Adventure Park Insider Fall 2016 by Beardsley Publishing

TRENDING # new_products # how_to_handle_incidents # zip_line_design # managing_burnout # and_much_more

Adventure Park Insider Finding the right builder: The devil is in the details, so make sure you and your bidders are talking the same language.

FALL 2016

Booking Software: An overview of what’s available now, and what’s coming in the near future.

PARK SPY ASKS, “IS YOUR PARK SAFE?”

E T T E R F R O M T H E E D I TO R S

The following was published Sept. 3 on the Adventure Park Insider Facebook page from the folks at Adventura in Washington: “Full Disclosure: Reading Park Spy is one of our guilty pleasures. Kira is still waiting for them to call, but in the meantime, here’s our answer to the question, ‘What happens if I get up on the course and I freeze?’ “Our philosophy at Adventura is ‘Challenge by Choice.’ That means it is YOUR choice what level of challenge you experience at Adventura, and it is the role of our staff to support you in that, whether that means giving you ninja warrior-level challenges on every element, or telling you silly pirate jokes on the greeting deck while you hug a pole. … We pride ourselves on our ability to help you achieve just a bit more than you believed you could, whether that is taking one step onto the cargo net or completing a challenge that first seemed impossible. And if you find yourself in a spot you just can’t get out of, our staff can bring a participant back to a platform or lower them all the way to the ground from any point on the course. “By the way, what’s a pirate’s favorite letter? We’ll give Park Spy the punch line as soon as she calls.” We appreciate your sense of confidence, Adventura. And we love your answer. However, Park Spy aims to put the person who answers the phone on the spot. He or she must handle our question spontaneously, with no time to craft a well thought out answer—like the one above—unless he or she is already prepared for it. You can see how parks handled this issue’s question on p. 20.

And Kira—you’re officially not immune. The next call you get could be from Park Spy. We shall C. For more fun stories, industry news, and interactions from readers like you, connect with us on Adventure Park Insider’s Facebook page. Let us know what you think of Park Spy, and anything else we cover. Speaking of Park Spy, this issue’s question—How do I know your course is safe?—is one that adventure parks and zip line outfits have probably been hearing recently. This stems, in part, from national media coverage of recent incidents at amusement and water parks. The headlines have surely gained the attention of lawmakers—and their constituents. Which means the pressure is on for increased oversight of outdoor recreational activities. That leads us to risk management and how to manage the story following an incident, which are covered in “Gravity Sucks” (p. 22) and “How to Handle an Incident” (p. 28). Risk management is also front-of-mind for ACCT’s new executive director Shawn Tierney. Learn more about the association’s leader in the Insider Interview, p. 58. Speaking of learning: The growth of this industry has happened so fast it’s been challenging for anyone to keep up. How many zip tours are there in North America? How many aerial adventure parks have opened in the last two years? To find out, we’re launching an all-out data collection program. Our goal is to compile a vital resource for the industry. Watch for our survey in the coming weeks, and please take the time to complete it. The more data we collect, the better a resource it will be. After all, as the inscription on the statue in “Animal House” says, “Knowledge is good.”

—The Staff at Adventure Park Insider

3 Fall 2016

I Spy With My Little Eye … Several operators have confessed how much they enjoy reading “Park Spy,” which inspired our cover photo. Some use Spy as a tool to train staff, others read it just for fun. But until now, none have said they look forward to getting a call from the Spy.

ADVENTURE PARK INSIDER We go where you go...

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All the articles from the magazine plus fresh online content posted regularly.

EDITORIAL OFFICE P.O. Box 644 Woodbury, CT 06798 Tel. 203.263.0888 / Fax 203.266.0452 Email: Olivia@adventureparkinsider.com Website: www.adventureparkinsider.com Publisher Olivia Rowan olivia@adventureparkinsider.com Editor Rick Kahl rick@adventureparkinsider.com Senior Editor Dave Meeker dave@adventureparkinsider.com Associate Editor Liz Mettler liz@adventureparkinsider.com Digital Editor Sarah Ebbott sarah@adventureparkinsider.com Art Director Liz Mettler liz@adventureparkinsider.com Production Manager Donna Jacobs donna@adventureparkinsider.com CONTRIBUTORS Scott Baker Moira McCarthy Julia Barrero Peter Oliver Aaron Bible Michael R. Smith April Darrow Don Stefanovich Catherine Doucette Paul Thallner Sarah Ebbott SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR Paul Cummings

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ADVERTISING/MARKETING OFFICE 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. 508.655.6408 / Fax 508.655.6409 Advertising Director Sharon Walsh sharon@adventureparkinsider.com Marketing Manager Sarah Ebbott sarah@adventureparkinsider.com CIRCULATION / SUBSCRIPTIONS 70 Pond Street • Natick, MA 01760 Tel. 508.655.6409 / Fax 508.655.6409 subscriptions@adventureparkinsider.com Circulation Manager Sarah Ebbott sarah@adventureparkinsider.com A subscription to Adventure Park Insider is COMPLIMENTARY to industry professionals. Visit our website, www.adventurepark insider.com and click on “Subscribe” to make sure you are on our list to receive the publication and online content. ADVENTURE PARK INSIDER — Vol. 2, No. 3, Fall 2016, published by Beardsley Publishing Corp., P.O. Box 644, Woodbury, CT 06798. Copyright 2015 Beardsley Publishing Corp. All rights re served. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Beardsley Publishing, P.O. Box 644, Woodbury, CT 06798.

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VOL. 2 | NO. 3 | FALL 2016

CONTENTS

Find the Right Builder

A Sense of Place

The Dog Days of Summer

3 Letter from the Editors Park Spy, managing risk, and research.

22 What Can You Say in a Crisis? How well do parks handle the media after an incident? Four recent examples provide ample food for thought. By Skip King

42 Trends and Insights Five operators offer their perceptions on a changing business landscape. By The Editors

Advice on key considerations for choos ing a compatible and able partner. By Paul Cummings

8 Park Briefs News from around the adventure park world. A Staff Report 14 Park 360 Making parks accessible to those with disabilities has become a growing trend. By April Darrow 16 New Products The latest in harnesses, zip line brakes, the debut of the AirSurfer, and more. By Liz Mettler 20 Park Spy In which we ask, “How do I know your park is safe?” Not all answers are reassuring. By Sarah Ebbott

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ON THE COVER A little apprehension is not a bad thing when your guests are up in the trees, but how well do you reassure fearful callers that the actual risks are quite low? Our Park Spy puts customer service on the spot. » 20 Photo: Liz Mettler

For many operations, location holds the key to a park’s identity. By Marty Basch

28 How to Handle an Incident Accidents happen. What you do before, during, and after can greatly influence the final outcome. By Cameron Annas 30 How Did You Get Here? There are many routes to becoming a player in the adventure park business. We look at six very different paths taken. By April Darrow

How to avoid or overcome burnout? Several parks discuss strategies. By Moira McCarthy

50 Digital Booking Mobile and online booking are becoming ever more essential. Here’s an overview of what’s in store, now and in the near future. By Samantha Rufo 53 Zippy Designs Zip lines and tours remain a competitive but growing field. What makes each one unique? By Peter Oliver 56 Shawn Tierney The new executive director of ACCT talks about his past and where ACCT is headed. By Rick Kahl

READ MORE ONLINE If you see this symbol, you will find additional information at adventureparkinsider.com. You’ll also find our online-only columns—Insider Management and Insider Marketing—plus more Park 360, Park Briefs, and New Products.

Providing services in consulting, designing, construction, inspections, training & operations, and parts & products for: • Zip Line Canopy Tours • Super Zip Lines • Aerial Adventure Parks

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American Adventure Park Systems installed the 11-zipline course at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia. The installation includes zip lines and suspension bridges featuring American Adventure Park Systems’ QuickTrekker closed-belay system.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE ADVENTURE COURSE INDUSTRY

Above and Below: The new ropes course at the Hattiesburg Zoo in MIssissippi features a four-story attraction with 27 unique elements.

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Amicalola Falls Installs Zips Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia, home to one of the highest cascading waterfalls east of the Mississippi, is now home to a new zip line course by American Adventure Park Systems. The installation features 11 zip lines and three suspension bridges.

park at Unicoi State Park. Phase one at Unicoi was completed in May 2016, and features nearly a dozen zip lines of varying heights and lengths, enabling guests to reach speeds of up to 30 mph.•

The zip lines range in height from 60 feet to 250 feet in the air, and range in length from 75 feet to 1,000 feet. The suspension bridges link the 11 zip lines and keep guests between 20 and 100 feet in the air, overlook ing the fantastic views the park offers. The course is designed with American Adventure Park Systems’ QuickTrekker closed-belay system, which enables participants to move through the course without disconnecting from the belay line at any time.

Hattiesburg Zoo Opens New Ropes Course

Amicalola Falls State Park added several other new activities about a year ago, including 3-D archery with targets shaped like bears, deer, and raccoons; GPS scavenger hunts; and survivalist camps. At the time, the park offered a small zip line used for group teambuilding exercises. After a steady stream of visitors expressed interest in zip lining, Coral Hospitality, the company that manages the state park and lodge, partnered with American Adventure Park Systems to meet the demand for zip line excitement.

The Sky Trail Explorer course features increasingly challenging elements as participants work their way up through the levels. For children under 48 inches tall, or for those who are a little less daring, the Sky Tykes platform stands three feet off the ground, making sure there’s a little adventure for everyone.

“American Adventure is the perfect partner for us to continue expanding our Adventure Lodge program in Georgia, as they share our commitment to preserving the environment while creating fun, memorable experiences for visitors of all ages,” says Heath Carter, regional VP of sales and marketing for Coral Hospitality. Coral has contracted with American Adventure Park Systems for its entire Adventure Lodges of Georgia program, which includes a second aerial adventure

The Hattiesburg Zoo in Mississippi celebrated the grand opening of its High Ropes Adventure Course in August. Designed by Ropes Courses, Inc., the attraction is four stories tall with 27 unique elements.

