TRENDING # sustainability # free_falls # repeat_business # self_guided_risks # business_scorecards # and_more
Adventure Park Insider Artificial Intelligence How AI can help simplify time-consuming tasks—and why users still need to be wary.
FALL 2023
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Balancing Act It takes a careful balancing act to marry the traditional values of aerial adventure and education with the increas- ing digitization of modern life. The two often compete for share of mind and participation. Yet as people spend more time with digital devices, their appreciation for outdoor activity has grown. Attraction to the natural world remains strong. This act is currently playing out in a new arena, artificial intelligence. AI has the power to ease the management of aerial adventure operations and programs, and to help op- erators reach a greater audience. But it could also become just another tool (or overlord) that distracts users from venturing out of their indoor comfort zones, or worse, spur a zombie apocalypse. In “Be Smart with Artificial Intelligence” (p. 54), we look at some of the many ways this developing technology can benefit operators, and caution about a few of the ways AI can go wrong. It’s a fast-moving field and development has barely started, but already, operators throughout the aerial adventure world have been exploring productive uses, some of which are presented here. It’s an arena that we, along with many others, will be watching carefully. Of course, there’s a lot more than AI on the priority list. We address several of those items in this issue, from increasing repeat business (“Please, Come Back” p. 18) to ensuring your operation is functioning as smoothly as possible (“How Are We Doing?” on p. 46, and “It’s Just Business” on p. 36). As always, we strive to keep you informed about devel - opments and news on risk management (“Legal Challenges of Self-Guided Activities” p. 14) and business conditions (“Weathering the Summer of ’23” p. 10) as well as products and activities (“What’s Happening with Free Falls” p. 24). And, since this is very much a people business, we high- light two of its leading figures (Erik and Jen Marter, “Builder Profile: Perfect Synergy” p. 50) and several future leaders (“Rising Stars” p. 42). The Marters’ story reflects the growth and evolution of aerial adventure; all provide thoughtful insights on the present and future course of the industry— and on the things that make aerial adventure so meaning- ful in an increasingly digital world. L ETTER FROM THE EDITORS
—The Editors
VOL. 9 | NO. 4 |
FALL 2023
CONTENTS
ON THE COVER
Rising Stars class of 2023 (clockwise, from upper left):
Mason Craine, Challenge Quest, Okla. Ruthie Rivers, Granite Insurance Jesse Pasacreta, The Adventure Park at Storrs, Conn. Drew Stewart, Mica Moon Zip Tours, Wash. Natalie and Gatlin Carnley, Butter and Egg Adventures, Ala. CJ Hughes, Kualoa Ranch, Hawaii Kanoe Lewis, Kohala Zipline, Hawaii Michael Kidd, Carlingford Adventure Centre, Ireland >> 42
Be Smart With Artificial Intelligence Tips for creating an AI game plan. By Troy Hawks 54 50 Builder Profile: Perfect Synergy Erik and Jennifer Marter have grown Synergo into a multifaceted company
How Are We Doing? A comprehensive guide to operational reviews. By Rohan Shahani 46 24 What’s Happening With Free Falls While not the draw they were once thought to be, free falls still have an important place. By Josh Laskin 30 Park Spy “How do you stop at the end of the zip line?” 32 Sustainability Simplified How to calculate your business’s climate impacts, and steps to reduce them. By Erika Kazi 36 It’s Just Business Essential key performance indicators to track and analyze for business success. By Micah Salazar 42 Rising Stars The 2023 Rising Stars are poised to guide the industry into a successful future. By Moira McCarthy
Cover design: Joerg Dressler
3 Letter from the Editors Balancing Act 6 Park Briefs Webb promoted, ACCT conference updates, SAM Summer Ops Camp. By The Editors 10 Weathering the Summer of ‘23 Operators reflect on business levels, staffing, and staying relevant post-Covid. By Linda Goodspeed 14 Legal Challenges of Self-Guided Activities Self-guided operations come with unique risk management considerations. By Reb Gregg 18 Please, Come Again Best practices for fostering repeat business. By Steph Sibille
through togetherness, a strong culture, and hard work. By Katie Brinton and Bob Curley How Shepherd of the Hills continues to thrive in the tourist mecca of Branson, Mo. By Peter Oliver
58 Park 360: Heading for the Hills
WAIT, THERE’S MORE!
