Making a sustainable change to the future of theme parks and attractions

Authors: Wim Strijbosch and Klaus Hoven are lecturers of the Attractions & Theme Parks Management track at Breda University of Applied Sciences.

Change and challenges
While ecological concerns such as climate change and biodiversity loss are the most apparent, there are numerous other intricate developments that threaten the sustainability of our environment, society, and governance. Demographically, advanced nations are grappling with issues stemming from an ageing population and declining birth rates, which affect labour markets, healthcare systems and pension schemes. Economically, high inflation and rising living costs are pressing issues, compounded by significant economic disparities between countries. Socially, newer generations (e.g. generations Z, alpha, and beta) introduce different value systems, leading to notable shifts in leisure and tourism behaviours. Technologically, challenges such as the digital divide, cybersecurity threats and the rapid evolution of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and its myriad applications pose significant concerns. Additionally, current geopolitical tensions influence many of these aspects in turn.

From a co-creative path together with the themed entertainment and attractions industry, executed as part of the development of a master’s programme on sustainability within themed entertainment (see case 3), it came to the fore that immediate concerns encompass alterations in rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, heatwaves, floods, droughts, and fires, alongside issues related to inflation, energy costs, interest rates, and political instability. Furthermore, a boost in visitor numbers has heightened the demand for employees, resulting in a notable labour shortage across all professional levels. Many attractions are worried about the availability of skilled labour and employee retention. Over one-third of operators foresee a reduction in available labour for 2025 (IAAPA, 2024). Europe is also experiencing a natural outflow of attraction leaders and executives due to retirements, with small and medium-sized family-owned facilities facing challenges in business succession. Regarding the current labour pool expectations over the next six months, particularly for professional and managerial staff, 23% of regional IAAPA members (i.e. IAAPA, the Industry Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, is the themed entertainment and attraction industry’s leading industry association) anticipate a decline in available candidates at this level (IAAPA, 2024).

Awareness of these sustainability issues has grown rapidly in recent years, but relatively nascent actions are still being taken to address these concerns. Industry platforms strive to highlight these issues annually by showcasing best practices, such as during the IAAPA Expo Europe Sustainability Day, IAAPA’s initiative to award sustainability programmes at an exclusive IAAPA Honours event or Blooloop’s online/virtual Greenloop conference.

Analysis of the sustainability actions and ambitions of attractions
Beyond these more event-based and thus anecdotal efforts, an independent study conducted by Camurri Fiães in 2024 analysed the sustainability actions and ambitions of attractions more systematically using publicly available information from operators, manufacturers, and suppliers, as well as sustainability reports, websites, and webinars. The study revealed that leading operators do align their goals with the UN Global Compact principles or the Sustainable Development Goals. Following the ESG framework (Environmental, Social and Governance framework), the analysis categorised theme parks into three ambition levels: beginners, influencers, and shapers. Shapers have comprehensive ESG initiatives, influencers focus on Environmental, and beginners on Social. Of the 622 initiatives identified, 6% fall under Governance, 41% under Environmental, and 53% under Social. Yet Camurri Fiães (2024) also observed that while some theme parks offer effective and inspiring solutions to major industry problems, there is still much progress to be made in sharing best practices and the knowledge underlying these practices. His study emphasises the importance of collecting more data and creating a shared database to support data-driven decisions. This aligns with a broader consensus that companies should collaborate towards a greener future, as shared efforts benefit everyone.

Cases from BUas’ Attractions & Theme Parks Management track
BUas’ Attractions & Theme Parks Management track has several initiatives aligning with the industry-wide promotion of sustainability efforts and the dissemination of knowledge on the subject matter.  As an interfaculty initiative, it integrates insights from the leisure, tourism, and hospitality domains to enhance cross-domain collaboration. Below, we are highlighting three cases: 1) the hackathon that is part of the minor programme on Strategy & Design for Themed Entertainment, 2) the newly developed Industry Challenge that is part of the Attractions & Theme Parks Management curriculum, and 3) the development of the Master IDEAS: an Erasmus Mundus master’s programme that is currently under development and which is dedicated towards sustainability in themed entertainment and attractions. Through these cases, among many others, the Attractions & Theme Parks Management track hopes to contribute to the collaborative effort of the themed entertainment and attractions industry towards a more sustainable future.

Case 1: Hackathon
For three years in a row now, a three-day hackathon is being organised as part of the minor programme on Strategy & Design for Themed Entertainment. During the minor track, students attend courses on business management, sustainability, and futures and foresights related to the themed entertainment field. The hackathon, a co-creative effort between BUas and IAAPA, with the latter acting as a commissioner, puts that freshly gained knowledge to the test. Students work in groups to develop a future-proof concept for a theme park, water park or zoo, with sustainability and ethics at the core. Students analyse existing organisations and trends, conduct research, and create a prototype that emphasises sustainability and ethical development. During a final showcase event, students present their concepts to a panel of both industry experts and representatives as well as academics, and include presentations and workshops on business models, future visions, and strategic design, demonstrating BUas’ Attractions & Theme Parks Management’s commitment to providing the themed entertainment field with innovative and sustainable practices.

Case 2: Industry challenge
The Attractions & Theme Parks Management track traditionally included only one practical work placement. Over the past year, the curriculum has been updated to include an additional regular industry assignment. This new assignment connects students to the industry by embedding them in small project groups within organisations to create sustainable engagement reports. Students have been positioned in various themed entertainment organisations across Europe and work on tactical-/strategic-level projects, applying their knowledge of stakeholder management, change management, and sustainability. The course emphasises co-creation with the industry, encouraging students to collaborate with companies and stakeholders to develop and implement sustainable strategies. The project, linked to an earlier Innovative Organisations & Engagement course, ensures that theoretical knowledge is applied in real-world settings, turning preaching into practice.

Case 3: Master IDEAS
BUas is currently developing an international master's programme in attractions and theme parks management, collaborating with Universitat Rovira I Virgili in Spain, Universitá IULM in Italy, and various industry partners. The IDEAS programme (Innovative Design for themed Entertainment and Attractions for Sustainability) focuses on tourism, hospitality, entertainment, leisure, sustainability, and international business management. It aims to prepare students for senior and executive roles in the themed entertainment and attractions industry. IDEAS emphasises sustainability in both corporate strategy, business management, and creative leadership as core modules. While sustainability is a core focus in shorter-term courses such as in cases 1 and 2, the IDEAS programme is a two-year master’s weaving sustainability into every aspect, aiming to produce executive-level professionals who can put their knowledge into practice at top levels in the themed entertainment field to make a meaningful contribution to the future of the industry.

Sources
- Camurri Fiães, J. (2024). How future-proof is the current commitment to sustainability of the European attractions and theme parks industry? (bachelor’s thesis). JNELC and Breda University of Applied Sciences.

- IAAPA (2024). Q4 2024 – Quarterly outlook survey. International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

- TEA/AECOM (2023). TEA/AECOM 2023 theme index and museum index: The global attraction attendance report. Themed Entertainment Association.

This article was published in Uncover Magazine 9 - Meaningful Leisure Experiences.