Elements include lily pad bridges on the lower level courses, moving up in difficulty to X-nets and rope bridges. The Hattiesburg course also features the infamous “Walk the Plank,” a six-inch-wide standalone beam that protrudes seven feet out from the course. Participants walk out and turn around hands-free for a bit more of a challenge. “The zoo took advantage of unused space in a unique, exciting, adventure-based way,” says Marissa Ticknor, sales manager at Ropes Courses, Inc. “The third level of the Sky Trail gives a great scenic view of the zoo, and an aerial overlook of several of the nearby animal exhibits. It’s a whole new experience that will attract both new and existing Zoo members.”•

2017 ACCT Conference: The Search for Adventure The 27th Annual International Association for Chal lenge Course Technology Conference & Expo will take place Feb. 2-5, 2017, at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Ga. It will serve up a mix of workshops, certification courses, and trade show under the theme, “Search for Adventure.” The conference opens with keynote speaker Jonathan Ronzio. An adventurist, international speaker, and entrepreneur, Ronzio is best known for directing and starring in the award-winning adventure philanthropy documentary, “Between the Peaks.” Workshops will be offered in three tracks: Canopy/Zip Line Tours, Facilitation & Programming, and Industry & Business. Workshops will begin with pre-conference programming on Feb. 2, running throughout the conference, and following up with post-conference workshops on Sunday, Feb. 5. >> continued

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ACCT will offer several certification courses as part of the pre- and post-conference activities. These include: • OSHA 10 Hour Construction Course • Petzl PPE Selection, Inspection, & Management: Competent Person • Wood Pole Inspection & Safety • Commissioning: It’s Not an Inspection, It’s a Process • Machine Operator Certification Course • The Fundamentals of Rigging • ACCT Inspector Certification Prep Course & Exam Those interested in the ACCT Inspector Certification program are encouraged to visit www.acctcertifica tions.com to determine their certification eligibility. Scholarships are available, and will cover conference registration fees and a pre-conference workshop. Those wishing to apply must demonstrate an intention for a continued career in the challenge course field, interest in projects that contribute to the challenge course industry above and beyond employment in the field, demonstrate a passion for the industry, and a need for financial assistance. Scholarship applications are available at www.acctconference.com. The 2016 conference brought nearly 1,100 builders, educators, and challenge course, zip line, and adven ture park operators to Lost Pines, Texas. The 2017 conference could exceed that figure.

WAIT, THERE’S MORE! Check out other current and recent news of park openings, developments, and more in the “Park Briefs” pages at adventureparkinsider.com.

Granite Insurance Offers New SOAR Program Zip line and aerial adventure operations that meet certain criteria can qualify for Granite Insurance’s new SOAR Program. The program is designed to reward and recognize “elite” operators in the United States who continuously invest in the latest risk management practices and safety products, and who thus reduce the likelihood of injuries and incidents. “The key to this program is developing an ongoing risk management relationship with the operator, and not just an insurance transaction,” says Cameron Annas, Granite’s adventure sport risk consultant.

Operators must meet several requirements to qualify. Among them: the operation must use a continuous or smart belay system; the course construction must be ACCT accredited (if it is/was built by an ACCT PVM, then it receives exempt status) and have engineered construction plans; each guide must participate in 40 hours of third-party training annually; and an ACCTcertified inspector must perform an annual inspection. The company says this is the first program that provides incentives for operators to invest in a smart belay system or continuous belay system. To those that qualify, it also offers many coverages that are excluded under current programs in the industry. In addition, SOAR Program accounts will receive risk management consultative services and ongoing support. •

Registration for the 2017 conference is available online at www.acctconference.com. •

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National Ability Center Makes Adventure Accessible The National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, may be the ultimate expression of accessibility for those with disabilities. The 26-acre ranch is home to equestrian arenas, hiking and mountain biking trails, an archery range, and a unique challenge course. The Center offers alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, horseback riding, indoor rock climbing, swimming, cycling, archery and, of course, aerial adventure. All are designed to ingrain self-esteem, confidence, and lifetime skills through the Center’s sport, recreation, and educational programs. For those who suffer a debilitating event, the National Ability Center’s challenge course is one facet of an overall program that builds self-confidence and focus es on possibilities instead of dwelling on what can no longer be done. “Being able to participate and tackle obstacles from our challenge course helps people lift themselves to another level, inspiring them to conquer

Above: The National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, is a 26-acre ranch home to equestrian arenas, hiking and mountain biking trails, an archery range, and a unique challenge course. The course is operated by an expert staff and is offered to individuals of all ages and abilities. anything in their life,” says Gail Loveland, the Center’s executive director. The challenge course is operated by an expert staff certified in leading inclusive, adaptive challenge course experiences. Individuals of all ages and abilities can take part. To eliminate any feelings of isolation for

individuals with disabilities, friends and family mem bers are encouraged to engage in activities alongside course participants. Instructors can use a 4:1 pulley system to allow those with profound spinal cord injuries or limb differences to participate in high ropes teambuilding. A large,

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suspended bridge feature, wide enough for a person using a wheelchair to roll across, provides a feeling similar to walking on high ropes cables. The National Ability Center also can provide a specialized harness for individuals with spinal cord injuries or for people with bilateral above-knee amputations with little to no residual limb. Among the Center’s programs is the Full Moon Challenge Climb, in which small groups of participants find their way through the challenge course lit by moonlight and a colorful array of glow sticks. Other programs include a series of day and overnight camps tailored to individuals with disabilities: Camp X-treme and Action Camp for teens with physical disabilities, and Crusaders and Adventurers camps for youth with cognitive disabilities or on the autism spectrum. The Center plans to expand its challenge course in the near future to include even more accessible elements designed for participants with varied limitations.

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For more on the growth of accessible zip lines and aerial adventures, see “An Accessible Universe,” page 14. •

Calls For Regulation Growing Louder The extent to which states manage the oversight of outdoor activities—including amusement rides, water rides, and rafting, as well as zip lines and aerial adventure parks—has come under fire as of late, with media outlets calling for greater oversight and easier public access to operator safety records. Following the death of a 10-year-old boy on a massive waterslide in Kansas, the Associated Press published a series of reports that highlighted how much regulations of such activities vary from state to state. One of the reports, titled “Thrill-ride accidents spark calls for more oversight,” quoted an amusement park safety consultant as saying, “Fifty states in the United States of America and no two inspect rides the same way. That’s wrong.” It went on to point out that six states—Mississippi, Alabama, Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Utah—have no laws that require inspections. The overall message was unmistakable: more oversight is needed. Even so, the articles have also noted that regulation can be an expensive responsibility for states to assume. One report cited laws enacted in Tennessee

following the 2004 death of a 51-year-old woman at an “unregulated roadside amusement park.” The laws required operators to have insurance, permits, and inspections. However, by 2014, a state audit found the ride inspection unit was failing. In response, the state ended its inspections altogether, and relied on operators and other states’ regulators. This change came to light after an unregulated Ferris wheel broke and seriously injured three little girls at a county fair in August. Before any of these reports surfaced, though, some ae rial adventure park and zip line operator consortiums, such as statewide groups in Ohio and Wisconsin, were already proactively engaging legislators in their respective states to help develop practical regulations. And ACCT (and PRCA, for that matter) have been working with the appropriate jurisdictions as they grapple with rules and regulations for adventure park businesses and how to enforce them. It’s likely that such efforts will become more commonplace as states try to determine the safety of outdoor activities—and protect the public who participates in them. •

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An Accessible Universe: Parks adapt for those with disabilities.

By April Darrow

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly one in five people in the U.S. have a disability. That’s about 56.7 million people—more than half of whom classify their disability as “severe.” For the most part, this large population has been excluded from the recreational pursuits that able-bodied folks take for granted. But in the adventure park business, that is changing, as these reports from our online Park 360 (adventureparkinsider.com) show.

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Everybody’s Playground: Mike

Fischesser, owner of Beanstalk Builders, is passionate about accessibility. A few years back, he convened a group of accessibility experts to design a truly accessible playground. The results came to fruition in January, when the “Everyone’s Beanstalk Playground” opened at Catawba Meadows, N.C. The playground is filled with rope events, slides, tree houses, and other typical playground-type elements. At least a dozen of the 40 elements

Accessible Zips: Accessible access is not legally required for most zip lines, because zip lines were not specifically addressed when standards were being developed for amusement rides in the early 2000s. And since zip lines lack a conventional seat, many operators are granted an ADA waiver due to the nature of the activity. But some zip line operators have created some clever solutions for accessibility nonetheless. Here are three examples.

Camp Twin Lakes: Camp Twin Lakes are universally accessible, including a wheelchair swing that allows users to ride without exiting their chairs. Ramps allow wheelchair access to a central platform that is eight feet off the ground. The playground’s design is also welcoming to the hearing and visually impaired, as well as kids with autism and Asberger’s. Fischesser says the new playground has received a lot of interest, and Beanstalk has already devised three different sizes/versions of it for prospective clients.

in Rutledge, Ga., provides weeklong camps for kids with serious illnesses, disabilities, and other challenges. It teaches campers to overcome obstacles and boost their confidence. The camp worked with Signature Research, Inc., to develop a ropes course, zip lines, climbing wall, and a giant swing, which are all accessible. “We want to be able to help every child adapt to the setting and be able to accomplish those challenges,” says Josh Cagliani, senior camp coordinator.

Treetop Trekking devised this accessible zip line for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto, then adapted the concept for the new Skywood Discovery Zip Line in the 1000 Islands.

The climbing wall has three climbing routes and an open back equipped with a stairwell to the top platform. Campers can reach the top of the wall using ascenders and other tools, or climb the stairs to the top platform and ride a 600-foot zip line over a lake. Campers unable to make the climb are assisted to the top platform using a 4:1-pulley system. They are hooked in from the ground and raised to the platform, where staff members assist with the transfer onto the zip cable. The zip lines at CTL Rutledge are set up on a hydraulic system that gives CTL staff the ability to lower campers to the ground or directly into their wheelchairs. At CTL Will-O-Way, another CTL campsite in Winder, Ga., campers can be hooked in from the landing point and be reverse-hauled to the starting platform. They can then either release themselves or have a CTL staff member release them down the cable.

Treetop Trekking: The 2015 Pan Am and Para Pan Am Games in Toronto featured a temporary, accessible zip line installation. Treetop Trekking designed the zip to meet the Accessibility for

WAIT, THERE’S MORE! For the complete Park 360 park profiles go to adventureparkinsider.com.

ground and designed for people with reduced mobility, or people who require mobility aids.

