt Andrews, climbing market sales

SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT OK, your plans are in place and the staff is thoroughly trained. And now, a guest is stuck.

When a guest becomes stuck or otherwise immobile in your park or zip line, you must first assess if the evacuee is in immediate medical or physical danger and requires emergency rescue. This assessment will then trigger a certain response. Even in less urgent situations, the potential for danger still exists: it doesn’t take long hanging immobile in a harness for suspension trauma—or orthostatic intolerance—to set in. So, no matter the circumstance, rapid and efficient rescue is the first priority.

On a zip line, the first consideration that determines what equipment to use is whether or not a situation requires shifting the guest’s weight off his or her existing trolley, i.e., a load transfer. “It’s all about transferring the weight from whatever system they’re connected to, onto a new system, and then lowering them or raising them as needed,” says Cliff Kirk, founder of Vertical Axcess. A load transfer is typically necessary when the trolley no longer functions correctly, or when the guest cannot reach or operate it on their own due to the length of the lanyard connected to the device, or if unconscious or injured.

pulleys and the rope within the hauling system from getting crossed or mixed up.”

Sterling Ropes Raise and Rescue Elite Kit works in a similar fashion. Its 4:1 mechanical advantage haul kit allows guides to efficiently raise evacuees off a lanyard, even when only a few inches are all that’s needed to transfer the weight. This kit includes Sterling’s mini haul system, two wire slings, 19” HollowBlock2 (a friction hitch used as a prusik connecting the haul kit to the anchor), and two Osprey autolock carabiners.

“Sometimes it’s only a matter of six or eight inches just to release the tension in that primary connection point and be able to hook them into something else,” Andrews says.

Once this load transfer is complete, the guide works to lower the evacuee to the ground safely, using a number of possible descender tools.

DESCENDERS

Lifting and suspending the entire weight of a guest while dangling from a zip line usually requires a tool that multiplies the guide’s strength enough to do so. A load transfer, also known as a pickoff, can be done using a haul kit.

In most cases where a load transfer is called for—when the trolley becomes stuck or inoperable to the guest, for example—lowering the guest to the ground covers most rescue scenarios.

Haul systems like Petzl’s JAG system, Goulet says, “are designed to take someone off of their lanyard… and place that person’s weight from the lanyard to a lowering system.”

One such kit is Petzl’s JAG system. “With a meter of 4:1 mechanical advantage, this can be done by one person fairly easily,” says Petzl America professional division manager Michel Goulet. With the top and bottom of the JAG system anchored with locking carabiners to the zip line and a descender device, once the rescuer lifts the evacuee enough to relieve tension, he or she can disconnect the evacuee from the trolley system and attach him or her to a new trolley, or to the descender to lower the guest to the ground.

After the evacuee’s weight is shifted off the trolley system, the rescuer will clip the evacuee’s harness to a lowering system. Most lowering systems include static or low-stretch ropes, such as Sterling Ropes’ SuperStatic2 static lines or Petzl’s AXIS low stretch kernmantle rope, and a self-braking descender anchored to the zip line. These combinations allow the guide to lower a guest to the ground safely from an anchor point with minimized risk of the guest falling or descending too quickly, thanks to the systems’ anti-panic functions.

The JAG comes in several lengths: one meter, two meters, or five meters at full deployment, which collapses down to .32, .34, and .4 meters, respectively. The hauling components in the JAG system are covered with a “sock,” Goulet says, that helps prevent entanglement. “It keeps the

A number of descenders of this type exist on the market, including the Petzl I’D S, a self-braking descender with an anti-panic function and screwplate that allows the device to be more permanently integrated into a rescue kit. ISC Wales’ product, the D4 Work Rescue

HAUL KITS

Right and below: Petzl JAG Rescue Kit

Sterling Ropes: (left) Raise and Rescue Elite Kit. (below) PDQ2 Emergency Descent System.

35 Spring 2019

After determining the level of immediate danger and need of medical assistance, attending staff must then assess the logistics of evacuating the guest from height. Each situation will call for a certain set of tools the guide or rescuer can use to safely remove a guest, but the common evacuation methods remain basically the same: load transfer and lowering, or moving a guest down to the end of the line if stuck.

EVACUATION TOOLS Descender, includes a panic brake as well as a set of audible clicks when the handle is rotated, making precise control of descent easier.

The MARK Elephant Hub functions similarly to these other descenders, but also acts as a haul kit: instead of pulling a cord to unweight the guest’s lanyard, a wheel is turned to allow for the load transfer and then safe descent of the guest, all in one device.

ROPES COURSE EVACUATION For adventure parks, lowering often takes place at different elements in a ropes course, such as a platform or ledge. In these cases, a guest might be too frightened to continue, or perhaps a storm is coming in, forcing the evacuation of many guests. Tools that can be anchored at a platform are effective for these types of evacuations.

According to Bahman Azarm, president and CEO of Outdoor Ventures, if evac-

uation is called for due to incoming weather, guests will often make their way back to the beginning or get to the end of the course if they’re only three or so elements away from either end. “It’s only that center portion of it, depending on how long the whole course is, that you’d then have those people come down from where they are in a controlled manner,” says Azarm.

This type of evacuation requires devices that allow for controlled descent from platforms, such as the Head Rush Technologies TruBlue auto belay. Another option is the MARK DescendAll, which has two alternating connections: when one guest is going down, the other connection comes up, so the next guest can clip in rather than wait for a single connection to return up. These are

The MARK Elephant Hub can serve a dual purpose. operated from a permanently installed anchor point.

“Many times we’ll put one at the end of a course for people to connect to from a 30- or 40-foot platform and come down,” says Azarm. In this type of course, the evac tool also functions as a possible termination of the course, giving guests an exit at any time they need.

ZIP LINE BELLY RESCUES One scenario that pops up for smaller folks, especially children, when using

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EVACUATION TOOLS a traditional zip line, is getting stuck in the belly, or low point, of the zip line because they’re too small for their momentum to carry them through to the end. This type of scenario is fairly common for older zip lines.

“The more traditional-style zip lines with large bellies in them, especially long ones, create more scenarios that you could encounter,” says Terra Nova’s Cylvick, such as very large spans that would require hundreds of feet of rope to be pulled to haul someone out rather than lowering them to the ground.

These rescues can require guides to move hand over hand up the zip line to get into the belly, using a tandem trolley, transfer the guest’s load onto their system, and pull them back out to the end platform using a rope they’ve trailed behind them.

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Fortunately, much of the equipment for these basic load-transfer and lower evacuation scenarios are sold in kits,

like Petzl’s JAG Rescue Kit, which in addition to the JAG system includes a Connexion Fixe 150 cm anchor strap, a Ring Open gated ring, an I’D S descender, an Axis 11 mm rope, and a haul bag for the rope.

Brands like Petzl, according to Goulet, saw the need for such a kit as they learned more about the people doing the rescuing in most situations. “These are not paid rescue professionals,“ Goulet says, “so they don’t get into these situations very often, though the responsibility falls squarely on their shoulders to be able to respond in a timely manner so that the person can be [rescued rapidly].”

Usually it’s the guides, not trained rescue teams, who get guests off the zip line, and these kits make it easier for operators to ensure their staff are ready to evacuate or rescue a guest from a line rapidly enough to prevent any sort of suspension trauma or discomfort. Outside of the rescue kits and haul/lowering systems, guides might want to carry a knife or tool that allows

The Petzl JAG from above.

Photo: LaFouche them to deal with and remove entanglements, such as a lock of hair or clothing item jammed in a trolley.

Each park is unique, and the best tools a park operator can acquire are regular staff training in the unique situations that may crop up, a meticulously defined procedure tailored for those situations, and the basic systems for lowering, hauling, and load transfer.

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NO KIDDING AROUND Does your business serve children of tender years?

Cover your bases.

BY ROBERT MONAGHAN, PRESIDENT, HIBBS-HALLMARK AND CO.

If your business operations include welcoming and working with children, you must be diligent and step up your standard of care. Working with kids requires special efforts.

For perspective, my comments here are coming through the lens of an insurance person. If you work with children, you should discuss the issues below with your attorney, the manufacturer of your course, and your equipment providers. My hope is to reinforce the notion that working with children will require you to take extra steps to keep them from harm’s way.

From a legal standpoint, there are three types of persons that might be on your premises: trespassers, invitees, and licensees. You have a legal duty of care, at varying levels, for each of these.

Negligence is the legal term used when a duty of care is breached and results in bodily injury to a third party.

When you have a business and invite the public onto your premises for your benefit, they are considered invitees.

Still, it’s important to understand the three classifications of visitors to your property, and the duty of care you owe to each.

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THREE TYPES OF GUESTS Trespassers are people on another’s property for their own purpose, without the property owner’s permission. The law does not place upon the property owner much duty of care for trespassers. With a few exceptions, the owner owes the trespasser nothing.

Since there is no legal duty to use care, the failure of the owner to provide care is not negligence. The chain of consideration necessary for negligence—legal duty to use care, failure to do so, resulting injury or damage, and so forth—is broken at the first step.

Welcoming children to your operation requires the highest standard of care.

Traps and kids. There are two exceptions, though: the property owner may not deliberately set a trap, and a property owner owes a duty to protect small children who may not understand that they are trespassing. This second exception rests on the principle that all members of society owe a duty to children to protect them from harm.

owes reasonable care to a licensee.

Reasonable care would require the removal of hazards where appropriate, or the posting of signs warning of these hazards in cases where their removal is not appropriate.

Much of the law involving minors is based on the idea that children must be protected from themselves, from actions that children do not realize will harm them. Property owners owe a duty to small children to keep them safe, even when these children are trespassing.

Invitees are people on the property for the mutual benefit of the invitee and the property owner. An invitee is owed greater than ordinary care. The landowner should actively seek out hazards and remove them. If this is not possible, care should be taken to post signs warning of these hazards. There should be indications of some positive, affirmative action to protect the invitee—action to indicate that care was taken.

This duty applies when something exists that the landowner knows will attract children. The attraction, aka attractive nuisance, is something from which children must be protected, because they might be injured by it.

Kids are special. For invitees that are children of tender age, you owe the highest degree of care possible. Tender age is typically defined as 12 years old or younger. However, some jurisdictions may define the age younger.

Licensees are people on another’s premises for their own benefit, and who can be assumed to have implied permission. Licensees include door-to-door salesman, meter readers, delivery people, police, firemen, etc. The landowner

Who determines what is the highest degree of care and if you are providing it? Well, if you have ever had a lawsuit against you, you find out really quickly that the jury panel ultimately makes that determination.

