Wet'n'Wild Sydney visitation hits other NSW attractions

The Sydney Morning Herald has reported that the summer success of the Wet'n'Wild Sydney waterpark has caused a decline in visitor numbers at other NSW attractions.

The new waterpark, which boosted Village Roadshow profits by almost $6 million in its first few weeks of operation, sold more than 160,000 season passes, worth $12.5 million in revenue, before its opening on 12th December.

With more than 400,000 guests passing through the gates of the western Sydney water park up to the end of January, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Chief Executive Ken Morrison as saying that Wet'n'Wild Sydney had caused a decline in visitor numbers at other attractions.

Morrison stated "some of our attraction members have reported that they've seen a dip in some of their trade because of the opening of Wet'n'Wild (Sydney)."

Morrison declined to name specific members, althought the Herald cited that TTF counts Luna Park Sydney, Merlin Entertainments' Sydney Aquarium, Ardent Leisure (which owns Dreamworld and Whitewater World on the Gold Coast) and Village Roadshow (owner of Wet'n'Wild Sydney as well as Sea World, Movie World and Wet'n'Wild Waterworld on the Gold Coast) as members.

He added that the success of Wet'n'Wild Sydney "may mean that some families decide not to take a Gold Coast trip because they're getting that experience right at home."

Locally, Jamberoo Action Park Executive Director Dax Eddy said that Jamberoo had recorded a 12% year-on-year decrease in visitor numbers so far this season.

Eddy explained "we can attribute that to Wet'n'Wild."

Explaining that the rival park's success is due to the "pent-up demand" for a waterpark in Sydney since the closure of Wonderland Sydney in 2003.

Despite the drop in visitor numbers at Jamberoo, Eddy welcomed the competition, adding "in the long term, it grows the market.

"There are currently 2.5 million people going into Queensland from other states to visit theme parks, the NSW market makes up a big portion of that.

"So the ability to expand on attractions like the Sydney Aquarium, Wet'n'Wild and Jamberoo means we can stem that tide of people leaving to Queensland to get that experience there."

19th February 2014 - WET’N'WILD SYDNEY BOOSTS VILLAGE ROADSHOW PROFITS