Gatorland’s Gator Gauntlet: After Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) standards. Inspired by the zip line’s popularity, Treetop Trekking included an accessible zip line at one of its newest projects: Skywood Eco Adventure Park in the 1000 Islands of Ontario. The Pan Am zip line featured two 400-foot-long cables strung between scaffolding towers. Zippers needed the capacity to transfer themselves into a reclining chair, where they were secured into a sit harness that featured a special brace to provide stability and eliminate the need to steer. Once the rider was secured in the harness, Treetop Trekking staff used an electric hoist and pulley system to raise participants up the 60foot launch tower. Riders were then transferred to the zip cable and sent flying over the Toronto waterfront to the opposite tower. There, a second hoist system lowered riders back to the ground. Skywood’s Discovery Zip Line is a standalone zip built 10 feet off the

three years of testing prototypes, the accessible Gator Gauntlet opened in 2016. The 350-foot zip line soars over a breeding marsh that’s home to 130 alligators. Riders must have enough strength and mobility to transfer into the harnessing chair, or have a caregiver assist. As with Treetop Trekking’s sit harness, a spacer bar provides added stability. An accessible ramp leads to the launch deck, where riders are attached to a chain hoist that raises them out of the wheelchair. Staff members transfer the rider to the zip cable and, using a quick-release carabiner, send them zipping over the marsh to the landing platform on the other side, where a chain hoist lowers them into a waiting wheelchair. These varied experiences show that accessible zips (and ropes courses as well) can make sense for select operators. As one CTL Rutledge camper said, “I may not be able to walk, but I can fly.” Not many other businesses can bestow such a gift.

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^ Several drones captured the soft opening of Everyone’s Beanstalk Playground and its accessible features last January.

NEW PRODUCTS _______________________________ Adventure Park Insider rounded up five new products for adventure park operators, aimed at boosting operational efficiency, pleasing guests, and providing a better allaround experience.

Check out Adventure Park Insider’s entire list of new products and trends at www.adventureparkinsider.com/new-products.

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The completely redesigned ADG Mountain Slide sports several improvements. First, the track itself is now constructed of non-abrasive fiberglass. This material improves track performance and provides a smooth surface that heightens the sensation of speed, and helps reduce the type of injuries inherent with older, poured concrete slides. The redesigned track has deeper channels that improve maneuverability and rider control. New sections will integrate perfectly with existing tracks, so operators can easily upgrade older slides in phases. At the same time, ADG’s revamped mountain sled adds rear wheels that follow the curvature of the track and eliminate fishtailing, while a patented speed restrictor increases guest safety without negatively impacting rider enjoyment.

The Back Stop is the latest device in Koala Equipment’s continuous belay system range. It can be used to control the Pouliz trolley when descending: Positioned at the top of stairs, the Back Stop prevents the Pouliz from unintentionally sliding backward on the continuous belay lifeline. Children must open the gate to let the Pouliz through. Also, placed at regular intervals on the stairs, the Back Stop will prevent the Pouliz from weighing children down on the stairs. To control the Pouliz when ascending: When positioned at regular intervals, it can help children climbing up stairs, and prevent them from being dragged down the stairs by the weight of the Pouliz. Also, when positioned at the beginning of the continuous belay system, it prevents the Pouliz from sliding backward off the lifeline and hitting a participant. Note that the Back Stop is not a safety device, and cannot replace a fall arrester.

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INDIANA FULL HARNESS Kong Italy, which has traditionally manufactured climbing and technical rescue harnesses, has entered the adventure park market. The Kong Indiana Full harness is designed specifically to meet the needs of adventure park operators. It has six separate adjusters, which allow the harness to easily fit a wide range of body types—both children and adults. Leg loops of contrasting colors and a single attachment point for the shoulder straps speed up the “harnessing” part of the orientation process. The Indiana Full carries the EN 12277 certification and is backed by the standard three-year Kong warranty. Other Kong harnesses for adventure parks include the Ektor for guides, and the Gogo for children up to 80 pounds. >> continued

NEW PRODUCTS Ride Entertainment and TAIT Towers have partnered to design and fabricate AirSurfer, said to be the first automated standing and turning zip line on the market. AirSurfer has the ability to automatically climb and descend hills, turn corners, and accelerate to speeds up to 34 mph on straightaways. Built in the USA, AirSurfer is fully adaptable to fit any site that is not suited for traditional zip lines. Its wireless control system maintains proper distance between vehicles and controls the speed of each vehicle. It’s available in three different vehicle models and offers custom-designed course layouts that fit any property. Ride Entertainment first announced the concept of the product at the 2014 IAAPA Exposition and began working with TAIT shortly thereafter. Over the next two years, the companies collaborated to re-conceptualize and redesign AirSurfer. The newest incarnation made its debut at the 2016 IAAPA Asian Attractions Expo in June.

AIRSURFER

Bonsai Design has developed a Cal-OSHA approved brake shuttle for canopy tours and other field-fit dual-cable zip line systems. “[The brake] prevents the need to install huge, costly spring stacks, and the accompanying long decks that usually go with them,” says Bonsai Design CEO Thaddeus Shrader. The brake is designed to be an emergency back-up installed on the upper cable of a dual-cable system, allowing the primary braking system to operate independently. The redundant brake system is designed for use with threeeighth-inch jacketed cable and half-inch super swage cable. Its attachment points make it adaptable for use within a variety of brake systems, and can be designed with an automatic counterweighted return system, which requires no user input to reset.

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BRAKE SHUTTLE

PARK SPY THE QUESTION: I have seen a lot of zip line accidents on the news. How do I know your course is safe? High-profile incidents have caught a lot of media attention in recent months, so we wanted to see how parks respond to a nervous guest who needs reassurance. We include seven Spy missions here; you can see all 10 at adventureparkinsider.com. Have a question we should use for Park Spy? Send it to Sarah Ebbott (sarah@adventurepark insider.com). If we use your question, your park is immune for that issue.

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PARK #1, NC First Contact: Female. API: Stated question. Staff: Umm, a lot of the places that have accidents like that are normally places that aren’t checked or certified or anything like that. We are fully certified; we check our lines before every trip. The guides go out and check the entirety of the course before the first trip even goes out. API: Is there staff out there with us on the course? Staff: You do have guides with you the entire time. They are there to guide you, help you with your equipment, and make sure you are properly attached. The guides sandwich you. You will have one guide that goes out first to check the line and make sure it’s clear, and he’ll wait on everyone to come across. The second guide will be the one that helps everybody get hooked up to the line, umm, to double-check everything, to be there if anyone needs any help. Once everyone has gone across then he’ll go across. So they check the lines first thing in the morning, the lead guide checks the line as he goes across, and you have the second guide to ensure that you are attached to the line properly. They’re there for you 100 percent. API: That’s great. Sounds like the guides have it under control. Staff: Yes ma’am, they’re extensively trained and are there to help you out when you need it. Are there any other questions I can answer for you? Would you like to book a time to come zip with us? API: Thanks, I am going to talk it over with my family and then I will call you back. Staff: Great. Score: 8 Comment: Started a bit on the defensive, but then came around well.

PARK #2, CO First Contact: Automated machine. Chose operator. Answering Phone: Male. API: Stated question. Staff: Safety is our number one focus and we work very hard to ensure that the risk involved in participat ing in the activities we offer is as low as possible. API: Great, what kind of steps do you take? Staff: I’d have to ask. API: …OK. Staff: Well, the risk is part of the fun, right!? Haha! API: Well— Staff: (interrupting) So when were you looking to book a tour? API: I think I will talk it over with my family first and then give you a call. Staff: Great! (Click.) Score: 3 Comment: Started to sound like he knew what he was talking about, then made a joke of the fact he didn’t. Not funny.

PARK #3, LA First Contact: Female. API: Stated question. Staff: (Long, quiet pause) Ummm, the zip line? You’re in a three-stage harness, most zip lines only have like one line, ours has two. We do a two-pulley system, ummmmm, and we do a back-up line, too. It goes through the carabiners and it hooks back up to the top so there’s, like, lines over. API: OK, so the second line is a back-up line? Staff: Like, yeah, you have a lanyard, which is hooked to a set of pulleys, and then you’ll have an extra, like…

it’s on the same lanyard, but it’s on an extra line that we hook back up, and then we hook it on there and hook it on top. API: I— Staff: (interrupting) It’s like an extra, like uh, like an extra, like a back-up. API: It— Staff: (interrupting) But you won’t need it, it’s like really, yeah. API: It all— Staff: (interrupting) But yeah, we, like, do it every day. We check it every day. API: Is there someone out there to manage all this equipment? Staff: Yeah, you’ll have two guides that go with you, the lead guide and the sending guide. The lead guide will go out first and while the lead guide is hooking you up, he’ll, like, send you out to the lead guide. And the lead guide will stop you. You don’t have to hold on, you don’t have to touch anything. API: OK, so it’s all on the guides to take care of everything? Staff: Mmmmm, all you do, it’s like a big swing. (Silence…) API: OK, I will talk it over with my family and give you a call back. Staff : ...OK, hmmmm bye. Score: 2 Comment: Utter confusion made worse by continuous interruptions.

PARK #4, KY First Contact: Male. API: Stated question. Staff: Well, you know, uh … well, we check the zip

Score: 3 Comment: Did he make me feel like the park was safe? Nah, nah, not really.

PARK #5, ID First Contact: Female. API: Stated question. Staff: That’s a great question. Nothing is 100 percent safe, but we make your safety a priority on course. What I can do is start at the beginning and tell you about our whole course and how it’s set up. Umm, it is a canopy tour, which means it goes from platform to platform that are built into the trees. Each platform has a cable to hook into, made of the same cable as the zip lines. Each line is made out of steel cable that is, like, strong enough to send a car across, hehe. It’s a fully guided tour, so your guides are responsible for clipping you in and out. They brake you at the end of each line so that you are coming in at a controlled speed. You are really not responsible for anything on our course aside from listening to the guides and fol lowing their instructions. I know with one of the more recent incidents that happened they were given a short safety lesson and then sent out on the course on their own. That is the major difference between that course and our course, because we have those two guides who are just with your tour, they’re focused on you the entire time, and they’re trained to do everything the same way every time so there is not a missed step. There is a lot of routine and a lot of repetition in the way that we do things so that we make sure every single thing is done the right way every single time. Does that help? API: Yes, absolutely. Staff: Well good, I’m glad. Zip lining is an amazingly fun adventure and it’s very safe when you listen and pay attention to the guides who lead you through the course. API: Fantastic, thank you so much, I will talk it over with my family and give you a call back. Staff: Great, we’ll be here and look forward to seeing you soon. Score: 9.5 Comment: An honest, clear, and detailed explanation. Well done!