NAVIGATING THE STANDARDS OF CARE A MOVING TARGET In the 1980s and ’90s, during the early years of this industry, ropes courses were used predominantly for team building and self-esteem at summer camps and schools. Many of the participants were children of tender years, and camps/schools were required to provide the highest degree of care. They had to make sure they built their courses to the accepted standard at the time, hired third-party training companies, submitted to third party inspections, etc.

At that time, ACCT had the only applicable standard, and as a result, many camp insurers required compliance with ACCT. Now there are several standards related to this industry. Which one provides the highest degree of care for children? Compare the standards and hold your operation to the one that requires a higher level of care for children.

a zip tour operator asks, “What is the minimum age for someone to ride a zip line?” I typically refer them back to the manufacturer. The most common response refers to the weight range.

Aerial adventure parks are designed differently in that weight, while important, is not the driving factor. Creating challenging aerial obstacles for various levels of ability seems to be the goal.

Many installations have courses designed for children, while others will be

SINCE 1857

for the more capable patron. Did your builders design the course with children in mind, since children are often an important target market?

Waivers can be waived. Often in lawsuits involving a child, the waiver signed by the parents, waiving their rights, does not apply to the rights of the child.

So, depending on your jurisdiction, once that child is of legal age, he or she may be able to file a lawsuit against you. continued >>

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Sexual abuse prevention. Camp insurance carriers also require that their camp clients hire qualified staff, run criminal background checks, and check the sex offender database. At nearly all businesses where staff works with children, sexual abuse prevention training is a requirement, especially now that the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sports Authorization Act of 2017 was passed at the federal level.

Are you familiar with the mandatory reporting requirements for which you now have a legal obligation?

Is your course designed and built for kids of tender age?

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Designed for kids? Most zip line tours were not built to accommodate children, per se. The lines are tuned by weight range, not the age of participants. When

NO KIDDING AROUND

KID CONSIDERATIONS

provide the highest degree of care?

We have had several incidents involving children over the years, and often the insurance company will seek a court-approved settlement, as opposed to settling with the parents out of court. This typically bars the child from filing suit once he or she turns legal age. The carrier may pay out a little more than you think is necessary, but that’s in an effort to insulate you from future litigation on the same incident.

If you have children on your course, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I comply with all state laws regarding youth recreation and amusements?

• What is the highest degree of care, and am I providing it? The best way to know is to compare with others in the industry. If everyone is doing criminal background checks and you are not, that could be an issue.

• Am I in compliance with the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017?

• Can I provide evidence of my efforts to

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• Do I provide specific staff training for staff members that work with children?

How is that training different from my regular staff training? Does it address protection of the child while in your custody on the property?

• What are the manufacturer’s guidelines regarding use of its product? Did the manufacturer provide a minimum age or weight? Did I get a certificate of insurance to show the manufacturer has products liability and professional coverage for design?

• Are my harnesses designed for children?

• Is my orientation designed so that children understand it, or is it the same orientation provided to adult patrons?

In the event of a lawsuit, you will have to defend yourself. Work through these questions now rather than during a crisis. Re-evaluating how you prepare yourself, your staff, and your course for energetic young patrons will make your program stronger and will reduce your rate of incidents.

To sum it up, I recently took a call from a zip line operator who asked if it’s OK to put kids under age 5 on his zip tour that was built for adults. He made his case for how strong the system is, the safe working loads, etc. I told him I understood the math. Then I told him that when my son was 4, I could have put him on the gas tank of my motorcycle and rode around. He fit, but was that really a good idea? The operator replied, “Not really.” And that was the end of the conversation.

Cover your bases so kids are safe and your business is protected.

JAG Rescue Kit with I’D EVAC If a victim is not able to self-rescue, the on-site work team has to respond immediately and move him/her to safety. Unaccompanied evacuation (when the victim doesn’t require monitoring or for a free-hanging evacuation):

1

1. Victim is suspended by a lanyard

2

3

2. Hauling allows a weight transfer

3. Lower the victim

AUTO-LOCK

The AUTO-LOCK system locks the load automatically and returns the handle to the stop position.

Once locked, the rope can be taken up without having to manipulate the handle.

To learn more about using the JAG RESCUE KIT, see the technical information at www.petzl.com All Petzl products include a technical notice with their packaging. These notices are also available on every product page of Petzl.com. It is important to fully understand the information provided in the technical notice for each product before using this complementary information.

DIVERSITY PAYS

BY PAUL THALLNER, FOUNDER, HIGH PEAKS GROUP

The business case for creating an equitable workplace for all.

On the high ropes at the National Ability Center.

Your reputation precedes you. Word travels fast in today’s hyper-connected world, and your adventure park’s reputation as a good (or bad) employer has an impact on your ability to deliver on the brand promise guests expect. Increasingly, employees want to join companies that not only give them work experience to advance their careers, but also a workplace experience that allows them to express their full identity at work.

44 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

This is where leaders often get nervous.

They sometimes see business success and workplace culture as separate, competing commitments. Plus, it’s uncomfortable for most leaders to engage in a conversation about “diversity.”

Senior leaders and CEOs have huge demands on their time, and therefore need a good reason to dedicate any of their highly-coveted brainspace to a topic. Therefore, a strong and compelling business case is the best way for senior leadership teams to engage in a strategic discussion and make decisions that positively impact their business.

This is the business case for creating an equitable workplace for all.

EQUITABLE WORKPLACES DRIVE REVENUE There are a number of reasons to focus on creating an equitable workplace. It is a responsible and strategic business decision that will drive revenue, increase innovation capabilities, and enable you to attract and retain exceptional talent.

Building an equitable workplace may or may not be “the right thing to do,” in your opinion, but it is a practical business decision worth considering.

Academic and business research has concluded time and time again that teams made up of a variety of perspectives outperform more homogeneous teams. It’s common sense, really, that a broader perspective leads to a broader customer appeal. But it’s nice to know that research reaffirms this.

THE IMPACT OF WOMEN A recent example: McKinsey’s 2018 report Delivering Through Diversity found a statistically-significant correlation between greater diversity in company leadership and greater-than-average intra-industry profitability. With respect to gender diversity, companies with executive teams in the top quartile for gender diversity over the course of 2011-2015 were 21 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability with regard to EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) margin, and 27 percent more

likely to have longer term value creation with regard to economic profit margin.

Moreover, the connection between gender diversity, profitability, and longer-term value creation is strongest when women are on executive teams.

Similarly, companies with executive teams in the top quartile for ethnic/ cultural diversity were 33 percent more likely to experience above-average profitability. At the board level, this increases to 43 percent.

Credit Suisse Research Institute, in its 2016 report The CS Gender 3000: The Reward for Change, an investigation of nearly 3,400 companies, found “clear evidence that companies with a higher proportion of women in decision-making roles continue to generate higher returns on equity, while running more conservative balance sheets. In fact, where women account for the majority in the top management, the businesses show superior sales growth, high cash flow returns on investments, and lower leverage.” More specifically, the compound increased returns per year for companies with at least one female director were at 3.5 percent per year from 2005 to 2016.

A NOTE ON WHAT DIVERSITY IS, AND IS NOT The term “diversity” has many meanings. For Millennials (born 1983-1994) in Deloitte Global’s 2018 Millennial Survey, it means • “differences,” loosely defined, or a spectrum or variety of traits (23%) • “tolerance, inclusiveness, and openness” (18%) • “demographics” (e.g., age, gender, lifestyle, culture) (17%) • “respect/acknowledge the individual” (17%)

Cultural and ethnic diversity lead to similar gains. Boston Consulting Group noted in its 2018 survey of 1,700 companies, The Mix that Matters: Innovation through Diversity, that companies with diverse leadership “reported better overall financial performance: EBIT margins that were nine percentage points higher than those of companies with below-average diversity on their management teams.”

This is not new news. RAND Corporation’s 2008 study, Managing Diversity in Corporate America, suggested that “by developing a diverse workforce that mirrors its consumer market, a firm can increase its customer base and appeal.

Corporations can boost market share by having a workforce similar to their target clientele. Minority employees might be better able to communicate with and understand the needs of minority consumers, thereby increasing the quality of customer service and relations.”

EQUITABLE WORKPLACES = INNOVATION In today’s competitive economy, companies that can keep pace by innovating new ideas and solutions, as well as new ways of reaching customers, are in a much better position to win. Catalyst Inc.’s Inclusive Leadership: The View from Six Countries report links employees’ feelings of inclusion to innovation and teamwork. In the U.S., “employee perceptions of inclusion accounted for 19-22 percent of innovation.” Inclusion, in this case, is the sense of “belongingness,” which allows individuals to be themselves.

An article published in The Harvard Business Review, “How Diversity Can Drive Innovation,” found that “without diverse leadership, women are 20 percent less likely than straight white men to win endorsement for their ideas; people of color are 24 percent less likely; and LGBTs are 21 percent less likely.”

The authors’ conclusion: “This costs their companies crucial market opportunities, because inherently diverse con-

"Corporations can boost market share by having a workforce similar to their target clientele. Minority employees might be better able to communicate with and understand the needs of minority consumers, thereby increasing the quality of customer service and relations.” tributors understand the unmet needs in under-leveraged markets. We’ve found that when at least one member of a team has traits in common with the end user, the entire team better understands that user. A team with a member who shares a client’s ethnicity is 152 percent likelier than another team to understand that client.”

The Mix That Matters further found a positive, statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation that is linked specifically to industry background, country of origin (foreign-born or first-generation local), career path (managers who have worked at other companies), and gender. This is particularly true in large or complex companies, but it applies to smaller companies as well.

DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS

and that “nearly half of the revenue of companies with more diverse leadership comes from products and services launched in the last three years.” This innovation suggests that such organizations can more rapidly make changes to meet changing customer demands.

EMPLOYEES WANT EQUITABLE CULTURE Finally, current and prospective employees are becoming more selective about where they choose to work. They have a high regard for their time, and they want to spend it in places that fit their vision of a modern workplace.

And when they find it, they want to stay there because they realize it’s not commonplace.

Along these lines, McKinsey’s Delivering Through Diversity reports, “A diverse and inclusive workplace is central to a

Another Boston Consulting Group paper, How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation, states this situation a little differently. It says those “with different backgrounds and experiences often see the same problem in different ways and come up with different solutions, increasing the odds that one of those solutions will be a hit.”