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Bob Curley April Darrow Linda Goodspeed CONTRIBUTORS
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE AERIAL ADVENTURE INDUSTRY
Webb Named ACCT Executive Director The Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) appointed longtime staff member Melissa Webb as its new executive director in August. Webb had been serving as temporary director of operations since May, while ACCT board chair Korey Hampton was the acting executive director following former executive director Bill Zimmermann’s departure in February. “Melissa has been a valued member of the ACCT staff for a decade now,” Hampton said in a statement. “She has done a remarkable job of assuming responsibility for the day-to-day operation and management of the business of ACCT, and she has very clearly demonstrated her ability to lead.” “Due to my 10-year involvement with this association, I feel I have a good under- standing of where the association is currently, and I am excited to continue serving ACCT in a new role as executive director,” Webb said. Webb served as a volunteer for the annual ACCT conference while working at Iredell County Parks & Recreation and the U.S. Whitewater Center in North Carolina in 2010, and became a member of the conference committee in 2011. She joined the ACCT staff in 2013, serving as special events and membership coordinator. She later be - came events manager and subsequently events director. In that last role, Webb was responsible for orchestrating the annual International ACCT Conference and Expo.
Webb noted that she and Hampton “had an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of running the association” as they worked together this year, and they “intend to continue to work together to help guide the association through the next chapter.” • ACCT Conference to Offer More Education, Efficiency, and Adventure The 34th Annual International ACCT Conference and Exposition, scheduled Feb. 22-25 at the Oklahoma City (Okla.) Convention Center, gives industry members the means to stay up to date on best practices and current research, as well as a chance to network and connect with suppliers and customers. This year’s event will look and feel different than recent iterations, though it also includes many familiar elements. ACCT has revamped the schedule and both the sponsorship and scholarship opportunities to encourage greater participation. Other changes aim to provide greater flexibility and expand the opportunities for exploring both within the convention itself and in the surrounding environment. The conference itself features an exhibit hall with leaner operating hours Feb. 22-24 and a wide range of seminars Feb. 23-24. The seminar schedule promises to be even more expansive than in past years, as session time slots range from 45 to 90 minutes in length. In past years, all seminars took place in 90-minute blocks. >> continued
SAM Summer Ops Camp
API ’s sister publication, Ski Area Managemen t ( SAM ) magazine, held its annual Summer Ops Camp at Steamboat, Colo., Sept. 10-12. The immersive three-day event aims to help ski area operators grow their non-winter business—and several leaders from the aerial adventure industry joined us. •
Clockwise from left: Jordyn Bremer of API and SAM with Dan Brennan of Holmes Solutions, Will Rockett of Wiegand Sports USA, Jack Fagone of API and SAM, Jesse McVey of CLIMB Works, and Chris Tamoney and Petar Margin of Walltopia at Steamboat’s Thunderhead Lodge; Robert Bentz from Anakeesta, LLC, on Arapahoe Basin’s via ferrata, engineered by Adventure Partners; Outdoor Ventures’ Candie Fisher with Sharon Walsh of API and SAM; Blue Mountain’s GM Graeme Dugale with Max Nichols of Singenuity, Jesse McVey of CLIMB Works, Jay Conroy of Ziptrek, and Nick Thompson of CLIMB Works; Sundance the dog supervises a mountain meadow yoga session.
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As in the past, there is a full schedule of pre- and post-conference training and certi- fication sessions and exams. These all involve separate registration and fees, but the smaller session size and longer duration allow for more comprehensive programs. Pre- and post-conference sessions take place Feb. 20-23 and 25. Exhibit Hall Changes Several changes aim to make the expo portion of the conference more effective. Early hours. The hall will be open 4-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, then 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 4-6:30 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday. In short, the hours have been moved earlier to provide more time for post-show networking, meetings, exploring Oklahoma City, or relaxation. Free lunch. To encourage attendees to explore the expo and to provide another networking opportunity, ACCT will host beverage service and lunches in the hall on Friday and Saturday. However, ACCT will not sponsor food for the afternoon/evening expo sessions. A new addition to the expo, the ACCT Artisans Exhibit, showcases the work of industry artisans. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the gallery and, during select hours, meet the artists. Outside Activities In addition to the happenings in the exhibit hall and educational sessions, ACCT will host two activities outside the conference walls: local challenge course tours, and a new take on the ACCT Olympics.