PARK #6, NM First Contact: Male. API: Stated question. Staff: Well, that’s a trick question. (Silence…) API: How so? Staff: Well, because it’s not safe, per se. (Silence…) API: OK, but what kind of equipment or procedures are in place to make it safe-er? Staff: We have highly trained guides who will keep an eye on you as you make your way through the course. If they see anything unsafe, they’ll call you out on it. API: It’s nice to know there are monitors, but how do I know what is safe or unsafe? Staff: Well, they’ll tell you before you go on the course, but it’s kind of common sense…like, don’t do anything stupid. API: (getting exasperated at this point) OK, I’ll tell my family not to do anything stupid. Staff: Great, what day would you like to book? API: I need to check with them first and we’ll call you back. Staff: Sweet. Score: 2 Comment: No, so not sweet. You know what else is common sense? Don’t patronize your guests.

PARK #7, BC Answering phone: Automated machine. Chose operator. First Contact: Female. API: Stated question. Staff: Sure, I have seen a lot of those incidents in the news, too. How old are the kids looking to come? API: They’re teenagers. Staff: Great, let me place you on a brief hold and I will get you to the right person. (Holding…) Second Contact: Male. API: Re-stated question. Staff: You bet, that’s a good question. There was an unfortunate incident recently that we are well aware of. So, on our course we have a very extensive training program that all of our guides go through. They spend the better part of two weeks doing very intensive training and then constant certification throughout the course of the season, which includes gear training, safety standards training, specific training to the element that they are working on; so they are very specialized to the areas that they are guiding. As far as our courses and equipment goes, we do daily inspection of all of our gear before anything goes out on the course, and we perform inspections of our course every single morning. We then do a

more in-depth technical inspection monthly of every single nut, bolt, etc., and address any problem that comes up immediately. We keep detailed records of all of those inspections, of course. Our personal protection equipment, harnesses, carabiners that we use, all of that stuff goes through constant inspections, and we retire equipment on certain deadlines, even if we don’t see any issues with it, just to make sure we always have the newest and best-condition gear in place. Umm, yeah, what other information would help you be a little more comfortable with us? Other than that, we consider ourselves to be at the forefront of the industry on the safety standard side of things. The risk management side of it for us is obviously a hyper-critical part of our business. API: That’s super helpful. One of the things we were most interested in doing is the zip line. Can you provide any more information on the tour? Staff: The zip tour is a ton of fun. I assume you are asking about the safety end of it, though? API: You got it! Staff: So we have two guides that go out with you, and they are responsible for clipping you in and out of the zip line. We actually ask the guests not to touch any of the equipment. The guides are there to make sure that the gear is attached properly, and they are placed at either end of the zip line to make sure that you get off the first platform safely and onto the second platform safely. API: Fantastic. Staff: Is there anything else I can answer to put your mind at ease? API: No, thank you. I will talk it over with my family and give you a call back. Staff: Excellent, it would be great to have you. Score: 10 Comment: From start to finish, that’s how it should be handled. Did you know I was the Park Spy? Identity Revealed: WildPlay Element Park, Kelowna, B.C.

DEBRIEF: Anytime there is a nationally publicized incident, regardless of what actually happened, it makes people nervous. Have an open dialogue with your team, talk to them about incidents, and make sure everyone on your staff uses it as a learning experience. It’s not just helpful for guides to understand what to look for on your course and, in certain cases, what to do differently; it’s also useful for your staff who answers the phone. They are the first point of contact, and should have the ability to reassure guests about the safety measures taken at your course. If this info is not delivered in a clear and confident manner, it’s likely that guest will not be your guest.

21 Fall 2016

lines every morning. Inspection and safety is the number one thing around here. (Silence…) API: OK, is that inspection done by your staff or by someone else? Staff: Well, the third party inspection is done every six months, and me and the boys check it every morning. API: OK, is there anything else I should know safe ty-wise before sending my family out on your course? Staff: Nah, nah, not really. API: OK, then I will talk it over with my family and give you a call back. Staff: Buh bye.

Recent incidents suggest how best to respond when things go wrong.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY IN A CRISIS? The incident itself was bad enough. The customer who fell is in tough shape, his family is already talking to an attorney, your staff is freaked out, and the media—hoping to latchon to a trend or find something that hasn’t already been reported elsewhere—hasn’t given you a moment’s peace. So, what are you supposed to do now? There’s no gentle way to put this: despite our best efforts, failure in the adventure park environment happens, and it can be fatal. The media coverage afterward can have a significant impact on your operations. How can you minimize that impact? Let’s look at some recent serious incidents involving aerial adventure operations to see how the operators managed the stories.

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ON SPEAKING TERMS In preparing this assessment, we did not speak with any of the operators. Our comments are based solely on news items obtained online, informed by extensive experience in communi-

cations and journalism, and reflective of exactly the information presented to the public by news media. Key to our assessment is looking at how personnel at the impacted operations interacted with the media, the types of information they provided, the way they provided it, and how they were quoted. There’s an art to ensuring that news items include the points and statements you want them to include, and that art comes with training and practice. You don’t just wing it in other aspects of your business, and shouldn’t do that in dealing publicly with serious incidents, either. CASE #1 When: May, 2016 Location: Arizona Apparatus involved: zip line Victim: 17 year old female Victim status: deceased Incident synopsis: The victim was taking part in a high school ROTC training exercise. Before launching, she announced her intention to unclip from her harness part way down the zip line and drop approximately 60 feet into the river below—an activity news reports suggest was something of a ritual with

BY SKIP KING, REPUTATION STRATEGIES, LLC Skip has been managing crises

and high-visibility incidents for more than 25 years. He serves as crisis communications counsel to the Outward Bound organization, and has provided crisis communications training, planning and support to numerous clients. students. In fact, organizers had a diver in the water below the zip line. When the victim fell, she failed to surface and the diver couldn’t find her. Her body was recovered several hours later by a Sheriff’s Office dive team. Coverage assessment: News coverage of this incident remained localized and was over quite quickly, which, for all parties involved, is preferable. When negative stories carry on for days, real reputational damage gets done. But the reporting itself was sloppy and left out key information that almost certainly could have been found if reporters asked the right questions—including who actually owned and operated the apparatus, and what sort of training and supervision was provided to participants. Incidents like this almost invariably involve law enforcement personnel, and where possible, it’s generally a good idea to let law enforcement do most of the talking with regard to specifics of the incident. We say “generally”

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WHAT CAN YOU SAY? because not all law enforcement offices have skilled spokespersons. But part of a successful emergency communications planning process includes establishing good relationships with your local law enforcement public information officer (or officers). If you do that, you’ll at least gain an understanding of their capabilities. In this case, a chief deputy of the local sheriff’s office served as spokesperson, and did a competent job of describing the incident. The other story quote came from the superintendent of the victim’s high school, who did an okay job of expressing concern and compassion (C&C) for the girl’s family (we’ll discuss C&C statements in more detail later).

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However, the superintendent also disputed the sheriff’s office statement that there was precedent for students intentionally unclipping. Given this disagreement between the two parties, it’s surprising that the press moved on so quickly after the incident. Statements by law enforcement spokespeople are generally given the benefit of the doubt by the public, and it’s extremely risky— for a number of reasons—to challenge them, unless you know for a fact that they got it wrong. And in that case, it’s usually better to have an offline discussion and have the agency issue the correction itself. Based upon the handful of news items covering the incident, one could surmise that law enforcement actually got it right. Whether this is true or not, a shade of doubt was cast upon the information shared by those responsible for speaking to the incident. When that happens, it often makes the situation worse. CASE #2 When: May, 2014 Location: Hawaii Apparatus involved: zip line

Victim: 29 year old female Victim status: deceased Incident synopsis: The victim was an employee working on a landing tower. A guest came in fast, hit the compression spring system and bounced back out over the edge of the platform. The victim attempted to keep the guest on the platform by grabbing him, but his backward momentum pulled her over the edge as well. She was not wearing a lanyard, and held on for several minutes before losing her grip and falling more than 100 feet into the ravine below. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Coverage assessment: This story received a lot more coverage than our previous example, and more broadly; news reports were generated both in Hawaii and in the San Francisco area, from which the victim had recently moved. The story was revived five months later, when OSHA announced fines against the operators of the attraction. It also got some attention from a legislator. The operators of the zip line declined interview requests and instead distributed a statement by email. It’s always your right to do this, but be forewarned: doing so can make you look evasive and overly scripted, and that’s what their statement looked like to us, at least as it was presented in the stories. Let’s examine it, as it was covered: “The [company name] expresses its condolences and sympathy to those involved in today’s tragic event,” the statement said. “We especially offer our deepest aloha and prayers to the family and friends of our co-worker [name of victim] at this difficult time. We are working in full cooperation with the [name of] Police Department’s ongoing investigation.” Now, there are some things we like about this, and some that we don’t. Let’s start with the inclusion of the C&C—the expression of concern and compassion. You almost always need one following a serious accident, and they will often be quoted in the stories, at least partially. The statement itself is OK, but could be stronger. Google “our thoughts and prayers are with the family” and see how many hits you get. Ah, we’ll save you the trouble. It’s more than four

million, which means it’s a cliché, and clichés on the heels of a tragedy usually sound insincere. Even many PR pros can trip up on this. Effective C&C statements come from the heart. Creating them is a skill that can be taught with a little training. Suffice to say: if “thoughts and prayers are with the family” is the best you can do, run with it. We suggest you learn to be as authentic as possible. This operator took a step in this direction, localizing its statement with the “aloha,” so it’s certainly better than some we’ve seen. We also liked the statement of cooperation with the local authorities (when the cops are involved, that’s just as important as the C&C). At the same time, the statement feels—to us, anyway—a bit canned, and that’s one of the shortcomings with sending prepared statements. They tend to come off as defensive and copied from a PR textbook. Mind you, distributing prepared statements is sometimes your best of several difficult options, and we won’t second-guess the operator here. We’ll simply note that an actual quote—properly planned and delivered verbally—is almost always better, if you have the training and skills to deliver one. CASE #3 When: April, 2016 Location: Mexico Apparatus involved: zip line Victim: 36 year old female Victim status: recoverable injuries Incident synopsis: The victim was on a zip line excursion from a cruise ship, though apparently did not book it through the cruise line. During her fifth zip, some form of apparatus failure caused her to fall into a tree-covered gorge. She came to rest suspended upside down in the tree canopy and was rescued by operations staff. She returned to her ship, and sought medical treatment when she returned home. Coverage assessment: Here’s a great example of how NOT to handle news of a major incident at your facility. The operator wasn’t entirely forthcoming— or accessible—for most of the news reports. >> continued

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WHAT CAN YOU SAY? When that sort of thing happens, the press will turn to whoever will speak with them—and in this case, that was the victim, her husband, and another couple who were nearby. All were pretty shaken by what happened, so the story was heavily slanted their way. Maybe that was appropriate. One news outlet did manage to corral the manager of the operation, who didn’t exactly help the cause, telling the outlet that “the zip line did not detach or break. Instead, a cable support mechanism failed.” The manager went on with this direct quote: “It got weak in some way, and that’s what made it drop lower than normal. I believe it was a slow drop.”