The authors found another “strong and statistically significant correlation between the diversity of management teams and overall innovation,” Diverse employees = diverse ideas and solutions.

Photo: 7Roots Creative

45 Spring 2019

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY PAY OFF

DIVERSITY PAYS company’s ability to attract, develop, and retain the talent it needs to compete.” It adds, “[Inclusion and diversity in] management improves employee satisfaction and also reduces conflict between groups, improving collaboration and loyalty. This can create an environment that is more attractive to high performers.”

Deloitte Global’s 2018 Deloitte Millennial Survey found that young workers will quickly leave a company for what they perceive to be a better workplace elsewhere. Better, to them, is a more diverse and inclusive company culture.

In companies with a diverse senior management team, 56 percent of respondents said they would stay more than five years, versus 40 percent in companies without.

Despite this, most companies are not pursuing diversity. In a 2017 Salesforce survey, only 36 percent of professionals said their company is working toward increasing diversity. Companies that

make visible strides to address their commitment to diversity, then, might have a better chance than most of attracting, satisfying, and retaining employees.

Innovation and teamwork link to employees’ feeling of inclusion. Photo: 7Roots Creative

EQUITY IS THE ANSWER Companies that have no workplace equity strategy might soon be—or are already being—outpaced by competitors that do.

One of the first steps a company can take is to acknowledge the need to make strides in this area. A public commitment puts a stake in the ground and gets the senior leadership team to integrate the commitment into its annual operating plans. Diversity and equity don’t happen on their own.

Make More Money, Serve More Clients, with

A level of accountability is critical, as it signals to prospective employees that your organization is serious about change. But it also lets your current employees know that you value a range of perspectives (including theirs) as a way to continuously evolve for the better.

Inclusion is a gift that keeps on giving.

• Feasibility Studies • Business Plans • Marketing Plans • Operations Reviews • Sales Training • Management Coaching • Secret Shops

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• Consulting • and more!

www.strategic-adventures.com info@strategic-adventures.com

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what are the biggest business challenges and opportunities for the aerial adventure industry today?

Dive deeper and explore market drivers on the rise and understand how to set your company apart with six segmented deeper dive reports.

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ZIP LINE/CANOPY TOUR AERIAL ADVENTURE TRADITIONAL SMALL OPERATIONS

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MEDIUM OPERATIONS LARGE OPERATIONS

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DEEP DIV I P

The aerial adventure world is rapidly evolving. Here’s a look at how three companies are contributing to the process.

BY DAVID SAENZ, LIVEWIRE AERIAL DESIGN

WHAT DRIVES The company designs and produces quality carabiners with ergonomics and function in mind. Its big breakthrough, though: creating an integrated UHF RFID tag, to help ease the chore of managing and inspecting a large fleet of connectors—as well as other PPE. ISSUE TO RESOLVE One of the greatest thrills of being involved in a rapidly evolving industry, such as the world of aerial adventure, is the constant flow of innovations.

In every sector of this young industry, technology has the potential to powerfully shift the future of adventure, safety, and business. Here, we’ll explore three different examples of product innovation and look at the underlying process through which the products were developed. We hope this will inspire more of the same.

DMM iD

48 [www.adventureparkinsider.com]

COMPANY BACKGROUND DMM, a lesser-known (in North America) rigging hardware manufacturer based in Wales, has been making carabiners for almost 40 years. DMM makes 100 percent of its metal products, and an increasing number of textile products, at its factory, which shares a building with the company offices.

There’s literally no distance or barriers between office staff and factory staff, and that affords DMM a rare agility in product development.

Properly organizing, inspecting, and documenting the many pieces of hardware utilized within a park’s safety systems can be a challenge. DMM likes to think its iD hardware is the “missing link” of PPE management.

DMM is not the first company to seek a way to efficiently and effectively record carabiner inspection. Barcodes and QR

DMM iD hardware has an integrated UHF RFID tag to simplify PPE management.

codes make some PPE easier to manage, for example. But they don’t work well for connectors. A carabiner is hard to mark with an identifier. It’s small with round surfaces that must be smooth so as to not fray the rope or interrupt its function, and it’s used in the toughest of work places, so it needs to be durable. Any mark cannot interfere with or diminish these qualities, and must withstand heavy use so that, when scanned, it records accurately.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION DMM took a two-prong approach to the hardware solution by producing a range of PPE with built-in iD, and then a range of retrofit iD tags for older equipment.

The built-in iD products include a variety of locking carabiners, as well as sewn ropes, lanyards, pulleys, and slings. The tags are positioned for optimum durability, and provide incredible amounts of product info for each item. The company’s short supply chain allows DMM to provide information specific to each unique serial number for each item of PPE. This information includes product certifications, weight, instructions, an image and other useful data. It also

the notion began to take shape.

enables a future-proof delivery system that provides real time updates.

latest technologies unlocked the task and the idea became a reality.

The retrofit iD Tags (UHF RFID), which were developed through DMM and supplier partnerships, deliver a range of compact and durable RFID tags that are suitable for use on PPE. The range consists of a 7mm iD Dot that can be glued onto devices; an iD Zip Tie for tagging harnesses, kit bags, and textiles; an iD Helmet Sticker, which is approved for use on plastic helmets; and an iD Rope Label, which can be fitted to any rope with a super durable pre-cut adhesive heat-shrink.

The next step will be to develop iD PPE products with UHF RFID tags that are scannable from a greater distance than the currently available “on contact” tech.

It took four years of development for a solution to emerge. RFID specialists repeatedly told DMM that reading small RFID tags below the surface of metal items was impossible. And then, suddenly, it was possible: technology caught up with the concept, and the necessary combination of tag and reader could be developed. With some additional collaborations, time, and a bit of luck, the

Trekking approached Parcabout to form a partnership, and is now the exclusive distributor and builder of Parcabout, aka Wondernet, products in North America.

CREATIVE THINKING Many innovations seek to resolve a central problem. But the evolution of the Wondernet system is not tied to a dominant issue. Wondernet is not just

INNOVATION?

HOW IT CAME TO BE The idea for RFID tags came about almost by accident. Papertrail—a digital record-keeping safety management software company—moved its offices next door to DMM. In talking with Papertrail executives, DMM learned Papertrail was developing an app. One of the Papertrail staff said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if your carabiners were scannable?” and

COMPANY BACKGROUND For Cédric Chauvaud, the creator of the Parcabout netted aerial adventure system—aka The Wondernet, in North America—sailing on the high seas provided inspiration and expertise. As a master rigger for ocean racing teams, Chauvaud has broad knowledge of ropes and nets. His ability and artistry in working with them is evident from his installation at the Caldi Wind Festival in Corsica in 1997: a whale fabricated entirely from nets and ropes.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION The Wondernet system is a network of net structures connected to trees or poles via rope and wire rope. The installations are more elaborate than that sounds, especially when incorporating customized modules that include trampolines, walkways, tunnels, slides, and rope ladders, among other things. Each module is designed to encourage people to fluidly move around and socialize freely, because each module can be enjoyed as an individual or as a group.

While working with the Radeau des Cimes scientific expeditions on the biodiversity of forests, the final piece of inspiration fell into place to create Parcabout, the net-based aerial adventure parks now popular in Europe and Asia.

Enter Treetop Trekking. Founded in Quebec 18 years ago, the aerial adventure park builder, owner, and operator has a reputation for delivering unique products to North America, such as its Treewalk Village. Aiming to expand and improve its product offerings, Treetop

A network of Wondernet structures.

Ease of movement and socializing are integral to the experience. Wondernet needs no personal protection equipment, so children and grandparents alike roam freely. Operational staffing requirements are minimal. >>

49 Spring 2019

Next step? Develop iD PPE products that are scannable from a greater distance than the currently available “on contact” tech.

TREETOP TREKKING THE WONDERNET

an improved product; it helps to consider it as a new experience, or even a new subcategory within the aerial adventure realm. Like recreational zip lines and aerial trekking courses themselves, some of the most successful innovations fill a niche no one knew existed.

The Wondernet netting uses the same durable, versatile materials and construction as those used at sea in extreme conditions.

Wondernet doesn’t aim to be competition for challenge courses, but rather a complimentary experience that transcends age and physical ability, while encouraging a strong social dynamic.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Drawing on his sailing expertise and scientific expeditions, Chauvaud knew that aerial net installations would require a great deal of design and thought for them to work, while also protecting the integrity of the tree-based support system.

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The first challenge was designing a series of nets that were functionally appropriate for the wide variety of modules, such as slides, trampolines, and tunnels. The processes of manufacturing these module designs are vastly different, due to differences in knots and materials.

The second challenge was finding netting material with the necessary qualities of flexibility and rigidity to construct the modules, but also durable enough to handle, say, 20 grown adults bouncing around on a trampoline net.

These two criteria are worlds apart and typically do not yield to each other.

Chauvaud found the right materials and processes in deep-sea fishing nets, offshore racing rigging, and trampo-

line nets on catamarans. The woven nets used in these applications have a common origin of manufacturing techniques and have stood the test of time in extreme conditions. So why not use it for creating a unique, safe, adventure experience?

The Parcabout/Wondernet workshop is located in the heart of the Brittany region of France, on the island of Groix, where fishing and sea trade is a way of life. Using the various industry ropes, traditional and modern manufacturing techniques, and plenty of creativity, the company can produce just about any form of netting, and then suspend it in the air for endless amounts of gravity-defying fun.

the folks at The Flybook: “If I had an hour to save the world, I would spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute finding solutions.”

Stubborn, frequently-voiced problems are often symptoms of deeper issues.

Quick fixes often solve only the surface issues and can waste resources that could otherwise be used to tackle the root cause. So The Flybook has two general rules to evaluate a problem and get to a solution: 1. Ask why, five times. This process compels careful thought. Answers need to be grounded in fact: they must describe things that actually happened, not guesses at what might have happened.

THE FLYBOOK GROUPS COMPANY BACKGROUND Founded in 2006, The Flybook builds reservation software used by a variety of outdoor adventure operators.

The software was conceptualized and designed with one foot in the tech world and another in a set of fly-fishing waders; its founders wanted to improve how fly fishing guides managed their businesses.

THE FLYBOOK INNOVATION PROCESS A quote from Albert Einstein inspires

2. Be agile. To move quickly and easily, The Flybook divides tasks and solutions into short phases of work, frequently reassesses progress, and adapts, cycling through several phases until a solution, or solutions, emerge.