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Harnessing OKC. The new twist on the ACCT Olympics mimics the actual Olympics, as it presents a series of challenges spread across Oklahoma City. Called Harnessing OKC: A Multi-Day Adventure, this initiative will involve activities and missions inside the convention hall and out in the city. It will culminate in the traditional cable whip event Saturday afternoon. Much like the conference itself, the adventure begins on Thursday, with a bonus activity or two open to attendees who arrive and register early. Other Details Sponsorships. ACCT’s new sponsorship opportunities start at $100 and help provide services and benefits to attendees and conference volunteers. One level of spon - sorship was to provide scholarships (which closed Oct. 6) to create more learning opportunities for younger members of the aerial adventure community. Conference fees. Cost for early registration (by Nov. 17) begins at $295 for the exhibit hall only and $355 for a Thursday pass to the full conference. Various options are available for partial or full attendance for ACCT members, non-members, and student/military attendees. Fees increase $60 in most cases except one- or two-day passes after Nov. 17, and still higher after Jan. 5. Pre-, post-conference fees. Early registration fees (by Nov. 17) for pre- and post-con- ference sessions and certifications range from $250 to $450; some supplier training sessions run $75 to $195. All increase $50 after Nov. 17. Future dates. ACCT has set dates for the conference for the following two years. The 2025 conference will be held Jan. 22-26 in Cleveland, Ohio, and the 2026 edition will return to Oklahoma City Feb. 5-8.
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Operators reflect on summer business levels, staffing challenges, and staying relevant in the post-Covid era. WEATHERING THE SUMMER OF ‘23
BY APRIL DARROW
By Linda Goodspeed
The Covid boom may be over, but that does not mean a return to pre-pandemic business levels for ae- rial park operators. Thanks to Covid, the bar is now higher, even in a year when weather challenges dampened demand for many operators. Kurt Damron, CEO of Highlands Aerial Park, N.C., said since the Covid 2021 season, when revenue shot up 80 per - cent over pre-Covid levels, business has been slowly tailing off, but “we’re still way up over pre-Covid years.” “Excitement is not waning, but consum - er spending is changing,” he added. “People are still taking trips, but not spending as much.” FLAT LINE “Our revenue is about dead flat with last summer,” said Damron. “We raised prices, which really helped make up the difference in what would have been a much lower year. Visitation was defi - nitely down (11 percent year-over-year, while revenue slipped just 1 percent).” Andrew Bogue at Challenge Quest outside Tulsa, Okla., also said demand was flat this summer, as was revenue, despite raising prices. Flat is good. “Since the [Covid] ’21 sea - son, which was our best, the last two summers have been steady—not crazy like ’21, but steady,” he said. “I’m really happy with the numbers. We’re still do- ing well above pre-pandemic levels. Our business was down across the board. Then Covid and ’21 happened. We’ve been steady, flat line since.”
Despite raising prices, demand and revenue were also flat at Colorado’s Tel - luride Canopy Adventure, which has a five-line zip tour with two aerial bridges and two rappels. At AVA Rafting & Zipline, an outfitter based in Idaho Springs, Colo., which offers a variety of activities including zip lining, both demand and revenue were also down. WHEN IT RAINS... In what Olivia Cellini, co-owner of Mountain Ridge Adventures in Sche - nectady, N.Y., calls her “summer of locusts,” what could go wrong, did. Start with the rain—which led to one of the wettest-ever summers in the North- east—throw in smoke from the Cana- dian wildfires (“we lost an entire group to the wildfires,” Cellini said), add in a new marketing firm (“horrible, we had to fire them”), and for good measure a new bookkeeping system (“a disaster, we spent so much time on it only to go back to the old one”), and it is a wonder the park was down just 10 percent.
“Corporate groups are up; summer camps and schools are doing well,” said Cellini. “In some cases, we have entire school districts coming out. Those [rela- tionships] tend to be long lasting. [The schools] filled in time slots that weren’t being filled by the general public. “We have a positive outlook for next year,” she added. “We’ve built a good business model. We’re definitely keep - ing up our outreach program. We’re reaching out to groups and others.” Groups also helped lift Butter and Egg Adventures, a 40-acre, 19-zip-line out - door adventure retreat in Troy, Ala., to its “best summer,” said owner/operator Ron Pierce. He credited better market- ing for the upsurge, along with a wide variety of activities that includes out- door laser tag, axe throwing, an escape room, canoeing, and fishing. Team-building. “We had more groups than we’ve had in a long time,” Pierce said. “Our team-building numbers also went up. We’re one of the few places in the Southeast that does true team-building. “We did a lot of corporate and school retreats, a lot of church retreats. We have only 52 beds on the property, so our niche is small groups. Word gets back that we cater to small groups, a lot of personal touch. We get a lot of repeat business.” Also new this year was a contract with nearby Troy University to host up to 30 students at a time. >> continued
“When it rains, it pours,” she said.
Morale killer. Cellini did not have to lay off staff because of all the rain and cancellations, but shifts and hours had to be cut, and morale plunged. “Ninety percent of our staff have second jobs to fill in those fewer shifts,” she said. GROUP SALES UP On the positive side, Cellini said group sales were up, which is why “we were only 10 percent down.”