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Feeling reassured yet? We’re not. Remember what we said about it almost always being better to deliver a quote verbally—if you have the training and skills to do so? In this case, a well-written statement would clearly have been much better, especially given the language differences between the locations of the incident and the coverage. Hint: it’s a good idea to know where to find skilled translators if you regularly deal with customers from non-English-speaking nations, just in case you have to deal with foreign press. CASE #4 When: August, 2016 Location: Delaware Apparatus involved: multi-element high ropes course Victim: 59 year old female Victim status: deceased Incident synopsis: The victim was most of the way through a multi-element ropes course when she fell approximately 35 feet from a platform between elements. She was transported to a local medical facility, where she died a short time later.

Coverage assessment: The operator of the attraction has multiple venues both in the U.S. and in Great Britain. As a result, this incident produced significant coverage on both sides of the Atlantic, with the more sensationalist reporting in the UK (where sensationalized newspapers are more common than they are in the U.S.). In our view, the operator did a lot of things very well. They immediately shut the venue and, in conjunction with law enforcement, began a comprehensive evaluation to determine the cause of the tragedy and thoroughly inspect all of the rope course elements—and made sure the news media knew they were doing these things. The handling of the story was competent. We didn’t like their C&C statement—it was verbatim “thoughts and prayers with family.” But they correctly emphasized their cooperation with outside agencies and, even more importantly, were quoted as refusing to speculate on the cause in the early stages. That’s exactly the right thing to do. It can take a while to get a clear picture of what happened, and anyone who starts suggesting causes without definitive proof does so at their own peril. The most interesting aspect of the company’s handling of the story was the release of a statement several days post-event, in which it said that despite having completed the mandatory precourse training program, the victim had herself unclipped both of her safety lanyards prior to her fall. Making such a statement can be risky on several levels. First, there’s equipment available that makes it extremely difficult for a user to double-unclip (though it’s probably safe to assume that most of the news media is unaware of this). The type of equipment used at the park never became a major part of the narrative. Second, the release of that information by the company itself can easily give the impression that it was blaming the victim— and at least one social media response to the story suggested exactly that. When releasing information that places responsibility for major accidents on

others, be they victims or suppliers, it’s almost always better if it comes from a third party viewed by the public as credible—such as law enforcement or a state agency—rather than from a company trying to protect its own reputation. But that’s not always possible. Sometimes, the investigations by those agencies can take months to complete, and even longer to disseminate. So based upon the reporting, we’d say the operator’s decision to release this information was probably appropriate, because it was based on the statements of eyewitnesses (who presumably provided the same information to law enforcement). Even so, we’d caution that you not release information like this without first discussing it with your insurance carrier, your liability defense counsel, a qualified crisis communications specialist and, hopefully, the PIOs of relevant government agencies. Any or all of them might have a very good reason for killing your story, even if you know it to be true.

CONCLUSIONS: Stuff happens, even to the best-run businesses. Adventure parks are popular in part because they present guests with a lot of perceived risk within what’s actually a reasonably controlled setting. But though the actual risk of catastrophic accidents is low, they still happen. Besides, it’s not just about people falling. Your snack bar could be the source of an outbreak of food poisoning; one of your staffers could be accused of sexual harassment or racial discrimination—many different events could cast your park in a bad light. Optimally, you should have a detailed emergency communications plan—one that addresses both news and social media—and a sufficient number of trained senior staffers to ensure that you can cover a breaking bad-news story at any time. But at a minimum, we recommend that you identify public relations counsel with experience in managing these types of stories, and establish a relationship long before anything happens.

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There are several steps you should take after a guest is injured in your park or tour.

HOW TO HANDLE AN INCIDENT ^

BY CAMERON ANNAS, GRANITE INSURANCE

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Often, it’s how people are treated after an incident— and not because of the injury itself—that determines whether or not they file a lawsuit.

How your guests react to an incident at your park depends greatly on how you educate them during your safety briefing and on the course itself, as well as how you treat them after they have experienced an incident. If you handle your customers with all the care and respect you can, that will often minimize your public relations and financial hit.

courses, because the speed guests travel through aerial parks is significantly slower than a traditional zip line.

impact (especially for larger participants), point this out ahead of time so they know what to expect.

Even though these incidents are typically less severe, they should be treated with an equal sense of urgency. It is often the small incidents that aren’t properly documented and managed that come back to bite you.

Beyond that, of course, it’s important to document the details of any incident. This is useful in case a participant brings a lawsuit, and to help you spot any patterns that suggest a need to adjust your practices and/or training.

EVERYDAY ACTIONS Educate your participants. Your participants should never think that your activity or experience is completely risk-free. There is inherent risk in this industry, and your participants should be aware of this prior to setting out on your course. During ground school, and prior to leaving the first platform, make sure your participants understand that this is an inherently risky activity. Your guides should repeat this message while on the course or tour, also.

Manage expectations. By educating participants ahead of time on inherent risks and pointing out unique tendencies of your course, you are managing their expectations. As a result, you can completely change their response and actions following an incident, from “Holy cow, this is unsafe!” to, “Oh yeah, I remember you said something like this could happen.”

INDUSTRY INCIDENT TRENDS At zip line courses in 2016, we continue to see that most incidents involve impact with a tree or a platform. These claims typically result in broken ankles/ legs or head injuries. The cost of these claims can be significant, especially if they are not handled properly. Most of the incidents that have occurred at aerial ropes courses in 2016 involve dislocated shoulders and twisted ankles. On average, these claims are less severe than the injuries on zip line

There are certain unique and consistent tendencies that happen on your course and with your equipment. Educate your participants about these tendencies so they are prepared for them. For example, if you have a QuickStop braking system that causes the participants’ legs to fly upward toward the trolley after

Emergency evacuation plans. Some incidents are serious enough to require a speedy response. Therefore, plan and rehearse your emergency evacuation plan. The last thing you want is for your guides to be unprepared in the event of an emergency. POST-INCIDENT ACTIONS First priority. Please remember, the most important action is to provide prompt and immediate medical attention to the injured participant. This is by far the most critical step. Sunset rule. Make it a priority to always report injuries to your insurer before sunset on the day of the incident.

Incident reports. Beyond the medical and evacuation response, and reporting to your insurer, prepare a detailed written report of what happened. This should be completed, and a copy sent to your insurance company, within 24 hours. Include photos and diagrams of the incident or site if possible. If the incident involves a potentially costly injury or loss of property, it’s wise to call your insurer and discuss what happened so they are well informed. Your insurance company does not penalize you for reporting incidents! Write it all down. In addition to describing the details of the incident in your report, make sure that you include anything the participant says. Some things that the injured participant says can be very important. For example, if he says, “I can’t believe I injured my knee again. I thought it was better from my last injury,” this is relevant and should be documented. It shows there is a reoccurring injury that did not originally come from the activity on your course.

Who’s paying for this? If the participant asks about your insurance, more specifically whether it will pay for the injury or cover his health insurance deductible, it is best to be non-committal. You might say, “I am not sure how this process works, but I can look into it.” Never voluntarily say that your insurance company will pay for the medical costs, health insurance deductibles, etc.

ticipant and ask how he or she is doing. If the guest went to seek medical attention after leaving your facility, inquire about the status of this medical visit, including any results that were found. Record all this information in your accident report. Do not admit negligence or accept responsibility at any time during the process, but be sure to express your condolences for the person’s injuries.

FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS Hospitality. Often, it’s how people are treated after an incident—and not because of the injury itself—that determines whether or not they file a lawsuit. So there’s no harm, and potentially a lot of good, if you go over the top to show them how much you care.

We recommend sending the injured participant a small gift basket or flower arrangement with a personal note wishing a speedy recovery. You could even include some complimentary tickets, if appropriate, so the guest can come enjoy your experience again and build more positive memories after he or she is feeling better.

Stay in touch. It’s important to follow up with a guest after he or she has been involved in an incident at your facility. By showing concern for your guests’ well being, you make a suit less likely. Plus, it’s valuable PR for your company. In general, three to seven days after the incident you should call the injured par-

Digest the incident. Review the incident in your staff meetings. Is it part of a pattern of incidents? Was there something that could have prevented it from happening? Talk about what happened, and explore things that could be done differently going forward.

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Turns out, there was life before adventure parks.

HOW DID YOU GET HERE? BY APRIL DARROW

Today’s adventure park industry is filled with friendly and familiar faces. But have you ever wondered how they got here? From sales to sailing to the military, we talked to six key players about life before and since venturing into the industry, and what they’ve learned along the way.

and started doing teambuilding with one of the first high-speed zip lines in the U.S.

NOW

Describe your learning curve. We mostly learned by experience. We started with teambuilding, but could see that adventure was quickly becoming the new vacation experience. People were looking for experiential things to do with their families. We didn’t know about ACCT or PRCA until we met Dan Pervorse, who at the time was president of ACCT. Dan helped us with some of our first lines. When it came to working out the operations end of the zip line tour, Dan said, “Mike, at this point, no one knows more about it than you!”