THE GROUP SALES PROBLEM Group business accounts for significant revenue at many parks and programs, but often requires a large amount of resources to manage. The Flybook received a number of “symptom”-type feature requests from clients that exposed the underlying problem: Group

Here’s an example of how this discovery came to light. A client wanted the ability to flag reservations to note that waivers still needed to be signed. The Flybook started asking “why”: Why 1: Why do you need a flag on the calendar?

Response: So we can see what reservations to follow up with.

Why 2: Why do you need to follow up with reservations?

Response: We want to ensure all waivers are signed and reservations paid in full several days prior to arrival.

Why 3: Why are groups not signing waivers ahead of time?

Response: It’s difficult for the group leader to take control and manage the process.

Three “whys” revealed the real problem: Group leaders did not have the tools to easily share and track waiver links.

Adding a flag wouldn’t address that.

The Flybook’s new software empowers group leaders to manage their groups through the customer portal, so group sales people can spend more time selling.

THE SOLUTION Over time, with a phased development approach, gathering data, and adapting, the following products have been developed to solve this group sales challenge: Fully integrated waiver system. Waivers and individual tickets are now tightly coupled. The software knows, and can show, how many waivers have been signed, and how many are still outstanding for any given reservation.

Customer portal. The Flybook’s “client terminal” gives group leaders a tool to track waiver signing and payments.

Leaders can send invitations via text or email, and when waivers are signed or payments made, they are recorded in the back office reservation system as well as in the group leader’s portal.

Group sales reps now spend less time doing administrative tasks and more time selling.

Sell group packages online: Another feature called “packages” automates the process for standard events, such as birthday and bachelorette parties. That saves even more time.

Segmenting and selling to group types: With The Flybook’s “ticket pools,” operators can create unique ticket types that are sold only to groups, but share capacity with general admission. This allows them to track group sales by segment, and also not over-sell start times.

WHAT’S NEXT Building on the last solution, there is an opportunity to better analyze group sales. Are school groups more profitable than church groups? Which segment generates the most repeat business? How are group sales tracking year-over-year? Once the data is in the system, the next step is presenting it in a consumable way for owners to make important decisions for growth.

CONSIDER THE POSSIBILITIES These examples show that the aerial adventure industry remains ripe for innovation in every facet. The Flybook demonstrates how software developers are creating solutions for the unique demands of the industry. The Wondernet shows how aerial exploration can be made available to all ages and physical abilities, while reducing operational burdens. DMM’s integration of new technology in its hardware demonstrates the value of new technology and partnerships in seeking to make the aerial world a safer and more efficient place.

And they are just the tip of the iceberg of what we, as an industry, can deliver to the world at large.

51 Spring 2019

sales people spend more time managing groups that have already booked than chasing down new groups.

BY SARAH BORODAEFF AND RICK KAHL

T

he 3rd annual Adventure Park Insider State of the Industry survey saw our largest number of survey respondents, with 209 operations supplying data. A big thanks to the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) for promoting participation this year. As a result, the following 18 pages provide a more accurate picture of the aerial adventure park industry than ever before.

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THE REPORT OFFERS INSIGHT ON: 1. how your operation compares to the overall industry,

2.

key market drivers and marketing tactics,

3.

how to improve the customer experience,

4.

You can also opt for our complete electronic version, with additional deep dives that break out the data by size and type of operation. You’ll find a wealth of information to guide your most important business decisions.

activities and amenities you can add to increase revenue,

5.

So read on, and check out the additional data we have compiled online at adventureparkinsider.com.

staffing levels and pay structures,

6.

pre-and post-loss trends, and much more.

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We divided the data into two categories.

The Traditional category includes operations that are primarily developmental, therapeutic, or educationally focused, with an emphasis on facilitation as well as individual and group dynamics.

These operations are typically characterized by the use of activities such as traditional high and low ropes or ground-based teambuilding activities.

In past reports we called the second category pay-to-play or commercial.

In an effort to clarify the distinction between the two segments, we have

re-titled this category Recreational, as the activities are primarily designed to thrill, excite, and challenge participants.

There has been an increased blurring of the lines between these two segments, both in terms of activity mix and secondary and tertiary goals of the various operations. For example, many recreational programs are adding environmental education elements to their operations, however we have continued to categorize them as “Recreational,” as the primary focus is still just that.

Within these two main categories, we have further defined segments by their cornerstone activity—zip line/canopy tour, aerial adventure, high/low ropes, ground-based experiential, and camp— to take a closer look at the unique characteristics of each type of operation.

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The data and analysis here are representative of the respondents and do not necessarily represent other operations.

The data were collected via an online survey platform during October and November 2018. Operators were contacted via email, print, and social media channels by Adventure Park Insider and ACCT and drawn from the respective databases of ACCT and Adventure Park Insider.

The data were provided primarily by high-level managers and owners of their respective operations, with long experience in the industry: 88% are manager level or above, 25% are owner/president/CEO. The average length of industry experience was 10 years.

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This report shows that aerial adventure operations saw relatively flat visitation over the past year, even as the number of operations continues to expand, and weather-related closures increased.

Despite the headwinds, profitability continues to be strong. Operators remain optimistic about future visitation and are planning for continued growth.

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

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operations

This has several implications, the least of which is an increasingly competitive marketplace. As operators add cornerstone activities outside of what is customary of their core business type, operators will need to be aware of what standards may apply, and exclusions that may no longer apply. Additionally, there will be an increased need to define various activities, i.e., teambuilding versus team-bonding.

We will be looking closer at these implications later in this report and in the segmented deep dives available at www.adventureparkinsider.com.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Yes No Occasionally Other BASE: 208 RESPONDENTS

Traditional

Recreational

OPERATIONS BY TYPE OF ACTIVITY

Public operations. Traditional businesses open to the public “occasionally” and in jurisdictions that follow the ASTM F2959 standard may find themselves subject to increased regulation, even if the standard’s exclusion language remains in effect. This is especially true for traditional operators adding more recreational activities.

Associations and standards. As the survey supporting this report was promoted by the Association for Challenge Course Technology to its membership, there is the possibility of a data skew in terms of association memberships and standards applied.

ZIP LINE OPERATION

HIGH/LOW ROPES: EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAM

CAMP

AERIAL ADVENTURE PARK

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

GROUND-BASED: EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAM

PARK & REC

OTHER 10

20

30

40

50

60% RELIGIOUS

BASE: 209 RESPONDENTS

MOUNTAIN RESORT

OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM SCHOOL (NON-COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY)

Recreational

Traditional

OTHER 0

Sole Proprietorship Owner Group (all active) Owner Group (silent partners) Non-Profit BASE: 198 RESPONDENTS

by percent of respondents

AERIAL ADVENTURE OPERATION

ZIP LINE/CANOPY TOUR

0

OPERATIONS BY TYPE OF FACILITY

traditional

20

Multi-Park Corporation Public Education Institute Private Education Institute Other

BASE: 209 RESPONDENTS

by percent of respondents

ACCT ACA AEE PRCA AORE AOA IAAPA NRPA

TYPE OF LAND OWNERSHIP Recreational

10

Own Public Land Lease Private Land Lease Partnership Concession Agreement Other BASE: 198 RESPONDENTS by percent of respondents

It is important to note that some operations and jurisdictions apply more than one standard, and apply different standards for playgrounds, walkways, public areas, etc. Operators must be aware of the conversations taking place regarding standards and regulations.

30

40%

ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

0

20

40

60

80

100%

BASE: 208 RESPONDENTS

INDUSTRY STANDARDS APPLIED ACCT STATE/LOCAL ASTM OTHER PRCA UNKNOWN

Recreational Traditional

0

20

40

60

80

100%

BASE: 195 RESPONDENTS This data may be skewed as the State of the Industry survey was promoted by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT).

online reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

53 Spring 2019

Operation types. Percentages at right exceed 100%, as many respondents offer multiple options. The lines between “recreational” and “traditional” operations are blurring, as both groups add cornerstone activities that are typically characteristic of the other.

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Visits flat. Overall, visitation in 2018 was flat to slightly down compared to 2017, across all types and sizes of operations, for respondents who were open for full seasons in both years and who provided visitation figures for both.

Respondents reported visitation numbers going back to 2014, allowing us to make direct comparisons of visitation volumes across multiple years.

VISITATION LEVELS ZIP LINE/CANOPY TOUR

AERIAL ADVENTURE PARK

0-5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-20,000 20,001-30,000 30,001-40,000 40,000+

While visitation is essentially flat, individual operations fluctuated as much as 30 percent down to 25 percent up.

In 2018, zip line/canopy tour operations averaged 12,564 visitors, while aerial adventure parks averaged 21,668. High/ low ropes experiential programs reported an average of 8,914 visitors, groundbased experiential programs reported an average of 8,883 visitors, and camps averaged 12,043.

The national visit trend showed up on a regional level, too, with visitation relatively flat. Respondents in the southern region who reported both 2017 and 2018 visitation numbers showed the largest change, down 4.3% year over year.

Operating Days

GROUND BASED

CAMP

0

20

40

60

BASE: 202 RESPONDENTS

Zip Line/Canopy Tour

Zip Line/Canopy Tour

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

-2.2% W

N

ground-based Experiential Program

BASE: 166 RESPONDENTS

Unscheduled Closures (days)

11.8% 14.2%

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

10.9% Camp

12.8% 15.6%

Aerial Adventure park

ground-based Experiential Program

Unscheduled closures were mostly weather-related but also included smoke from wildfires. Many operators indicated the early season was wet and 80% cool, which may have depressed visitation as well.

GROUP VISITATION Average Number of Groups:

Average Participants Per Group:

RECREATIONAL: 187

RECREATIONAL: 31

TRADITIONAL: 117

TRADITIONAL: 32

BASE: 196 RESPONDENTS

BASE: 172 RESPONDENTS

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Camp

Aerial Adventure park

11.8 14.5 11.9 10.3

Unplanned closures. A second factor for the lack of growth overall for individual operators is the number of operating days lost to weather and natural disasters, which nearly doubled—from 5.5 to 11 for traditional operators, and from 7 to 13 for recreational. However, operators remain optimistic about future visitation, and are planning for continued growth in the industry overall.