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decline in business at Zip Timber Lake, a canopy and zip tour park in Indiana.
pitality programs hoping to create more cross-functional opportunities and internships for prospective recruits, “so they’re not only doing zip line work, but also working in marketing, operational- ly, financially, and getting a well-round - ed experience,” he said. “For us, it’s learning some new channels of recruitment,” he added. “We may be missing some opportunities in how we recruit. It’s easy to fall into complacen- cy, and we’re hoping that this may open some new avenues for us.” Older applicants. Damron at Highlands saw a decline in qualified applicants this summer. “We were a little slimmer, staff-wise, than we’d like. The last two to three years, the minimum age of ap- plicants is way up. We used to get a lot of high school and college-age students looking for a summer job. Those days are gone. We’re getting more people in their 20s and 30s.” “We’re in the same boat as everyone else when it comes to finding staff,” said Bogue at Challenge Quest.
“All they have to do is make a reserva- tion,” Pierce said. “It helped our num - bers. The university pays us a stipend, and it gets [the students] out of the dorm rooms.” Large groups. In Oklahoma, Bogue also said groups, especially large ones (75 or more), were up. “This year we saw a lot of larger groups, corporate, school groups booking. We had one group at the end of September of around 400. They booked up the en - tire facility for the day. We cater to what they want to do.” Bogue said there is also a 100-plus room lodge on the property that does a lot of weddings and corporate retreats, and shares some bookings with the adventure park. STAFFING CHALLENGES At the other end of the spectrum, staffing difficulties contributed to a 30 percent
“The Covid years were some of our better years,” said operator Matt Faley. “Our best revenue year was 2020-21. This summer has been very difficult. Our biggest challenge has been staffing. It is clearly our worst year ever in terms of recruiting and retention. I won’t say we turned away business, but we had to adjust some of our revenue strategies, available tours, the number of weekend tours. We’ve not been aggressive at all with marketing.” Faley said the park “used to get a fair number of repeat staff for a summer or two, traditionally college age.” But the reliability, and perhaps the expec- tations, of returners appears to have changed. “I think people recognize that the job is fun, but also hard work, and one summer is enough. Also, the hours are not ideal,” he said. “Most of our business is weekends and holidays.”
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Hiring for two. One advantage he has is hiring for two companies: Challenge Quest, which does group facilitation, in - spections, course building, gear sales, and training for course staff through - out the Midwest; and Postoak Canopy Tours, a six-line zip tour in Tulsa. “They are two separate companies,” he said. “All of our staff are welcome to pick what side of the company they want to work from. Most start with the canopy tours and can transition and become facilitators and grow into what Challenge Quest does as well. A few work for both companies. It gives staff more opportunities.” Bogue said the company hit all of its staffing needs for the summer, but “I’d like to see more and recruit more,” he added. “It’s a struggle to find people who want to work.” At Mountain Ridge Adventures, Cellini said she was “very fortunate to have a great staff. We have a large pool of high school and college students,” she said. “We start our staff young and train
them young. We have a very low turn- over rate. They stay four to five years.”
In Alabama, Pierce said Butter and Egg Adventures is adding a new rappelling tower and team challenge course. “You’ve got to have the next best thing,” he said. “Keeping it fresh, mix - ing it up is important.” Marketing and events are another key to bolstering business. In Oklahoma, Bogue said he wants to “hit marketing harder” to become a more integral part of the Tulsa community, as well as add more special events to attract a wider audi- ence with a “Come to Tulsa” message. “Our special events draw people from as far away as Dallas, Kansas City, and St. Louis,” he said. “Our normal daily operation is mainly the greater Tulsa area (15 minutes away).”
Wages. But paying them is another matter. When the park opened in 2016, Cellini said New York’s minimum wage was $9.40—staff make minimum wage plus tips. Now, the state’s minimum wage is $14.20. “It’s hard to keep up,” Cellini said. “Everybody around us is raising prices. It’s affecting all of us.” KEEPING IT FRESH Several operators said continually ex- panding attractions and making capital improvements has become essential to sustaining demand. Offerings. “Our goal is to add a new attraction every two years,” said Damron. Last year, for Highlands Aerial Park’s 10th anniversary, Damron spent $150,000 to completely retrofit its courses. Since Mountain Ridge Adventures opened, Cellini said, it has nearly doubled in size. “We went from five courses in 2016 to seven, and have increased the size of some of the courses.”
“We also want to reach out and become more ingrained with Tulsa,” Bogue added.
Whatever routes operators choose to follow, the decisions are all about ramping up visitation and momentum to maintain the Covid bump.
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LEGAL CHALLENGES OF SELF-GUIDED ACTIVITIES
When guests navigate an aerial course or zip tour unguided, operators must employ enlarged risk management strategies.
