For theme parks, 2024 was the best year ever
Revenues, number of admissions and opening days are on the rise but average expenditure per person is slowing down
3' min read
3' min read
A record season for theme parks. It is the 2024 season that has seen an increase in the number of opening days with the lengthening of the season as well as an increase in ticket sales with the growth in turnover in the sector. Thus, the turnover exceeds 300 million, reaching 306.6 million (+1% on 2023) due to the increase in the number of visitors, which slightly exceeded 21.1 million (+7.4%), while the number of days of activity marked a +4.9% to 22,836 thanks to the themed events organised for Halloween, Christmas and Carnival. The moderate growth in revenues can partly be explained as the side effect of more inclusive pricing policies adopted in recent years, which have favoured the expansion of the catchment area. The average unit value per visitor fell slightly (-6%) to EUR 14.5 compared to almost EUR 15.5 in 2023. This increase differential between visitors and turnover, accompanied by a drop in the average unit value per visitor, can be explained by more inclusive pricing policies adopted in recent years, have favoured the enlargement of the catchment area.
On the supply side, the park companies invested 220 million this year, the first tranche of a plan with a budget of 500 million over the three-year period 2025/2027.
"Amusement parks are evolving: the offer is being enriched with shows, concerts, DJ sets and temporary attractions, and is aimed at an increasingly intergenerational public, and the numbers for 2024, the best year ever for the sector, confirm this," explains Maurizio Crisanti, director of AssoParchi. "As AssoParchi, we hope that the institutions will understand and accompany this evolutionary path, contributing to the development of a shared vision, oriented towards the experience economy.
Summer is synonymous with the high season and between June and August almost two thirds of all admissions and expenditure are concentrated. This figure is influenced by the opening of water parks, whose activity is highly seasonal. Of particular note is the performance in December, which, in the face of a more restrained offer, because the numerous water parks are closed, records the highest average daily attendance rate of the year, with 1,514 visitors per day, surpassing even August (1,164), testifying to the growing effectiveness of Christmas theming.
"The SIAE 2024 data reinforce the centrality of the amusement park industry in the national tourism scenario. Growth is not an extemporaneous fact, but depends on a coordinated development and investment strategy that focuses on innovation, deseasonalisation, and quality of the experience," recalls Luciano Pareschi, president of AssoParchi. "We have believed and continue to believe in the cultural, social, and economic value of parks as places capable of generating induced activity, employment, and international attractiveness. The 2 billion euro overall economic impact is concrete proof that this sector is not only mature, but strategic for the growth of the country, the quality of life of its citizens, and the tourism industry".
