Global attractions report shows theme parks, waterparks and museums heading towards full recovery

2022 marked a return to normal for many attraction operators around the world, who, according to the latest edition of the TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index, reported annual attendance or revenues - and sometimes both - at par or even above pre-pandemic levels.

Providing information on the world’s most-visited theme parks, water parks and museums, the 17th edition of the annual publication showed that, although regional differences varied in 2022, many of the world’s theme parks, waterparks and museums moved towards full recovery as pandemic restrictions were relaxed and pent-up demand for location-based entertainment (LBE) was released.

Sites across the world took advantage of these market conditions to attract impressive numbers of visitors. In areas such as North America and Europe, average attendance figures were close to 100% of 2019’s record numbers.

Commenting on the findings, John Robinett, Senior Vice President of AECOM’s Economics and Advisory Practice, stated “2022 has proven that people are craving experiences with family and friends, which is fuelling the near-total recovery for many parts of our industry.

“The pandemic has ushered in a renewed focus on the guest experience, and savvy operators are already taking advantage of the efficiencies new technologies and trends are providing.

“That resulted in some operators seeing 2022 revenues that exceeded 2019 levels, even though attendance often lagged slightly behind. In fact, with continued strong demand, we expect to see even more growth in attendance and revenue for 2023 and beyond.”

However, in China pandemic lockdowns increased throughout most of 2022, affecting attendance in the country itself and in other markets relying on Chinese tourists.

Commenting on this, Beth Chang, Executive Director of AECOM’s Economics Practice for its Asia region, noted “with China now reopened and travel starting to pick up, we expect 2022 was the final chapter in this region’s recovery story."

Asia-Pacific - Theme Parks and Waterparks
While much of the world saw a steady pace of recovery from 2021 into 2022, the story in the Asia Pacific region was more nuanced. Taken as a whole, the region’s numbers were essentially flat, but there was great disparity between different countries.

Outside of China, pandemic restrictions were relaxed for nearly the entire year, resulting in impressive increases over 2021. Within China, lockdowns were more prevalent than before, drastically impacting park numbers.

Chang explained “because of the continued downturn in international tourism, parks in the Asia-Pacific region carried over lessons learned from 2021 in attracting local visitors."

Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) - Theme Parks and Waterparks
Less reliant on tourism from outside the continent, European parks showed resiliency in recovery. Added together, the attendance figures for 2022 show a 98% recovery rate compared to 2019 numbers. Waterparks also did particularly well, although indoor parks suffered slightly with closures due to Omicron early in the year. Still, Waterparks recorded attendance at an impressive 96% of pre-Covid numbers.

Jodie Lock, Associate Director of Economic Development with AECOM’s Europe and India region, advised “the EMEA region appears poised for great success in 2023.

“Continued reinvestment in the parks, along with a notable regional focus on sustainability initiatives, is likely to drive attendance for the foreseeable future.”

The Americas - Theme Parks and Waterparks
In the Americas, the story in 2022 was about pandemic attendance recovery and increased per-capita spending. Revenues often eclipsed pre-pandemic numbers thanks to operators focusing on improving the guest experience through attendance caps, pricing adjustments, technology to control queue times and more. Waterparks performed nearly equally as well, benefitting from continued pent-up demand and a good weather season.

Museums
Museums around the globe were challenged by Omicron restrictions at the start of 2022, but the situation improved dramatically for most facilities as the year progressed. Europe and North America saw numbers return to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, but Asian museums only got to 40%, largely due to Chinese lockdowns affecting big cities.

Major museums worldwide, relying on a mix of international and domestic visitors along with local residents, continue to feel the impact of delayed international tourism recovery. Pre-pandemic tourism levels in most major cities are projected to return by 2024 or 2025.

Similar to parks, museums are placing renewed focus on the visitor experience.

While attendance continues to be driven by special exhibits, many museums are investing in their permanent exhibitions to make them more immersive and engaging. Museums are also more keenly aware of their role in communities, and the expectations that go along with that. Efforts to expand diversity in the workforce and visitor population continue, as do programs that take the museum’s mission outside its traditional campus.

Linda Cheu, Vice President with AECOM’s Economics + Advisory practice, explained “we see visitor attention spans decreasing, and museums are making changes to adapt to this reality.

“In order to remain relevant, museums are developing their facilities to create interactive and educational spaces where people can spend time together with family and friends. It’s a recipe for success not only for museums, but for visitor attractions the world over.”

The Report
TEA International’s Board President Melissa Ruminot of Nassal said the annual study “provides valuable data and insight into our industry” and is “the basis for countless reporting and feasibility studies, supporting further industry growth”.

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), a non-profit representing compelling places and experiences worldwide, has released its latest global attractions attendance report.

AECOM is the one of the world's leading infrastructure consulting firms, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from planning, design and engineering to program and construction management.

The 2022 TEA/AECOM Theme Index and Museum Index is available to download from the TEA website and AECOM website.

Click here to view a copy.