VISITATION GROWTH EXPECTED FOR 2019

-1.7% -6.4%

ZIP LINE/CANOPY TOUR: 252.7 AERIAL ADVENTURE COURSE: 238.8 HIGH/LOW ROPES EXPERIENTIAL: 216.5 GROUND-BASED EXPERIENTIAL: 229.6 BASE: 147 RESPONDENTS

VISITATION CHANGES 2018 V. 2017

0% -0.6%

OPERATING SEASON METRICS

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One reason for relatively flat visitation at individual operations, despite overall industry growth: 25% of reporting operations started their business in the past

HIGH ROPES

four years, and 50% within the past ten.

Visits are now spread across a greater universe of operations, meaning operators need to differentiate themselves within the marketplace to keep and grow their slice of the pie.

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

VISITATION BY MONTH

to participate at recreational facilities.

Ethnicity. Many surveys show that outdoor recreation has a decidedly white cast—74% of outdoor participants identify as white, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. This same trend is reflected in our survey respondents.

800 600 400 200

ry

ua

Jan

Zip Line

Aerial

ary

ril

rch

Ap

Ma

ru

b Fe

High/Low

y

Ground

y

e

Ma

Jun

Camp

Jul

st

r

be

gu

Au

em pt

Se BASE: 134 RESPONDENTS

r

be

to

Oc

Welcoming and attracting a more diverse clientele has the potential to open up a huge market. This includes not only racial diversity but religious diversity as well. Identifying those opportunities is key, especially in cases where accommodations must be made for those groups to participate.

Peak visitation occurs during the summer months of June through September. This chart reflects average visits per day in a given month, segmented by five operation types, for those operations that reported monthly attendance figures.

Peak visitation. Peak visitation occurs during the months of June through September, with July the busiest month.

Knowing the ebb and flow of visitation is useful for staff scheduling and retail/F&B planning.

2019 growth. Both recreational and traditional operators predict growth in 2019: 12.3% for recreational operations, 14.5% for traditional programs. In last year’s results, growth expectations for 2018 were 18% and 11%, respectively.

Consider this an “optimism index,” given that actual visitation has been flat for the past two years.

Visitor Demographics Understanding visitor demographics is helpful to target marketing efforts and make informed business decisions.

Repeat visitors. Repeat visitation (see chart, below) can be important. However, just 25% of zip line operators and 27% of aerial adventure operators actually track this metric. On the traditional side, 43% of high/low ropes operations and 54% of ground-based operations track repeat groups/participants.

REPEAT VISITATION

19%

Recreational

47% traditional

BASE: 60 RESPONDENTS

A large portion of our total sample, 66%, does not track repeat visitation, which may have skewed our sample to the positive. Other sources report repeat visitation at 10-15% for recreational operators. Why is this metric important? It’s far cheaper to market to existing customers than to acquire new ones. Plus, those past customers can generate important word of mouth marketing. And importantly, it’s a measure of guest satisfaction.

Identifying this customer demographic can also help determine the viability of offering a multi-visit product, such as a season pass, or if the existing customer base can be enlisted to “bring a friend.”

Both tactics have been used by respondents in this survey.

AGE DEMOGRAPHICS 2-5 6-12 13-17 18-34 35-54 55-64 65+

Recreational Traditional 0

10

20

30

40%

BASE: 92 RESPONDENTS Average percentage of visitation by age group.

Visitor ages. The majority of visitors are 13-54 years old, though visitation for 6- to 12-year-olds remains strong across all categories. This reflects an increased focus on offering activities for a wider variety of ages, to allow entire families

NON-WHITE VISITATION

22.5% Recreational

28% traditional

BASE: 92 RESPONDENTS Average percentage of visitors identifying as persons of color.

FEMALE VISITATION

51.5% Recreational

49% traditional

BASE: 180 RESPONDENTS Average percentage of visitors identifying as female.

Gender. Overall, participation in the aerial adventure industry skews slightly male—though zip lines and aerial adventure parks reported 52% and 51% female-identifying participation, respectively. Women, traditionally, drive 70-80% of purchasing through a combination of buying power and influence, as they often make buying decisions for the entire family.

What does this mean for aerial adventure operators? It’s good business to invite a diverse audience. Basic demographic analysis of your participants can help you identify how you may want to adjust your marketing efforts, address the message to the audience, or change your activity matrix and appeal to a wider variety of ages.

Average for those respondents who track repeat visitation.

online reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

55 Spring 2019

0

$ FINANCIALS

Traditional respondents, 58% of whom are non-profits, overwhelmingly are smaller operations: 67% reported revenues under $300,000. However, 16% of traditional respondents reported revenues of more than $1 million.

TYPE OF BUSINESS STRUCTURE FOR PROFIT NON PROFIT GOVT/MUNICIPAL Recreational

82% 33% 16% 58% 2% 9%

Traditional

16% traditional

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Recreational Avg. Revenue

$2,500,000 $2,000,000

Recreational Avg. Expenses

$1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0

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$2,000,000

Traditional Avg. Expenses

$1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0

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AVERAGE REVENUE PER VISITOR $85

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Profits. Profit margins trended up, even as visitation was flat. Recreational operations that reported both revenue and operating expenses for the 2018 season saw an average gross margin of 25%. This is a four-point increase over the 2017 season for those same operations. This improvement might stem from increased operational efficiencies, higher prices, or offering a wider variety of activities to increase the time and monies spent on-property.

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BASE: 119 RESPONDENTS

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$3,000,000

$2,500,000

AVERAGE GROSS PROFIT MARGIN

25%

BY VISITATION VOLUME

$3,000,000

BASE: 198 RESPONDENTS

Recreational

RECREATIONAL REVENUE & EXPENSES

$ 5,035,664 $ 3,789,467

NE! DO LI

Revenues. On average, recreational respondents reported more than $1.1 million in annual revenue, while traditional respondents averaged more than $680,000. The median for both groups was much lower, as this year’s respondent group included a high percentage of smaller operations. Just 47% of recreational respondents reported revenues of $500,000 or higher.

$ 6,000,000 $ 5,600,000

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Key metrics. Revenue and cost per visitor are important, as they help understand overall profit and loss numbers.

Traditional operators in 2018 reported average revenue of $71.32 per visitor, and $60.02 in expenses per visitor.

Recreational operators reported $85.31 average revenue per visitor, and expenses of $59.83.

For all categories of aerial programs, ticket sales are by far the main source of revenue, at roughly 80%. This suggests there is room for increased ancillary sales, and provides an incentive to diversify the revenue stream coming into an operation. Diversification could include offering something as simple as gift cards and creating targeted and timely marketing programs to sell those products, or as ambitious as moving into an entirely new activity or program.

EXPENSES BY CATEGORY

REVENUE BY CATEGORY TICKET SALES

PERSONNEL

For those that offer the following, as a percentage of overall revenue:

INSURANCE

PHOTO SERVICES

Recreational Traditional

RETAIL

WORKERSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; COMP MARKETING

F&B LODGING 0

20

TRAINING 40

60

80

100%

Revenue and expenses by category are calculated as average percentages for operations that provided both gross revenues and expenses and both revenue and expenses for the category. Ancillary sales percentages (in blue, above) are calculated only for those offering those amenities.

EQUIPMENT & INSPECTION MAINTENANCE Recreational Traditional

UTILITIES Adding any revenue source is not to be taken lightly, as any addition must be done well for it to make a significant positive impact.

OFFICE

0

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50%

ONLINE reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

we move. you smile.

INTERPRETIVE SIGHT SEEING TOWER DISCOVERING THE WORLD AROUND YOU AT NEW HEIGHTS By lightly pulling on the rope, with the help of a motor; the tandem seat ascends the length of the tower.

360 degree rotation around its own axis Speed and travel times adjustable Self-operated by user under supervision Free-standing set-up with platform and foundation possible Built in speakers Customized recording of area specific information.

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STAR LIFTS USA INC. Peter Kavanagh 603.863.0241

STAR LIFTS USA WEST CANADA Marc Wood (PE) 503.799.3893

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57â&#x20AC;&#x192; Spring 2019

o ! website

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Activity growth. Operators are looking to balance their cornerstone activities with complementary activities that may be less operationally intensive. Some of the most popular of these are giant swings and climbing walls. Disc golf is another example. Nature walks are also increasingly common.

The lines between traditional and recreational operations are blurring as both types add elements of the other.

To quantify this: 45% of recreational respondents offered teambuilding or team-bonding programs in 2018, compared to 33% in 2017. Ground-based teambuilding activities are offered by 46.5% of zip line operators and 45.2% of aerial adventure operators.

AVERAGE VISITATION BY ACTIVITY Alpine/Mountain Coaster 72,500 Free Fall Device 8,670 Bungee Trampoline 7,474 Water-Based Activities 5,097 Mountain Biking 3,269 Giant Swing 1,749 Climbing Wall 1,099 Aerial Adventure Course for Kids Under 7 1,052

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CORNERSTONE ACTIVITIES: AERIAL ADVENTURE COURSE GROUND-BASED TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITIES ZIP LINE TOUR CANOPY TOUR TRADITIONAL LOW ROPES ZIP LINE RIDE TRADITIONAL HIGH ROPES ANCILLARY ACTIVITIES: CLIMBING WALL AERIAL ADVENTURE COURSE FOR KIDS <7 NATURE WALK GIANT SWING WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES FREE-FALL DEVICE DISC GOLF GROUND-BASED COURSE FOR KIDS <7 MOUNTAIN BIKING BUNGEE TRAMPOLINE NINJA COURSE VIA FERRATA Recreational

Traditional

0

Zip lines We segmented zip line operations into three categories: • zip line rides, which account for 32.1% of the total respondents and feature a single span ride; • zip line tours, which include multiple spans and may include ground transitions between platforms, a total of 28.6% of total respondents, and • canopy tours, multi-span zip line tours that are operated exclusively at height, 20.2%.

All told, 80.9% of total respondents offer a zip line activity as part of their adventure offerings. This makes zip lines, as a

20

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80

100%

category, the most common adventure activity offered by respondents.

On average, zip tours: • consist of eight individual lines, though some offer as many as 17 across several tours • have individual lines averaging more than 1,100 feet in length • average a maximum 143 feet above the ground, though some reach as high as 500 feet off the ground • reach maximum speed ranges of 7-60 mph, with an average maximum speed of 34 mph.

Brakes. Speed is a key consideration in determining both primary braking

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Activities with high throughput can increase time and money spent at your operation and increase revenue per visitor. Operators are increasingly finding creative ways to package and sell their activities. Free-fall devices are a prime example, as they can be incorporated into a cornerstone activity such as a zip line or aerial adventure course, but can also be sold as a standalone activity.