You bought the land where Banning Mills sits in ‘98. What motivated that? We looked at the property more as a prospect to develop it. But when we came to see it, Mike said, “We need to move here.” When we bought the property, it was in bad shape. There was a clubhouse and Olympic pool that had black water and things that moved under the water. We moved into the clubhouse, began clearing the property, and found old roads and ruins. We finally hired a local historian to help us, because by then we were renovating, adding lodging, and working on the teambuilding course and zip lines. We opened in 2000 as a bed and breakfast

How about now? We have 57 rooms, 65 RV sites, tent camping sites, and five family cabins. We also have seven tree houses. We have added on to the zip line course and have more than 10 miles in the trees, with four half-mile lines and a 3,400-foot line included. We have a Guinness world record for the largest course. We have three suspension bridges over 600 feet long over the gorge, and the tallest freestanding climbing wall in the world (150 feet). We have a 100-foot free fall and three aerial adventure parks all on site. We also do horseback riding, teambuilding, kayaking, and have a day spa. We have four meeting venues and our own onsite

THEN

THE BUSHWACKERS

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Mike and Donna Holder (as told by Donna) Owners, Historic Banning Mills, Whitesburg, Ga. Describe your professional life before the adventure park industry. Mike retired as a lieutenant colonel serving with the Active U.S. Army/Reserve and National Guard. He started in the infantry and went on to be an Army Ranger and, later, a commissioned officer, and medevac. He also served in military intelligence, and aviation, where he flew OV-1Ds and helicopters. He also ran a residential and commercial construction company. I worked as an RN for 25 years and assisted with the construction company. How did these skills translate? Zip lines have been used in the military forever, so Mike was super familiar with them. And the construction experience—it all kind of went together.

How has the industry evolved? I think the trend has been teambuilding moving to zip line canopy tours to, now, aerial adventure parks with multiple things to do. I think one big change is closed belay systems and away from transfer systems. Parting thoughts? I think the main point in getting to a specific place is starting with what you have, capitalizing on that, constant evaluation, and willingness to accept change. If you realize things are not static, and you look for what you can improve and add to what exists, then you can keep effectively moving forward.

THE ARCHAEOLOGIST Sam Giffin Outdoor Adventure Supervisor, Forest Home, Forest Falls, Calif.

THEN

NOW Describe your professional life before the adventure park industry. I worked for the state of Kentucky’s Archaeological Survey. A lot of our dayto-day work was task-driven, washing artifacts and curating in the lab, and surveying fields. The work environment was very antisocial—most of my peers worked with headphones on—and not people-driven. It was very draining. What prompted your move to adventure parks?

I had a quarter-life crisis and decided to move to the Bay Area, where I had interned in college. I worked for a non-profit called Serve the Peninsula that provided PE to schools. When the program lost funding, I applied to be an intern at a camp and conference center called Mount Hermon. After my internship, I taught environmental education and started working for Mount Hermon’s Redwood Canopy Tour. I was drawn to the aspect of connecting with people and connecting them to nature. And, it’s fun. When your work is play, it makes it easy to work. How did your skills translate? Archaeology can be very detail orientated. Small details on a section of pottery can dictate if it came from one culture type or another. I think the same can be said of inspection and construction in the adventure industry. It can be easy to miss a crack in a carabiner’s gate or a buckle on a participant’s harness. What sort of challenges did you face? Did anyone serve as a mentor? The biggest challenge was going to a totally new industry with no educational background and having to learn from scratch, which is actually a very freeing experience once you embrace it. I had two women who set great examples at Mount Hermon: Holly Hoeksema, who was the challenge course manager at the time, and Josie Shafer, who was the canopy tour manager. What are you doing now? I oversee all of Forest Home’s outdoor adventure activities, trainings, inspections, and staff. Forest Home offers teen, child, and family Christian camp summer and winter programming. Our facilities are available to the public if they would like to be part of a retreat, but not to day-use guests. Any advice for someone getting into the industry? One of the best parts of our industry is that there are so many knowledgeable people who are willing to help and grow others who have a desire to learn. Creating connections and not being afraid to ask questions of those who may be more experienced and knowledgeable has been extremely beneficial to me.

THE EUROPEAN AGRONOMIST Bahman Azarm Founder and President, Outdoor Ventures, Fairfield, Conn. (Bahman hails from Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland)

THEN

NOW Describe your professional life before getting into this industry. It was all about speaking French and having a MS degree in agronomy, which has to do with soils and agricultural seeds. I worked with USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) in West Africa. In the U.S., I started working with my father-in-law in construction, eventually running a residential and commercial construction company, until Outdoor Ventures started demanding my time fully. What introduced you to this industry? I went back to Switzerland for a high school reunion, and one of the activities was a trip to this strange place called “Parc-Aventure.” It was my introduction to the Swiss-style adventure park concept. My family was with me on the trip, and the climbing experience transformed my daughter. She gained new appreciation for the outdoors and it increased her self-esteem. The activity left such an impression on me that after many months home, I decided to go back to Switzerland and try out as many adventure parks as I could. It turned out that the first one was by far the best, and it happened to be owned by a friend of a friend. They were delight-

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chef. We also have six (other) parks, and more to come.

HOW DID YOU GET HERE? ed to be asked to come to the U.S. to design and show us how to build and operate a park. That was in 2008. Tell us about bringing components of European parks to the U.S. Knowing that Swiss ropes course construction methods might be different than what was practiced in the U.S., I asked a then-local ropes course builder to help us build our first park. From the beginning, it became evident that not only were we going to be considered deranged for wanting to build a 120-element ropes course, but that the Swiss style of building was not yet understood here, so I had to arrange for several tests to show that Swiss-style cable connections and their respective strength were strong enough. How did you grow OV? Outdoor Ventures’ first park at Catamount Ski Area was a big hit, and other

ski resorts started asking whether OV could build a similar park for them, starting OV’s building division. It quickly became clear that the U.S. adventure park business was about to start and essentially follow the path it had taken in Europe. OV’s second park, The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring Friends School, made me realize that I wanted to build and operate as many parks as possible during the next 15 years. That was six years ago. OV has built about 30 parks to date and owns nine. This year, we decided to concentrate on running our own parks and no longer build for others.

THE SAILOR Chris Robb Adventure Park Assistant Manager, Mount Sunapee Resort, Newbury, N.H.

THEN

Any advice for someone getting into the industry? The best advice I can give to builders or operators is to remember who your client is, the person that will be experiencing the finished park—whether it’s the average person who has little or no previous ropes climbing experience or the experienced climber. We are always thinking about what the climber experiences—where their head is as well as their feet.

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HOW DID YOU GET HERE? Describe your professional life before getting into this industry. I have worked in a wide variety of jobs, including sales, sailing, construction, and food and beverage. My favorites were definitely construction and teaching sailing. What introduced you to this industry? I was looking to get into a job that involved fun, energy, and more reliable hours. I started looking at the same time that Mount Sunapee was hiring for the adventure park. It sounded like a fun job where I could utilize some of my previous skills. It’s definitely one of the best decisions I ever made. What was your first job in the industry? It was canopy tour guide at Mount Sunapee. I started the week before we opened our canopy tour, the first of our adventure park attractions here. I managed to hold that job for about six days before I was promoted to assistant

operations supervisor for the park. How did your skills translate? The knowledge of ropes, knots, and rigging systems from my time sailing has helped me immensely in understanding and improving the rope systems we use at Mount Sunapee. Almost every day I use many of the teaching methods and styles that I developed from teaching sailing to train employees, help guests, and foster development in our staff. The time I spent in ROTC and a few Army schools also taught me a lot about leadership and motivating people, both of which are absolutely critical in this industry. What are you doing now? I’m currently the assistant manager of the adventure park; my primary responsibility is the operations side. We offer a canopy tour with eight zip lines, an aerial challenge course with 32 obstacles on four levels of difficulty, a challenge tower with three 30-foot climbing walls, and an airbag jump with two levels. Any advice for someone getting into the industry?

I would say remember to focus on the “awesome.” There are always some tough situations and difficult days, but there are many more awesome things that happen in this industry. We recently had a young man with a prosthetic leg complete our entire aerial challenge course. This is just one of those amazing moments that will stay with me forever. The biggest reasons I get excited for work every day are the awesome experiences and the excitement we can share with our guests.

THE LIFER Rusty Rice Aerial Park Manager, Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures, Canandaigua, N.Y. What introduced you to this industry? I got my start in the outdoor education and adventure education side of the industry. My roots are in Scouting. I started working at my local Scout camp in the Adirondack Mountains at age 15, working my way up to the rock climbing director position. In my bachelor degree studies, I started doing more outdoor

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aerial park manager is working with kids to get over their fears on their first climb, and having an “office in the trees.”

HOW DID YOU GET HERE? education and worked on my first challenge course with the YMCA in 1993 on Lake George, N.Y. I found my niche in challenge course facilitation. The bulk of my career was with Outward Bound, where I worked mostly as a sailing instructor but was also a site manager for the climbing and challenge course. Did anyone serve as a mentor to you in the beginning? Kenis Sweet trained me on my first challenge course at a YMCA outdoor center. He is now the staffing manager at Adirondack Extreme and has been a great resource for me. Also, Bob Bavis was my boss at Reachout Expeditions, and in positions prior to that. He was also my professor in a graduate adventure-based education program and became a good friend.

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What are you doing now? I work full time for Bristol Mountain

THEN

NOW Aerial Adventures. As the park manager, I balance my time out in the park with my guides and my administrative responsibilities. I conduct staff training, guide, assist climbers, and oversee inspections and maintenance. Prior to this, I worked at several courses simultaneously, going to whichever one had a group booked. My favorite part about being an

How have you seen the industry evolve? I have seen the adventure park industry become more mainstream and regulated. When I started, courses were just on college campuses, some schools, camps and outdoor centers, used for their educational value. Now they have grown into large-scale parks with appeal to those with more of an adventurous mindset. In both cases, courses have always been a lure to get people outside and active. Any advice for someone getting into the industry? Diversify. Larger parks have water parks attached, horseback riding, corporate teambuilding, ecotourism … the more skills you have, the more that you can offer an employer. ACCT credentials are key now, more so than when I started. That will put you right to the top of the hiring list.

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^ Two Bonsai Design creations: A nest built into a zip line course at Ijams Nature Center, Ky., and (inset) a suspension bridge at Broadmoor Seven Falls Soaring Adventure in Colorado Springs, Colo.

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FIND THE RIGHT BUILDER When choosing a company to build your adventure park, there are several considerations to ponder.

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So you’ve decided to build an aerial adventure park—congratulations! You are about to embark on a fun and exciting journey into the world of adventure business. But you’re not on your own. There are plenty of firms out there whose job it is to help you on your quest—and you’re going to need them. One of the most critical partnerships you will make is with the firm you select to build your park. Not only are builders typically the largest expense as you open your park—making up around 50 to 60 percent of startup costs—but they will also impact how much hair you will have left on your head after your park has been built. So, how do you pick the best one?