BY REB GREGG, Attorney-at-Law
RECENT CASES A few recently settled cases shed light on duty of care and liability issues. Suspension trauma. A woman on a self-guided course in a Kentucky cavern fell, twice, on an element consisting of two horizontal ladders. She was suspended from the second ladder, in her harness, for “five to eight minutes,” according to the court’s opinion. She lost consciousness during the rescue and later died at the hospital. The estate presented evidence that her death was caused by “suspension trauma” resulting from her extended time hanging unsupported. The estate claimed further that the operator failed to exercise ordinary care in the operation of the course and failed to respond promptly to the emergency. The operator argued that the death was caused by a pre-existing health condi- tion and by the participant’s own failure to exercise ordinary care. The jury found the estate did not prove the operator’s failure to exercise proper care. (Bradley v. Louisville Mega Cavern, Court of Appeals, Kentucky, May 19, 2023). Failure to brake properly. A 16-year- old suffered a permanent knee injury when he failed to properly brake at the end of a zip line. The Ohio court found no liability, because, it said, the child
S elf-guided experiences, while their rewards are substantial, expose participants to challenges that are not the same as those of guided, and even moderately supervised, courses and tours. It follows, then, that the legal duty of care owed to partici- pants on self-guided courses, and strategies for avoiding or shifting legal liability, are not the same as those associated with traditional courses. Anyone who operates a self-guided activity should be aware of the following considerations. THE ISSUES Obligations to visitors. First, a remind- er of an operator’s legal obligations to visitors. An operator must keep its promises. This is basic contract law. Operators are expected to do what they say they will on their website and other publications, in signage, and during the on-site orientations for participants. Duty of care. In addition, an operator owes a duty of care to its participants. In legal terms, this duty is commonly described as an obligation to deal with the visitor as a reasonable park oper- ator would under the same or similar circumstances. The “same or similar circumstances” aspect of this definition is particularly pertinent when dealing with a claim arising from a self-guided experience.
negligence and, if found by a judge or jury, the operator must compensate an injured visitor if the negligence caused an injury or other loss. Industry standards pertaining to the activity can be used to measure the reasonableness of an operator’s per- formance. State law may provide that the violation of an industry standard designed to protect a participant can be used by the complaining party as some evidence of negligence. A deviation from common practices, too, may be some evidence of negligence. Limits to duty of care. An operator has no duty to protect a participant from the inherent risks of the activity—risks that are so much a part of the experi- ence that, without them, the experience would lose its value and appeal. Claims arising from athletic and sport- ing events, including activities on aerial tours, are particularly susceptible to an “inherency of the risk” defense. This may, in some circumstances, include even the carelessness of staff and other participants. Further, an operator has no duty to protect a participant from risks that are knowingly assumed. Routinely, operators require participants to sign agreements whereby claims of loss are released, including claims of negli- gence (but not claims of recklessness or gross negligence).
A breach of the legal duty of care is
was engaged in a sporting activity with certain inherent risks, which included the failure to properly brake. (Thomas v. Chimera, Court of Appeals of Ohio, June 26, 2023). DUTY AND LIABILITY Duty and liability issues can arise from a number of circumstances, including a) the design and condition of the course, b) the training and performance of staff, and c) the preparation of the partici- pants for the activity. Course design. In designing the course and managing the risks of its operation, consideration must be given to the particular challenges of the self-guided aspects. For example, how much of the course can be monitored by staff, and quickly reached if circumstances require? Are there terrain features that might be hazardous to an un- supervised group, requiring some modification or elimination of routes between elements? Are participants able to determine if a line is clear before
descending? Are landing platforms “user friendly”—not requiring special on-site directions or assistance? How will an emergency be communicated to staff? Staff training. Staff must be trained for their unique roles in protecting the participants from unreasonable harm. This can become somewhat involved and detailed. The ANSI/ACCT Canopy/Zip Line Tours Standards (March 2019) requirements include the use of equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the inspection and use of appropriate personal and group safety systems, and proper monitoring or su- pervising of participants and respond- ing to participants as needed. Staff have a role in each of these requirements. Further, section C.2.5 (Operating Stan - dards, Staff Competencies, Self-Guided Courses) of ANSI/ACCT 2019 more par - ticularly describes the obligations of the staff in monitoring and/or supervising, assessing, and responding. (“Monitor,” it appears from a chart at A.3.1, means
Risk management strategies of a reasonable operator must address the unique needs of self-guided participants.
that the staff member is not close enough to directly intervene.)
C.2.5.5 states that the monitoring and/ or supervision shall be appropriate for the type of personal safety system em- ployed and participant requirements as defined by the manufacturer or other qualified person. It then describes six safety systems (auto-locking lanyard connections, and five others) along with four related supervision “strategies.”