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This chart reflects the average visitation throughout the 2018 season for select ancillary activities. This highlights the benefits of activities with high throughput and offering activities for a wide audience.

ACTIVITIES OFFERED

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

systems and emergency arrest devices.

Not surprisingly, operators continue to use a variety of primary braking systems. Thirty-five percent of respondents are utilizing hand braking, while another 35% utilize impact blocks. Magnetic eddy current brakes are employed by 26% of respondents. Twenty-two percent employ gravity braking, while another 13% utilize dynamically-controlled trolley brakes. *Note: these percentages exceed 100%, as operators may use more than one type of braking system depending on the line, or use a different style for guides and guests.

The debate over the merits of active and passive braking systems continues. Operators who use active systems, such as hand braking, tout the value and excitement of having participants assume some responsibility for their own safety and progress on a tour. Operators who favor passive systems prefer the increased risk management and throughput of these systems.

This debate will remain at the forefront of the regulatory conversation, as well as on an operational level.

ANSI/ACCT 03-2016 standard, zip lines with arrival speeds under 6 mph do not require a backup brake.

The most commonly reported EAD system used is the prusik at 31%, followed by the Bonsai EAD, 23%. Impact blocks and spring packs are reported at 15% each. Other systems include ZipStops and manual braking.

Night ops. Night operations are a staple for 22% of our sample, and another 35% offer night operations for special events such as full-moon zips.

Aerial adventure courses come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

• 41% are linear, participants start at point A and continue to point B. • 34% are hub and spoke courses, in which participants start at a central point and return there.

• 20% are adventure towers, multi-level, space-efficient structures often built on poles.

On average, operators offer four difficulty levels, with an average of 57 unique elements. Larger operations offer as many as 248 unique elements throughout several aerial adventure courses.

more operators are trying to welcome Guests with Disabilities by using specialized equipment and training staff.

aerial adventure courses

Emergency arrest device use is up nine percentage points over the previous year.

Not all zip lines require EADs. According to the ASTM F2959-18 standard, the zip line brake system must be designed and tested by an engineer and be deemed “fail-safe.” That may or may not involve an EAD. According to the

Aerial adventure courses are offered by 64.9% of our total sample. We distinguished two types of aerial course for the purposes of this study, primarily focused on the ages of participants: • Aerial adventure courses, making up 43.5% of the total survey sample • Aerial adventure courses for kids under the age of 7, which were offered by 21.4% of all respondents—or approximately 50% of aerial adventure respondents.

• 39% of courses use a continuous belay system • 38% utilize a smart belay system • 32% employ static belays • 14% utilize a dynamic belay system Night ops. Much like zip line operators, 37% of aerial adventure operators offer night operations and 28% offer night operations for special events such as glow nights. Night operations are a consideration for the belay system used.

Accessibility. Sixty-three percent of respondents indicated they are ADA friendly and strive to accommodate those with physical or mental impairments on a case-by-case basis.

traditional elements High and low rope elements, as well as ground-based teambuilding activities, have their roots in experiential education. However, an increasing number of recreational operators are offering these activities in an effort to enter the teambuilding market. continued >>

online reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

59 Spring 2019

Backup brakes. Emergency arrest devices became a hot topic in 2018 and will continue to be into 2019. It is heartening that 82% of respondents— up nine percentage points over the previous year—have integrated an EAD into their zip line(s).

Accessibility. An increasing number of operators (64%) accommodate guests with disabilities through the use of special equipment or specially trained staff.

Accessibility means different things to different operators, depending on the design of their course. Some designs allow for wheelchair accessibility, some require full upper body strength, while others are limited to those with hearing or vision impairments. Many respondents indicated that they determine whether they can accommodate an individual with physical or mental impairments on a case-by-case basis.

Belay systems. It’s a relatively even mix overall for the type of belay systems used by respondents. Some operations use more than one type, depending on the intended purpose or age of the participants:

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Of our total sample, 48.2% of respondents offered traditional high rope elements, 53.6% offered traditional low rope elements, while 58.9% offered ground-based teambuilding activities.

Belay systems. On average, traditional operators offered 11 high rope elements and 16 low rope elements.

The nature of the elements can require different types of belay systems: • 74% of traditional operators employ dynamic belay systems • 54% utilize static belay systems • 7% of respondents utilize continuous belay systems.

• 3% utilize smart belays Figures total more than 100%, as many operators employ multiple belay types.

amenities Both traditional and recreational operations are offering more amenities to participants. One key example: a majority of recreational operators, 59%, offer gift cards and gift certificates. These capitalize on the “bucket list” market and word-of-mouth marketing.

In the recreational marketplace, photo services, retail, and food and beverage operations are increasingly common, though smaller operations are slower to adopt these offerings. For those that do

BENCHMARKS PHOTO SERVICES RETAIL F&B LODGING

AVERAGE RANGE $2.31 $.08-$5.55 $3.25 $.02-$67.50 $4.29 $.10-$27.90 $85.15 $15.29-$208.33

AMENITIES OFFERED in percent, and by type of operation

RETAIL PICNIC AREA FOOD & BEVERAGE GIFT CARDS/GIFT CERTIFICATES WIFI RENTALS ON-COURSE WATER PHOTO SERVICES SEASON PASSES LODGING ALL-INCLUSIVE ACTIVITY PACKAGES Recreational

Traditional

Recreational Traditional

0

20

offer them, the returns can be high.

While some amenities have significant revenue potential, others are intended to enhance the guest experience. Picnic areas, for example, are offered by 65% of recreational respondents and 50% of traditional respondents. Others, such as visitors centers, support other revenue

40

60

80

100%

sources, and may encourage spending among those who are not participating in the adventure activities.

Capital planning Operators continue to invest to grow their businesses. Most operations had some plans for capital expenditures (see

CAPITAL PLANNING: ACTIVITIES activities planned to receive investment, as percentage of respondents, by type of operation

AERIAL ADVENTURE COURSE ZIP LINE RIDE TRADITIONAL LOW ROPES NATURE WALK AERIAL COURSE FOR KIDS UNDER 7 FREE-FALL DEVICE GROUND-BASED TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITIES TRADITIONAL HIGH ROPES GIANT SWING CANOPY TOUR DISC GOLF GROUND-BASED COURSE FOR KIDS UNDER 7 NINJA COURSE VIA FERRATA WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES CLIMBING WALL Recreational

Traditional

Recreational Traditional

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Represents dollars earned per visitor in each category. This number is calculated against total visitation numbers.

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AMENITY FINANCIAL BENCHMARKS

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chart), though 30% of recreational operations and 28% of traditional operations were undecided about their additions at the time of this survey last fall.

Twenty percent of zip line operations planned to add a second cornerstone activity—an aerial adventure course—to their operations, while 44% of groundbased operators planned to add traditional high and low rope elements.

Another popular category are ancillary activities such as giant swings, climbing walls, or disc golf. Notably, all these have low operating costs compared to those of a cornerstone activity. Operators appear to be strategically identifying a wider mix of activities to improve stickiness at their park and increase length of visit and guest spending, without making big investments.

Additionally, operators are exploring amenities that will add to the guest experience. Special events ranked as the most common planned addition, followed by retail and food & beverage offerings.

All operators should look for ways to improve the overall experience if they wish to keep guests on site longer and increase the per visitor spend, as well as to gain more repeat business. Surveying guests about the quality of their experience helps inform your decisions.

CAPITAL PLANNING: AMENITIES in percent, and by type of operation

RETAIL ALL-INCLUSIVE ACTIVITY PACKAGES LODGING FOOD & BEVERAGE GIFT CARDS/GIFT CERTIFICATES ON-COURSE WATER PHOTO SERVICES SEASON PASSES PICNIC AREA Recreational

Traditional

Recreational Traditional

0

10

15

20%

ONLINE reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

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61 Spring 2019

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staffing

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Finding and keeping qualified entry-level staff is a major concern for all types of operations.

Return rate. Many operators have been looking at raising their staff return rate as a way to reduce the hiring burden. On average, recreational operators report a 46.5% return rate. Traditional operations are slightly higher, with 53.5% of staff returning.

THIRD-PARTY TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS YES NO

in percent

Traditional

BY VISITATION VOLUME average number of staff by segment and type

TRADITIONAL STAFFING

Full-Time Year-Round Full-Time Seasonal Part-Time Year-Round Part-Time Seasonal

< 5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-20,000 20,001-30,000 30,001-40,000 40,001+ 0

57.1 57.6 42.9 42.4

Recreational

STAFFING NUMBERS

50

100

RECREATIONAL STAFFING

150

Full-Time Year-Round Full-Time Seasonal Part-Time Year-Round Part-Time Seasonal

< 5,000 5,001-10,000 10,001-20,000 20,001-30,000

BASE: 197 RESPONDENTS

30,001-40,000

MEDICAL CERTIFICATIONS

in percent

0

SUPERVISOR/MANAGER CPR/FIRST AID WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER EMT (B THROUGH PARAMEDIC) OTHER

72.3 16.9 6.9 3.8

62.4 23.9 7.5 4.5

GUIDES/COURSE STAFF CPR/FIRST AID WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER EMT (B THROUGH PARAMEDIC) OTHER

80.9 11.3 5.2 2.6

72.4 16.3 5.7 5.7

Recreational

Traditional

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100

150

BASE: 147 RESPONDENTS

Operators also hire those with medical training, or require basic medical training: 74% of recreational operators employ supervisors or managers with CPR/basic first aid training, as do 63% of traditional operators.

salary Pay rates. We inquired specifically about the base pay rate for each category of staff member. The majority of operators pay staff on an hourly basis.

Certain staff members, typically upper management, receive a salary. A small segment, 5.4% of recreational operators and 8.7% of traditional operators, pay per tour or group. For comparison purposes here, we have translated pertour and salary pay rates into an hourly wage. For example, if a tour takes two

hours and the pay rate is $20 per tour, then the rate is $10 per hour.

Generally speaking, wages for the various employee levels are similar across all types of aerial and camp operations.

Camp salaries tend to be the lowest, by a relatively small amount. On average, entry-level program staff—staff that operate or run activities—are earning $10.29-$11.51 per hour, depending on the type of operation (zip line, camp, etc.). Entry-level support staff, such as office staff or reservationists, are earning an average of $9.99-$11.35 per hour.