First, let’s start with design. Actually, scratch that. The first thing you should do is go out and experience as many aerial adventure parks as you possibly can. Honestly, this is one of the most fun and exciting parts of opening an adventure park. This is how to learn what you like and don’t like about existing operations. Pick the best parts from each, and figure out how to combine them to create a quality experience for your eventual participants. Be sure to climb on different types of parks as you explore the wide variety of existing designs. Ideally, these will include tree-based parks, wooden polebased parks, steel pole-based parks, indoor parks, hub-and-spoke designed parks, and linear trail parks. Yes, this

will likely involve travel outside of your market and geographic area. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Talk to staff and guests at each park and find out what they like. Be sure to also ask them what they would change about that particular park, and why. Aerial park personnel are usually a pretty chatty bunch, and you should be able to glean a wealth of information from them. If you are not visiting a potential direct competitor of yours, you should also talk to the owners, and find out what their experience has been. Once you’ve researched different parks (and probably found some new muscles you didn’t know you had), it’s time to start the task of finding the right builder for you. WHAT DO THEY BUILD? No two builders build the exact same thing. This is why it is so important to

One of the most critical partnerships you will make is with the firm you select to build your park. best one?

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So, how do you pick the

Find the Right Builder __________ visit and climb on a few parks designed by different builders. Even if the basic design is the same (tree-based, polebased, linear, hub-and-spoke), there will be subtle differences on everything from the height of the belay cables to the shape of the zip line landing platforms. Participant equipment will vary as well. Different builders use different harnesses and belay systems. And then there’s the eternal question that all adventure park operators will eventually ask: helmet, or no helmet? Only by visiting numerous parks will you really gain an understanding for what each builder is “about.” HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE? We’re talking about the time it takes from signing the contract to opening day. The time frame provided by your builder may seem reasonable, but keep in mind there are often delays in the rest of the process that can stall your build. Financing, zoning, permitting, and weather delays are the most common contributors to unforeseen hold-ups.

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WHAT IS THEIR LEAD TIME? By the time you read this, it is probably too late to open by spring of 2017 if you haven’t yet contracted with your builder. Many of the top builders book up several months in advance, and almost everyone wants to open in the spring. Find out how much lead time your preferred builder requires, and be sure to budget more time than you think you will need so that you can secure the builder you want. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THEIR COSTS, AND WHAT ISN’T? Every proposal and cost structure is designed a little bit differently, so it’s important to make sure you know what costs should be included. The following list outlines some of the top costs associated with building an aerial adventure park. When reviewing proposals, you should look for the following: Shipping. Does the builder cover the transportation of the building materials, or do you? This may seem simple, but

these costs can add up quickly if they are not accounted for. Storage. Once the materials and supplies arrive on site, where do you put it all? Secure storage may be necessary to prevent theft and weather damage, and builders may or may not have a plan already in place for this. Insurance. General liability, automotive, and builder’s risk are just some of the insurance coverages you may need for your project in the construction phase. These may not show up as itemized costs in the proposal, but they are definitely worth asking about. Equipment/Participant Gear. Often overlooked in contracts, you are going to need harnesses, lanyards, smart belay systems, rescue equipment, and other gear for your staff and participants. Sometimes the builder only supplies a small amount of participant equipment. Find out what gear they are using, and how much of it you will receive with your bid. If you are building a larger park, you will probably need more gear! Heavy Equipment. Oftentimes, builders don’t include the cost of using cranes, bulldozers, and other earth-moving equipment, but this can be a huge unanticipated expense if you are not prepared for it. Be sure to find out if these tools will be necessary, and receive an estimate on the cost. Foundations. Depending on your location and the type of course you

^ All part of the job: KristallTurm installed the masts for the Epic Sky Trek Tower at Castle Rock Zip Tours in Castle Rock, Colo. are building, you may need concrete footings and foundations for parts of your park. Like many other land improvements, these are frequently the responsibility of the client. When you are soliciting bids, be sure to have a conversation about this when builders visit your site. Assembly. There are builders that don’t construct the main support structure themselves, but require that you hire local labor to assemble it before they come in to string up the individual elements. As long as you know that this cost isn’t included in their proposal, it’s not a problem. But it is imperative to find that out in advance, so you don’t incur additional costs or experience delays in the project. Training. Most builders will include some degree of safety and usage training with their courses. This should also be supplemented with customer service training and management training. Find out what the builders offer, and then supplement accordingly. Remember, this is an area where it is better to go overboard than the other way around. Permitting. Will your builder be assisting you with the permitting needed for your course, or does that responsibility fall solely on your shoulders?

While these costs may seem straightforward, many of them may not be included in proposals, so be sure to do a comparison. We once worked with a client who compared almost identical proposals from two different builders. One of them came in $300,000 cheaper, which seemed very odd. Upon closer inspection, we realized the builder had omitted labor costs from his bid! So, make sure to cross-reference your proposals, and know that it never hurts to get a second (or third, or fourth) set of eyes on the costs.

The Kalberer Emergent Tower at the Holden Arboretum in Ohio is a project of Phoenix Experiential Design.

^ Ropes Courses, Inc. installed the Sky Trail Explorer at the South Shore YMCA in Hanover, Mass.

ARE THEIR EXISTING CLIENTS HAPPY? Before making a final decision on a builder, be sure to obtain some client references from them, and call those clients to see how satisfied they are. Better yet, go out and climb on one of their parks, and if the park isn’t within your competitive radius, talk to the owners. This is different from your initial visits—and hey, it’s another great excuse to get out and climb! Plus, getting feedback from someone who has firsthand experience with your preferred builder is very valuable. COMMISSIONING Once the park has been built, and all of the necessary permits have been

obtained, what else needs to happen in order for the park to open? Find out if the builder will see you through the final steps of the process. ONGOING SUPPORT After your park is up and operating successfully, you will need to go through inspection and periodic review, and make sure that your equipment remains up-to-date. While a third-party operator typically conducts the inspection, most aerial park equipment has a specific shelf life and needs to be retired after a period of time. Your builder will also likely be your supplier for course and participant equipment, so you’ll want to have a conversation about equipment orders with your builder. OVERALL FIT At the end of the day, you will be spending a tremendous amount of time communicating with this person, or with this group of people. The metrics discussed in this story are all important,

FINAL THOUGHTS As you read through the different criteria, you’ll notice one recurring theme: have a conversation, and ask lots of questions! The more informed you are at the front end, the more you avoid hidden costs, project delays, and additional gray hairs. While a picture is worth a thousand words, a question could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. So don’t be afraid to dig in, talk to industry experts, and use this article as a reference as you embark on the quest to find a perfect builder. And when you’re done, let us know. We can’t wait to come climb on your park!

41 Fall 2016

^ Aerial Designs crafted this course for Glacier Highline Aerial Adventure Park in Coram, Mont.

but ultimately, you’re embarking on a long-term business relationship with your chosen builder. Make sure you like doing business with them. Do they return your calls? Are they respectful of your questions? Do you “click,” or do you struggle to communicate? If the designs on different bids are similar, everything checks out from a cost perspective, the references are good, but you still can’t decide on a builder—go with your gut.

Insider Roundtable

TRENDS AND INSIGHTS With the busy season in the rearview mirror, we asked

BY THE EDITORS

five adventure park and zip line operators about key marketing ideas and developments.

Q1:

Adventure Park Insider: WHAT IS YOUR UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION? WHAT DIFFERENTIATES YOU FROM YOUR COMPETITORS?

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BODHI OGLE: Our biggest focus has been steered by our location and the nature of the terrain we operate on. We are a day’s drive from half the country, and our local area receives more than 13 million visitors annually, but at the same time we are in a very competitive environment with at least 15 operations in our direct area. Since our terrain never allowed us to have the longest or highest of lines— which in our area seems to be a draw— we had to find ways to accentuate other strengths. For my company, we have focused on what we can control: Exceptional training for our guides, uncommonly found amenities, and second to none customer service. BRAD LEE: Trinity Forest Adventure Park was the first of its kind in Texas. Since there aren’t many viable trees

in Texas, that is one of our selling points. Our park is based on the Swiss model versus the French, and we use smart belays. Since we compete with family entertainment centers as well as another adventure park, we promote the outdoors and our natural setting.

Some of our competitors just hand out gear and you are on your way. We bring you through a tour.

JULIE BAROSS: Gatorland is all about Florida and its natural habitat and wildlife. We offer the old Florida charm and tradition in our exhibits and

entertainment, which the mega theme parks in the area do not offer. Our employees and guides are extremely well educated about the animals and habitats we feature. Many of our employees started their careers with us—we have several who have been here more than 15 years. DREW FORMALARIE: We sell our experience based on our staff. We aren’t a theme park, we are an experience. From check-in, to gear up, to the adventure—we do everything. Some of our competitors just hand out gear and you are on your way. We bring you through a tour. DAVE FIELDS: In the Utah market, Snowbird has one of the largest offerings of summer activities available on one pass: the Tram, Peruvian chairlift, Mountain Coaster, Alpine Slide, Mountain Flyer, bungee trampolines, climbing wall, inflatables, and ropes course. The single pass makes it simple for the day visitor as well as people on a lodging package that includes activities.

ROSS “BODHI” OGLE, owner, Smoky Mountain Ziplines, Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Q2:

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR OVERALL REVENUE ARE YOU PUTTING INTO MARKETING? WHAT MEDIA DO YOU PUT THIS INTO, AND WHY?

BODHI: Generally, we put between 5 and 10 percent of our gross profit into marketing. Of this percentage we place approximately half into web-related activities (SEO optimization, blogging, Facebook, videos), and the remaining budget goes into print materials (brochure distribution: 50 percent; coupon books: 40 percent; and local fundraising/charitable donations: 10 percent). The biggest producer by far, though, has been our work with TripAdvisor. It has a great ROI because it’s free, other than the time you commit to it.

JULIE BAROSS, director of marketing, Gatorland, Orlando, Fla.

BRAD LEE, owner, Trinity Forest Adventure Park, Dallas, Texas

DREW FORMALARIE, director of operations, Alpine Adventures, Lincoln, N.H.