Evaluation. Heightened attention must be given to a participant’s qualifications, including height, weight, and maturity of judgment as they move among the elements. Are they clipping onto the proper cables? Are they prepared for the upcoming platform? Where is the accompanying adult? THE BOTTOM LINE The essential nature, and significant values, of self-guided parks and tours require new and enlarged risk manage- ment strategies for the operator and participants. Operators who comply with the applicable industry standards and follow the advice of experts, train their staff, and inform their partic - ipants accordingly, can reasonably expect to meet the legal duties of care owed to the people they serve, and will spend their days at the park and not in the courthouse. Reb Gregg is a Houston-based attorney specializing in legal issues of outdoor adventure programming.
(E.g., Strategy A: “The monitor can phys - ically intervene to ensure proper use of the System”; or C: “the monitor can communicate verbally”; or D: “the mon - itor can hear and properly respond to a call for assistance and provide that as- sistance.”) Finally, minimum supervision strategies are described, setting out, in graph form, the strategy appropriate for various age groups, depending on the safety systems in use. SUPERVISING THE PARTICIPANTS Risk management strategies of a reasonable operator must also ad- dress the unique needs of self-guided participants, who will navigate their way through the activity without the degree of staff supervision and intervention ex - pected in the traditional course or tour. There are several strategies to consider. Education. Aspects of the experience that a participant might not reasonably anticipate—the indirect-only involvement of staff, for example—must be promi - nent in descriptive materials and in the
orientation, and reinforced by signage. The park’s release or visitor agreement must be explicit regarding the special characteristics of the self-guided tour. The law does not favor the assumption of, or release of, claims arising from con- ditions that a participant cannot reason- ably have known or anticipated. Instruction. Participants must under- stand the course and their responsi- bilities for managing its risks, including proper use of gear and the hazards of unsupervised adjustments or removal, the use of safety systems, and a reliable means of calling for help. Orientation. Preparation of participants begins most importantly with an on-site orientation, during which critical aspects of the course, activities and equipment are discussed. The orientation must be serious in tone, not rushed, and provide ample opportunities for questions. The orientation must be conducted in such a manner that the visitor cannot reasonably claim that they were not given a vital piece of information and an opportunity to ask questions.
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PLEASE, COME AGAIN BY STEPH SIBILLE
Commercial and traditional operators share best practices for fostering repeat business.
For some operators, repeat customers are the entire backbone of their busi- ness. For others, the mere prospect of generating recurring customers who came for a one-time “bucket list” experience feels like little more than a fantasy. But regardless of where their customer segment lies, everyone can agree that repeat business is good for business. To get a gauge on how to successfully generate repeat customers, we spoke to a variety of operators—ranging from commercial aerial parks to traditional challenge course and team-building pro- grams—who have found success in this arena. While some of the sales strategies differed, other themes were universal.
tures a different market segment than the one-time leisure visitor and creates strong word-of-mouth marketing. At Sandy Spring, one annual mem- ber—a 62-year-old woman—climbs 160 times a year and is “inspirational to other members,” says Hines. Other regulars have gone so far as to use their annual membership to the park as a replacement for their gym. The behav- ior that they model serves as an “asset” to the park, according to Hines; these visitors often come during off hours and are highly self-sufficient, requiring little guidance or instruction from staff. Sandy Spring and ZipZone, which also sells a membership product, both include discounted guest passes as a benefit of annual pass ownership to encourage loyalists to bring friends, converting potential word-of-mouth marketing benefits into sales dollars and potential new customers. Pingle says annual memberships and season passes also appeal to gift givers. At ZipZone, many annual memberships are sold as gifts during the Thanks-
WHAT DO YOU OFFER?