Remember that these positions generally pay only a bit more than minimum wage, which varies by state. For this year’s sample, 25% pay entry-level staff less than $10 per hour.

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Third-party training. Third-party training and/or certification is relatively common. This includes aerial guide training, role-specific training such as facilitator and inspector certifications, as well as rescue training through organizations such as SPRAT or Petzl, and OSHA workat-height training.

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DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

SALARY LEVELS $30

$30

Entry Level Programming Entry Level Support Staff Supervisor Manager

$25 $20

Director General Manager

$25 $20

*

Each column shows range, based on average for each segment of industry (zip lines, camps, etc.), from low (full color) to high (tinted color).

$15 $10 $5

* Indicates industry-wide average

$0

$15 $10 $5 $0

BASE: 117 RESPONDENTS

Zip

Aerial

High/Low

Ground

Camp

Average base hourly wage for each category of staff member.

Managers and supervisor wage rates held relatively steady year-over-year.

The industry average rate for supervisors—staff with supervisory responsibilities, but not the ability to hire or fire— is $14.61 per hour. Managers earned an average of $19.08 per hour.

The biggest distinction between the operation categories and pay rates comes at the director and general manager levels. Zip line operators report paying general managers an average of $26.33 per hour, while ground-based operations pay $21.52 per hour. Directors of aerial adventure operations are reportedly earning $32.55 per hour, while

high/low ropes directors earn $23.33 per hour.

Cross-training. Anecdotally, many operators report higher staff satisfaction and retention when they create opportunities for cross-training, using staff in several roles, or take advantage of down-time between tours or groups to have staff complete tasks such as equipment inspection and maintenance.

Revenue and expenses per visitor and per staff are valuable metrics, as they can help determine what prices you need to charge. They may also suggest budget lines that need to be trimmed.

STAFFING EXPENSES PER VISITOR

REVENUE PER STAFF

$26.90 $35.90

$48,517.28

Recreational

traditional

traditional

Gender. Aerial operations maintain a good male/female balance. Industry-wide, operators report an average of 46.5% of their staff identify as female.

Ethnicity. An average of 89% of staff are white, which is greater than the percentage of guests. Studies show that more equitable workplaces drive innovation by bringing in varied viewpoints, and create an environment that is welcoming to all. This is something for operators to consider in the future.

Read more about diversity on p. 44.

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Staff demographics matter. Studies show a statistically-significant correlation between diversity in a company’s staff and profitability: the more diverse the staff, the greater the profits.

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The marketing landscape changes fast, and operators must continually reexamine and realign their marketing mix to optimize effectiveness. Social media algorithms are changing across some channels, most notably on Facebook, where paid content gains far more reach than organic.

Word of mouth reigns. Word of mouth is one of the most important marketing channels utilized. Whether it is a part of an official marketing plan or not, guests will share their experience with others, to the benefit, or detriment, of an operation. This reinforces the need to create a unique value proposition and provide an exceptional experience, so guests walk away happy—and tell all their friends.

MARKETING CHANNELS

RANKED BY PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS USING EACH CHANNEL

COMPANY WEBSITE FACEBOOK BROCHURES DIGITAL ADVERTISING INSTAGRAM LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS PRINT ADVERTISING TRIPADVISOR WORD OF MOUTH RADIO TWITTER THIRD-PARTY VENDORS BILLBOARDS OTHER

Recreational Traditional 0

Recreational

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40

60

80

100%

Traditional

Brochures are utilized by 90% of zip line operators and 93% of ground-based operations. Other more localized tools include local partnerships, radio, and billboards.

Most valued channels. While operators may employ a wide variety of marketing channels, company website and word of mouth continue to rank as the most important channels, followed closely by Facebook and digital advertising, such as web banners or AdWords.

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Recreational Traditional

1

Recreational

Traditional

2

3

4

5

ranked by respondents from “Most Important,” 5, to “Least Important,” 1.

web traffic is generated from organic search.

Organic search is especially important in attracting the “just Google it” generation. Organic search also has a higher

conversation rate than standard web traffic, at 7.8% compared to a general average of 4.2%.

Organic web traffic is driven by search engine optimization. But website design

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How important is a properly designed website? According to TOMIS, a marketing firm focused on the outdoor tourism industry, upward of 54% of

RANKED BY IMPORTANCE

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Third-party vendors. Twenty-eight percent of zip line operators utilized third-party OTAs such as Google and Booking.com. These far-reaching platforms are a tool to reach a large, targeted population, but many operators question whether the fees associated with these channels are worth it.

MARKETING CHANNELS

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

plays a significant role in search results, namely the need for sites to be optimized for mobile. In fact, Google now favors a “mobile first” approach, prioritizing sites that are optimized for mobile. If a website isn’t driving the kind of traffic expected, a review of web traffic analytics can help determine marketing strategy moving forward. Ensuring a website is mobile-friendly will also help improve search results.

BOOKING METHODS PHONE COMPANY WEBSITE IN PERSON/WALK UP THIRD-PARTY VENDOR MOBILE APPS SOCIAL MEDIA OTHER 0

Recreational Marketing budgets. Recreational respondents reported spending an average of 11% of overall expenses on marketing, while traditional respondents spent an average of 5.8%.

These numbers are relatively low.

Experts recommend spending a similar percent range of total revenue on marketing, which would be a larger dollar figure than the same percentage of expenses. It will be challenging to meet a

Recreational Traditional 20

Traditional

40

60

80

100%

percent of respondents utilizing each booking method

goal of 10% or 15% increase in business without spending more in marketing to reach a larger audience.

Booking methods Sixty-eight percent of recreational bookings were reportedly made in advance in 2018, and 93.9% for traditional operators. Having a strong booking platform can increase those numbers.

The phone remains the most common means of booking adventure activities.

Therefore, staff who answer the phone must be well-versed in operations, frequently asked questions, and booking policies, and understand how to make a sale. Company websites and in-person bookings round out the top three booking methods. Recreational operations also prioritize mobile apps and social media.

ONLINE reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six segmentations of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

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Siri Salonen

65 Spring 2019

Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you're not satisfied with your order simply return it for a refund or exchange.

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Low rate of injury. Injuries thankfully remain a relatively uncommon occurrence. Operators who track injuries reported an average of 5.9 injuries during the 2018 season. That equates to a rate of 1.29 injuries per 1,000 visitors for operators who reported both the total number of injuries and visitors.

The vast majority of operators now track all reported incidents and injuries, from near misses through catastrophic events. Only 2% of aerial adventure respondents did not have any tracking methods in place, and just 4% of ground operators tracked only injuries requiring third-party medical attention.

Near misses are incidents that had the potential to result in injury but didn’t.

Admittedly, near-miss numbers can be difficult to track, even if your operation has an open culture of safety. If your staff is uncomfortable with sharing a near miss they experienced or witnessed, or simply doesn’t recognize a near miss, that learning opportunity may pass by.

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Traditional

by percentage of respondents

BASE: 114 RESPONDENTS

NEAR MISSES

6.7 7.7

72.2 4.5

INJURIES

7.2 5.8

6.4 4.3

Zip Line/Canopy Tour

Aerial Adventure Course

Zip Line/Canopy Tour

Aerial Adventure Course

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

ground-based Experiential Program

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

ground-based Experiential Program

10.6

6.2

BASE: 109 RESPONDENTS

Camp

average number of near misses per year

Camp

BASE: 104 RESPONDENTS

average number of injuries per year

Despite the relatively hazy nature of these numbers, we report them to encourage operators to consider the safety culture of their operations. Sharing near misses is a learning opportunity for all staff.

Staff injuries comprised an average of 34% of all injuries seen in 2018.

Ground-based experiential programs reported the highest percentage of staff

STAFF NEAR MISSES

1.9 1.3

2.5 1.3

Zip Line/Canopy Tour

Aerial Adventure Course

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

ground-based Experiential Program

1.6 Camp

BASE: 104 RESPONDENTS

average number of near misses involving staff per year

STAFF INJURIES

2

Zip Line/ Canopy Tour

AVERAGE NUMBER OF STAFF INJURIES PER YEAR

1.4

High/Low Ropes Experiential Program

1.8 Camp

1.7

Aerial Adventure Course

2.4

ground-based Experiential Program

BASE: 102 RESPONDENTS

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Why such a large discrepancy? It could be the nature of aerial adventure courses, where participants often self-guide through the course under the supervision of monitors, who are more clearly able to witness near misses. Or it could be the culture of those operations to offer rewards for reporting potential incidents.

Track all reported incidents and injuries Only those requiring medical attention Only those requiring third-party medical attention Do not track

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Zip line, high/low ropes, and groundbased operators reported an average number of near misses ranging from 4.5 (ground-based) to 7.7 (high/low ropes) per year. Aerial adventure operators, however, reported an average of 72.2 near misses involving participants throughout the 2018 season.

INCIDENT TRACKING

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM.

injuries, at 55% of all injuries, an average of 2.4 staff injuries per operator.

Cause of injury. Slips and falls are the most common cause of incident or injury, followed by guest error, pre-existing medical condition, and staff error.

Equipment failure was, once again, cited as the least common cause of injury.

Type of injury. Scrapes and minor lacerations ranked as the most common type of injury. This is not surprising considering the nature of aerial adventure activities. Animal or insect bites and heat related injuries rounded out the top three types, followed by sprains.

Head trauma was the least common type of injury.

Insurance claims. The most frequent causes and types of injuries do not necessarily translate to insurance claims.

According to data provided by Granite Insurance, 34% of claim monies paid out were related to ATV and vehicle injuries.

Not only must operators be aware of the most common types and causes of injury, but also loss trends. A holistic view of these data points can pinpoint the need to adjust waiver language, training programs for drivers, or seemingly simple things such as using dramatically different words to send guests down a zip line. “No” and “Go” can sound awfully similar.

51% 8%

ATVs/Vehicles

Equipment Malfunction/Braking Systems

4

3

2

1

0

ion

p/ Sli

C

Zip Line

er

v gO

in

oll

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ur

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rt

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B

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ti xis

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om

High/Low

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un

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ff

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ranked by respondents from “Most Common,” 5, to “Least Common,” 1.

Ground

Camp

BASE: 102 RESPONDENTS

COMMON TYPES OF INJURY 5

4

3

2

1

6% 18%

Communication Error

Weather Related

6% Health related Guest injury claims and staff injury claims data were provided by Granite Insurance based on research from its claimants.