Design . The ability to bring back recur- ring customers often starts with one simple question, “Is there more to do here?” According to John Hines, owner of The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring in Maryland, park design is key to bring - ing people back. “Our park is laid out in such a way that nobody can do it all in one day [because] there’s too much stuff to do,” explains Hines. The main attraction, the Adventure Forest, has 14 courses and seven levels of difficulty. The park also has an axe throwing venue and a special climbing structure for private groups and parties. “We always want [guests] to come back to do more things in the future,” says Hines. ZipZone Outdoor Adventures in Co- lumbus, Ohio, similarly offers multiple activities, including an aerial adventure park and a zip tour. Here, programming also plays a role in courting repeat visitors. For example, the “Night Flight” zip tour offers a new experience on the
Through its annual pass product, The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring, Md., has developed a base of regulars that are an asset to the business. same zip line course as the daytime “Canopy Tour,” providing enough vari - ety to entice repeat guests without the need for additional design elements. “People come and climb our adventure park, and then come back for the ‘Night Flight’ zip lines,” says owner Lori Pingle. Product offerings can also incentivize return visits, particularly in the aerial park setting where businesses sell primarily to individual customers. For example, punch cards or season passes provide customers with an easy way to become “regulars.” Developing a base of regulars serves two purposes—it cap-
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giving/Black Friday rush. According to Pingle, parents “are so excited that they are buying an experience that can last the whole year.” Other incentives. There are other ways to incentivize repeat visitation, many of which require the ability to capture vis- itor information. Fortunately, digital waiv- ers make this process infinitely easier, and many booking software programs automatically capture email addresses. At ZipZone, every customer receives a thank-you email at the end of their visit that includes a coupon for 10 percent off a return visit. This is a great way to gain individual business from group sales, where children who climbed with their school might tell their parents about the experience. Pingle advises that this offer also “lets [customers] know that this doesn’t have to be a one-time thing.” For traditional challenge course pro- grams, where businesses traffic largely in group sales, the incentives look a little different. Sue Crumbaker of Hale Reser - vation, a popular nonprofit challenge
value” add incentivizes groups to book, according to special events manager Nick DiMatteo. While conversions to gym memberships are negligible, the perceived value creates a wow factor that helps bolster repeat business for the team-building experience, which current- ly sees roughly a 75 percent return rate.
Variety attracts repeat business to Ohio’s ZipZone Outdoor Adventures.
WHAT BRINGS THEM BACK?
While strategic pricing, product position- ing, and marketing can certainly provide a pipeline to attract repeat customers, these strategies gloss over one critical question, “Do the customers want to come back?” The operators we spoke with agree that no one would come back if not for the quality of the service. Tailored experience. For Shaw Dunton of APEX Adventures, a traditional ropes course business based in Santa Cruz, Calif., personal relationships are the backbone of his business. Many of his customers have been coming to APEX for more than 20 years, and his school and corporate clients have a 90+ percent return rate. For Dunton, every
course program that serves many of the schools in the Boston area, says pricing can be a factor. At Hale Reservation, customers always have the option to lock in the prior year’s pricing if they book by a certain date. This often leads return customers to commit months before they would normally book. At Chelsea Piers Team Building in Manhattan, the follow-up process takes a step further. The venue, a traditional team-building operation housed in a high-end gym and sports training facility, offers every team-building guest a free day pass. Only 10 percent of visitors take advantage of this, but the “huge
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be going through, and how things may differ from other school years.
but spread over more hours across additional time slots—sometimes earlier in the morning or later in the evening. As a result, people wait less, creating a more positive experience overall. Happy visitors are more likely to return. For Pingle, the quality of service all comes down to how guests are treated by the staff. One easy trick for wowing customers? Learning peoples’ names. At ZipZone, it’s expected that guides learn and use everyone’s name during a two- hour zip tour. “It’s one of the hardest things—but it’s so, so important,” says Pingle, adding that the effort “makes people feel included and cared for.”
Crumbaker echoes this sentiment. “We talk to every single client,” she explains. “[Repeat customers] never go back into our system without somebody reach- ing out and talking to them.” This level of personalization allows for a truly custom experience that ensures each school or corporate group feels valued. Level of service. For commercial opera- tors, the product and sales process may be different, but the level of service is equally critical. According to Hines, one key component to developing repeat business was simply lowering the park’s capacity post-Covid by more than 35 percent. “On average, half the people on any given Saturday are new to the park—is it crowded or is it rewarding?” he asks. “We chose to make it rewarding by holding our numbers down.” Capping numbers doesn’t equate to a loss in revenue. The reservation system allows the park to continue to capture the same overall volume of business,
conversation with a group starts with the same question, “What are your goals and desired outcomes?” “I’m having this conversation every sin- gle time,” he explains. Even for repeat customers, “it’s far more tailored than it may look on the outside.” This may involve asking a school what specific dynamics are going on in class, what kind of transformation the school might Facilitator training at Hale Reserva- tion, a nonprofit course near Boston.
INCLUSIVE SERVICE
According to the operators we spoke with, one critical theme that “wows” repeat customers is an inclusive approach to service. For Crumbaker, this takes the form of accessible access and pro- gramming, a critical component of Hale Reservation’s course design. Many of Hale’s high and low elements have been designed with universal access in mind,
including the integration of a seated harness and haul system that anybody can—and everybody will—use. “If I have somebody who needs that harness, every single student will use that same harness,” explains Crumbaker. These efforts have paid off. Hale had a nearly 80 percent return rate for 2023, and while there isn’t a direct correlation between accessibility and the strong return rate, says Crumbaker, “I believe it helps that we can accommodate our customers’ needs.” Dunton agrees that accessibility and inclusion play a role in return business. For example, he says, during a recent outdoor program featuring low ele- ments, one participant was using a walker. “We were still able to include that person where they felt that their contribution was just as valued as everybody else’s. At the end of the day, the CEO called that out specifically,” he says, adding that the group has already verbally committed to return.
and create a welcoming environment beyond accommodating physical mobility differences. For example, says Hines, “We don’t do rescues anymore, we do assists.” As such, “The goal is [for participants] to feel good about how far they’ve gotten. We want their last im- pression to be, ‘I want to try that again.’”
Professional development days are offered biweekly during the off season, and staff are given a survey that allows them to choose the topics that are cov- ered. This level of engagement creates a higher level of staff retention, in turn creating more opportunities for repeat business, as groups will often request to be paired with the same facilitators when they return. Hines offers his staff myriad benefits— including generous health insurance and 401(k) plans—to attract quality team members that want to stay on board and make a career in the industry. “We invest in really great people, train the heck out of them, and they share in the rewards of a park that is doing well and that people love,” says Hines. Above all, providing a high-quality expe- rience is paramount to these operators’ business strategies. If customers have a great time and feel safe and valued, they will want to come back. The other tactics—park design, product mix, and incentives—just make it that much easier to get them there.
HAPPY STAFF, HAPPY CUSTOMERS
All operators agreed that the best way to provide high-quality service worthy of repeat business is to hire and train high-quality staff. For Pingle, this begins with ingraining a passion for customer service in the ZipZone team. “It’s a really fun job, but you should get the most fun from the guests,” she says. Staff are therefore encouraged to feed off of the energy of happy customers. Those positive group dynamics are frequently reflected in guest reviews and repeat bookings. At Hale, which relies heavily on a pool of experienced contract staff, Crumbaker ensures that her team is taken care of.
There are other ways to be inclusive
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FREE FALLS Once seen as the next big thing, free falls remain a staple of many adventure parks.
BY JOSH LASKIN
Photo credit: Aerial Adventure Tech
Photo credit: Aerial Adventure Tech
Today, free falls are often seen as a way to increase a park’s value rather than its customer base.
Recreational adventure parks and zip tours are relatively new activi- ties, and they have gone through a rapid evolution. Free falls have been part of that evolution, and illustrate just how quickly changes take place in aerial adventure. While free falls may not have met the initial, high expectations of some operators, they have become a staple for many. Recreational aerial adventures began to take hold in North America around 2000. It was about a decade before free falls emerged as a component that could be incorporated into a park’s offerings. Dropzone introduced its Powerfan in 2010, and three years later, Head Rush Technologies released its first dedicated free fall device—the QUICK- Jump. Both allowed users to clip in and fling themselves into the air from various heights, free-falling for several feet be- fore slowing to a gentle touch down.
and increase their appeal to recreation- al users. While Head Rush wasn’t the first to release a free-fall device, the QUICKJump did seem to put free falls on the map, with operators nationwide adding them to their parks. Annual worldwide sales of Head Rush free-fall devices grew from around 300 in 2014, their first full year on the mar - ket, to around 400 in 2018, and have remained steady since.
The tech. While Dropzone’s Powerfan and Head Rush’s QUICKFlight (which evolved in 2018 from the initial QUICK - Jump system) have a similar goal and end result, their technology differs significantly. Head Rush’s current device uses frictionless magnets and the resulting magnetic eddy current to slow the user’s fall to a stop after an initial true free-fall of up to 13 feet, depending on the model. Dropzone’s Powerfan, supplied in North America by Aerial Adventure Tech, uses a mechanical fan system to simulate free falls, achieving a similar effect. Head Rush’s popularity may be in part due to its technology, which requires relatively low maintenance.
The appeal of a free fall, of course, is the adrenaline rush.
“Maybe you have a family-oriented market you’re trying to hit, but that fam- ily has a teenager who really likes the adrenaline rush,” says Head Rush direc - tor of marketing and sales Kraig Corbin. “So, some places will have an option on the exit platform. Once you complete your zip experience, they’ll have one of our auto-belays, which catches you in- stantly, or they’ll have a free-fall device, and they let the customer decide which experience fits their comfort level.” Other operators provide stairs as an alternative way down as well.
MULTIPLE VISIONS
IN THE BEGINNING…
Initial application of these devices var- ied. Some parks installed stand-alone free falls as separate attractions with an additional ticket price. Many of these
Free falls arrived at a time when aerial adventure park operators were search- ing for ways to expand their offerings
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