0

n or in on tio M ra / rati e s c a pe e rL ra ac Sc L ajo M

Zip Line

Aerial

s

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a

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Camp

40%

fall from height

13% collision

D

al

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ns

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BASE: 102 RESPONDENTS

ranked by respondents from “Most Common,” 5, to “Least Common,” 1.

STAFF INJURY CLAIMS

ion

at

oc isl

20% Lifting

27% Other

online reports provide separate, comprehensive data and analysis for six breakouts of the industry: Zip Lines, Aerial Adventure Parks, Traditional Operations, Small Operations, Medium Operations, Large Operations.

67 Spring 2019

GUEST INJURY CLAIMS

COMMON CAUSES OF INJURY

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concerns

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Staffing woes. Finding and managing a qualified staff remains the number one concern. The growing number of aerial businesses has provided opportunities for staff to progress into supervisory and managerial roles, which is good for those individuals. But operators are increasingly struggling to find qualified entry-level staff. That is due, in part, to the part-time or seasonal nature of the jobs themselves, and in part to the tight labor market.

But it is important to keep these concerns in perspective. Overall, operators are more concerned about not having

Wary about the consumer. After two years of flat per-operator visitation, it’s logical that operators are increasingly watching for signs of a slowdown in consumer spending. While weather likely contributed to flat visits in 2018, it's also possible that the decade-long economic expansion is running out of steam. Some leisure time studies in the past have shown a drop in recreational activity preceding the onset of a recession. Operators should be on the lookout for signs of consumer fatigue.

2

W

N

CONCERNS 3.5

Lack of Consumer Confidence Competition from Family Entertainment Centers Competition from other Leisure/Recreational Activities Regulation Competition from Other Adventure Operators Slow Consumer Spending Finding/Managing Qualified Staff

3 2.5

1.5 1 0.5 0

Zip

Aerial

High/Low

Ground

Camp

ranked by respondents from “Most Concerned,” 5, to “Least Concerned,” 1.

Call for participation For this year’s survey, 209 operators supplied data. This represents growth of nearly 60 percent from 2017. We thank all the operators who participated and we hope that more will continue to participate in this annual industry-wide effort in 2019. The more participation we have, the more valuable and useful this report will be. By sharing your operational benchmarks in the State of the Industry survey, you help yourself and the industry as a whole. Of course, each respondent’s data is confidential; no

individual operation’s data is identified.

Our goal is to continually increase operator participation in the annual survey.

If you have suggestions about how that might be best accomplished, please share them with us. To ensure that you receive notification for when the next State of the Industry survey is available to complete in the fall of 2019, sign up to receive Park Beat, the Adventure Park Insider e-newsletter, online at www. adventureparkinsider.com

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Rising concern: Regulation. Regulation has, unsurprisingly, crept up the list of concerns going into 2019. Uncertainty around the proposed changes to ASTM F2959-18, which could end the exclusion for camp, educational, therapeutic, and other non-recreational operations and bring them into the scope of the standard, is one issue. Ongoing state efforts to increase regulation are another. The blurring of the lines between recreational businesses and traditional programs further complicates the regulatory picture.

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Politics. Operators commented that political and economic instability and climate change (which some experts say has contributed to the increase in hurricanes and wildfires) could also cause consumers to curb their spending.

enough staff than not having enough customers. Owners continue to invest in their facilities. All that is positive news.

DEEP DIVE REPORTS AVAILABLE AT ADVENTUREPARKINSIDER.COM

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There’s more. Want more in-depth information that allows you to explore the market drivers that are directly related to your operation? There are deeper dives into smaller segments of this data that allow you to make more direct comparisons about your business to others in the industry.

Those segments include: • • • • • •

GUEST RESEARCH, INC. > Scott Hannah, President > Jeni Batte, Vice President,

Account Services ADVENTURE PARK INSIDER 2018 EDIT SQUAD > Paul Cummings,

Strategic Adventures > Bahman Azarm, Outdoor Ventures > Sara Bell, The Gorge > Keith Jacobs, Experiential Systems > Lori Pingle, Adventure

Development Team > Jamie Barrow, Vail Resorts

rs

Treetop

on

rati

n,

nst

O ruction &

pe

Desig

Quest

Co

ASSOCIATION FOR CHALLENGE COURSE TECHNOLOGY > Shawn Tierney, Executive Director > Heather Brooks, Program Manager

> Chris Howard, Canoe Kentucky > Jolee Jones, MS, Director,

Stone Canyon Outdoor EdVentures

e

Tr e

Learn more at www.adventureparkinsider.com.

Obstacle Cou

This report could not happen without the expertise, input, and support of many people. Several groups contributed to the refinements made to this year’s survey and the analysis of the final data. Any ambiguity or errors that remain are our own. These people include:

ACCT RESEARCH COMMITTEE > Lizzie Lange, Assistant Professor &

Program Director for Exercise

& Sport Science, William Peace University, N.C. > Mark Wagstaff, Ed.D., Professor of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism, Radford University > Jose H. Gonzalez, Ed.D., Assistant Professor,

Recreation and Tourism Management,

California State University–Northridge

Zip Line Operations Aerial Adventure Operations Traditional Operations Small Operations Medium Operations Large Operations

p e to

acknowledgements

development.treetopquest.com

F E E DBACK TO E NHAN CE TH E GUEST E XPE R IE NC E W W W.GUESTRESE ARCH.CO M

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AD INDEX

SPRING 2019

Action Photo Systems ���������������������������������������������������38 www.actionphotosystems.com 831-334-4637

Hibbs-Hallmark & Co. / K&K Insurance �����������������������10 www.hibbshallmark.com 800.765.6767

ADG (Aquatic Development Group, Inc.) ���������������������21 www.aquaticgroup.com 800.458.9283

High Peaks Group ����������������������������������������������������������69 www.highpeaksgroup.com 267.566.8985

Adventure Park Insider Magazine ���������������������� 47, 61, 70 www.adventureparkinsider.com 203.263.0888

Idaho Sewing for Sports �����������������������������������������������37 www.idsewing.com 208.983.0988

American Adventure Park Systems �����������������������������11 www.americanadventurepark.com 770.214.1390

ISC ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������39 www.iscwales.com 216.276.1581

Bolt Depot ����������������������������������������������������������������������65 www.boltdepot.com 866.337.9888

Kanopeo GmbH �������������������������������������������������������������19 www.kanopeo.com +41 79 285 66 38

Challenges Design Innovations ������������������������������������36 www.challengedesigninnovation.com 828.727.6850

Koala Equipment �����������������������������������������������������������15 www.koala-equipment.com +33 4 50 97 50 18

CLIMB Works Design ���������������������������������������� 3rd Cover www.climbworksdesign.com 615.418.3785

Kong USA �����������������������������������������������������������������������33 www.kongusa.com 401.253.3759

Deimos ���������������������������������������������������������������������������70 www.zip-harness.com 604.418.7328

OmniProGear Inc. ���������������������������������������������������������69 www.omniprogear.com 303.587.2540

Experiential Systems, Inc. ������������������������������� 4th Cover www.experientialsystems.com 877.206.8967

Outplay Adventures ������������������������������������������������������13 www.outplayadventures.com 201.446.1146

Fareharbor ���������������������������������������������������������������������18 www.fareharbor.com 808.495.0244

OZMOY ���������������������������������������������������������������������������31 www.ozmoy.com 844.560.7399

Fehr Bros Industries, Inc. ���������������������������������������������41 www.fehr.com 800.431.3095, ext 219

Peak Trading �����������������������������������������������������������������30 www.peaktrading.com 845.338.1325

FrenchCreek Fall Safety ��������������������������������������������������8 www.frenchcreekproduction.com 877.228.9327

Petzl America ����������������������������������������������������������������43 www.petzl-parks.com 801.926.1500

Guest Research �������������������������������������������������������������69 www.guestresearch.com 303.488.9808

PicThrive ������������������������������������������������������������������������57 www.picthrive.com 866.706.9005

Hackwell ��������������������������������������������������������������������������9 www.hackwellinnovations.com 615.997.0070

Ropes Courses Inc. ��������������������������������������������������������25 www.ropescoursesinc.com 877.203.0557

Head Rush Technologies ����������������������������������� 22, 24, 26 www.headrushtech.com 720.565.6885

Ropes Park Equipment ���������������������������������������������������3 www.ropesparkequipment.com 203.260.4111

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CEO - Tom Clark Deimos Zip Harness 16193 - 10A Ave. Surrey, BC Canada, V4A 9R6 604-418-7328 info@zip-harness.com

www.zip-harness.com

SE Group ������������������������������������������������������������������������65 www.segroup.com 970.668.3398 Signature Research Inc. ������������������������������������������������14 www.signatureresearch.com 770.577.8048 Singenuity �������������������������������������������������������������������������5 www.singenuity.com hello@singenuity.com Star Lifts Summer World ����������������������������������������������57 www.starlifts.com 603.863.0241 Strategic Adventures ����������������������������������������������������46 www.strategic-adventures.com 888.553.0167 Terra Nova LLC of Utah ������������������������������������������������17 www.ziprider.com 435.336.8800 The Flybook �������������������������������������������������������������������23 www.theflybook.com 855.909.2665 Tree-Mendous Aerial Adventures ��������������������������������32 www.tree-mendous.net 518.288.2920 Treetop Quest ���������������������������������������������������������������69 www.treetopquest.com/construction 404.863.9733 Tube Pro �������������������������������������������������������������������������42 www.tubeproinc.com 1.866.882.3776 Wiegand Sports USA ������������������������������������������������������27 www.wiegandsportsusa.com 866.377.2169 Wherewolf ��������������������������������������������������������2nd Cover www.getwherewolf.com 970.236.1561 Worldwide Enterprises, Inc. �����������������������������������������16 www.wwewirerope.com 888.297.3900

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We take inspections and maintenance seriously.

Lives depend on it.

When it comes to the safety and reliability of your adventure park, you need a team you can trust. ESI has the knowledge and expertise you can count on. Our inspectors stay up to date on the current safety standards. And with over 30 years of experience, we are a leader in the industry. We provide quality inspections on zip lines, aerial adventure parks, challenge courses and climbing structures. Protect your participants and safeguard your investment by hiring one of our certified inspectors today.

• • • • • •

Book your next inspection!

877-206-8967

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Annual Inspections Third Party Inspections Maintenance and Repairs Skills Verification NAARSO and ACCT Certified 30 Years Experience