DAVE FIELDS, vice president of resort operations, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Snowbird, Utah

BRAD: At inception, our percentage of marketing/advertising was extremely high, in the 25 percent range, utilizing Groupon, Living Social, and various local parenting monthlies. As our customer base has expanded and our marketing efforts have matured, we hope to see that amount drop to 10 percent or so. We rely heavily on Facebook and have seen that it

Q3:

is the most effective for us because of the “word of mouth” factor. Another major vehicle for us has been human-interest stories in the local media. The best part about that? It’s free advertising. JULIE: Our annual marketing budget at Gatorland is dedicated to TV and radio campaigns, online advertising and marketing, attending trade shows and events, social media, newspaper and magazine advertising, and billboards. These efforts account for approximately 10 percent of our annual revenue. Our marketing efforts are used to reach key markets in the UK, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, not forgetting the U.S domestic market and local Florida. DREW: Not sure of the percentage, but we put a lot into Facebook and TripAdvisor. It reaches a lot of people, and with shares and recommendations we get more guests. Guests can also join our email list where we send out specials and news.

WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF GUESTS THAT VISIT YOUR PARK? HAVE THESE CHANGED AT ALL SINCE YOU OPENED? IF SO, HOW?

BODHI: We recently opened a new course with different weight and age limits, which slightly modified our demographics. Originally, 5- to 7-yearolds rode tandem with a guide, and anyone 8 years old and up, and 60 pounds or more, went by themselves. With our new course we have curbed the practice of riding tandem, but increased our maximum weight limit from 250 to 275 pounds. We are accommodating a similar range of participants, but our more accommodating weight limit has bolstered our numbers. People seem to be eating better these days—myself included. BRAD: Families. We are hoping that it is expanding, since we have added two children’s courses for ages four and five years old.

Our more accommodating weight limit has bolstered our numbers. People seem to be eating better these days—myself included. JULIE: Mostly families with young children, extended families with children and grandparents, senior citizens who take advantage of the seasonal photo passes. They come from virtually everywhere, both drive-to as well as international fly-in markets. Gatorland opened more than 67 years ago, so our visitor demographics have

43 Fall 2016

OUR PANELISTS:

TRENDS AND INSIGHTS changed over time. In the beginning, we were just a roadside attraction serving the local and drive-to community. Now people from all over the world visit us, with our reach growing as more and more new markets discover the allure of Orlando.

Q4:

DREW: We get everyone from eightyear-old first timers to 80-year-old first timers. With four different tours to choose from, we can accommodate just about everyone. We have reduced our minimum weight for our lower course to accommodate more families. That just took a little tweaking operationally. We have been working hard to

ARE WE, AS AN INDUSTRY, SUCCEEDING IN THE GOAL OF INTRODUCING MORE PEOPLE TO THE OUTDOORS? WHO IS BEING INTRODUCED?

DAVE: Our single largest factor in introducing people to the outdoors is the Tram. Thousands of people every summer ride the Tram and get to experience the views and unique environment at 11,000 feet. Our new building at the top of the Tram, The Summit, has made it easier for everyone, including people with disabilities, to enjoy the experience, because they now have a place to sit down and enjoy the view.

DREW: I think so. I have definitely seen growth over the years. When I started, people had no idea what zip lines were. Now they are on everyone’s bucket list. There are the “adrenaline junkies” who seek out adventure, and there are also the regular folks that we get out of their comfort zone. JULIE: Yes, I think we are. There are more tours and experiences opening in central Florida that introduce people

When I started, people had no idea what zip lines were. Now they are on everyone’s bucket list.

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Q5:

WHAT ARE GUESTS COMMENTING ON AND ASKING FOR? HAVE THOSE COMMENTS CHANGED SINCE THE PARK FIRST OPENED? IS THERE A COMMON THEME?

BODHI: We have repeatedly seen requests for the biggest, the highest, the fastest, and longest lines over the years, which we have tempered with superior customer service. Recently we have seen an increase in questions about “how safe is your course?” and “what kind of inspections do you undergo?” Between the old course and the new course, we consistently hear that our guides made the trip great. People also love the new course, so we’ve seen many more comments on that, too!

BRAD: We are being asked for “teambuilding,” which was unexpected. We were being asked for something for the younger kids. We have responded by building a continuous belay children’s course. The common theme has been more inclusivity for the whole family.

expand school and corporate groups and programs, which really helps in shoulder seasons. DAVE: Our summer demographic is much more local than our winter visitors, who come from all over the world to ski Snowbird.

to nature and the state’s environment. There are airboat tours, walking tours, birding tours. But we need to keep expanding those opportunities to continue to educate people. That’s our goal at Gatorland. Not only do we provide a variety of experiences to learn about the alligators and crocodiles in exhibits and shows, but we also make sure it includes the wild birds and other animals in and around the park. Our Screamin’ Gator Zip line has been a huge success in offering a brand new way to experience our park and its animals in a fun and adventurous way. BODHI: In my area we are seeing many more people participating in the outdoors. I see my company competing not only with other zip lines, but also new activities including alpine coasters and zip coasters. One of my favorite new groups we have seen is active seniors.

JULIE: Our guests love that we have been open for many years and that, as families, they have grown up with Gatorland and have happy memories of visiting with their parents. Many are now returning as adults and introducing their families to Gatorland. DAVE: Guests like the simplicity of the single pass. They would prefer no lines, but we haven’t solved that problem yet.

We are being asked for “teambuilding,” which was unexpected. We were being asked for something for the younger kids. ... The common theme has been more inclusivity for the whole family.

DREW: We do a lot of repeat business. After each tour, guests are welcomed into our Repeat Rider Program. This gives them 10 percent off their next trip. It is tracked through our reservation system.

Gatorland is an extremely affordable family outing. A whole family can visit for less than the price of a single day admission at some of the larger parks. We also offer annual passes, which has been very well received.

JULIE: We see a lot of repeat business, especially from Florida residents.

BRAD: Yes, but there can always be more. We track that through our reservation system. We offer a frequent

Q7:

WHAT TRENDS IN FEATURES, NEW ACTIVITIES, RESERVATIONS, OR OTHER FACETS OF THE INDUSTRY DO YOU SEE DEVELOPING?

DAVE: Zip lines are exploding right now, and have been very popular at every destination I’ve visited. This is a great way for people to have a high-adrenaline experience in the mountains regardless of their abilities or skill set. I’m very intrigued by Jackson Hole’s new via ferrata. This is something we considered years ago and didn’t pull the trigger. I’m excited to get up to Jackson and try it. BODHI: Begrudgingly, the strength of online reservations cannot be overstated. I am also seeing the addition of more features, including controlled descents, belays, drop features, etc. I see a trend toward automation and safe belay systems as opposed to more traditional guided tours, which is a huge

Q8:

labor saver. But I believe it takes away from one of the greatest strengths of our activities, which is that person-toperson interaction. BRAD: We like the advent of the “human coaster,” i.e. AvatarOne, Cloud Coaster, etc., which seems to give more throughput, as well as more excitement. JULIE: We see a huge trend in travelers who want to use social media to show, track, and share where they have been, what they recommend, and where they will go next. Pokémon Go trainers come here often now, and we have activated lures here to make sure we are part of this international trend. Travelers from all over the globe are engaged in it, so we have to be, too.

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT EXPANDING? IF SO, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO ADD, AND WHAT AUDIENCE WILL YOU SERVE?

DAVE: We visit other resorts every summer and also attend the IAAPA convention every few years to see what’s new and what products are targeting certain age groups. It’s critical to provide activities for each age group, so one child in the family isn’t sitting around with nothing to do.

JULIE: Yes, we are. We plan to offer a new Swamp Buggy Ride starting the summer of 2017. More details to come later. BODHI: We have experimented with several different canopy tour sizes and options throughout our company’s

climber pass—four punches and the fifth climb is free. BODHI: It feels like we do a solid 10 percent repeat customer base, which we push through the use of frequent zipper cards. Honestly, in the past we haven’t done a very good job of tracking this. But now that we work with FareHarbor, I’ll be using some of its tools, and I feel I can very soon offer a more accurate answer to this question.

We also make sure we have lots of other experiences to offer, apart from general admission. You can get up close to feed the alligators at Adventure Hour or come back to the park at night and do our Gator Night Shine experience. We also offer a more intimate and exclusive experience with our Trainer For a Day program. DREW: We are partnered with a new aerial park, Candia Springs Adventure Park in Candia, N.H. We helped build a great aerial park with some new features. A lot of the features were built as an aerial park, but we introduced a fitness aspect to it. Instead of going to a standard gym, people will be able to come to the park and get a full-body workout. We are looking to build a similar program at Alpine.

existence. If I were to expand again, I do see a market for a smaller “kids only”type zip line tour. My other area would be a more passive system—maybe an aerial walkway course through the forest, part hiking, part aerial trekking, non-belayed, bomb-proof construction, high throughput, low equipment needs, self-guided, low ticket price, low labor need. Good help is getting increasingly hard to find.

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Q6:

HOW MUCH REPEAT BUSINESS ARE YOU DOING, AND HOW DO YOU TRACK THAT? DO YOU OFFER A FREQUENT CLIMBERS CARD OR OTHER PERKS TO ENCOURAGE REPEAT BUSINESS?

A SENSE OF PLACE When it comes to carving out a unique marketing position, location can often be the key to your identity.

BY MARTY BASCH

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Voiles en Voiles is located in Montreal’s Old Port, which inspired the design of the park: it includes replicas of a pirate ship and an 18th century Royal Guard ship.

From canyons to caves, swamps to the sea, and cities to the country, adventure parks not only provide lively opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, but also chances to develop an appreciation for the location, environment, and history. In these instances, the location becomes the park’s identity. Veteran zip line business owner Monty Holmes is a builder-turned-creator of Captain Zipline in Salida, Colo. Its high-desert box canyon zip lines, European-style aerial adventure park, and via ferrata cliffside climbing course are all built to complement the mountainous surroundings.

According to Holmes, the key to the success of any park is having extraordinary scenery and telling a good story. “There are hundreds of zip lines in the U.S.,” he says. “Five years ago, all you had to do was build one. That has changed. You can’t just make it higher, faster, and longer. People come for a zip line experience, but they talk about everything else, like how fun the guides were, how they felt safe, and what they learned about the area’s natural history.” This Rocky Mountain operation, about three hours from Denver, sits on the Arkansas River in a county with 14,000foot peaks and several old silver mines. So geology, the Wild West, and mining

Holmes bought the rugged, 25-acre Lost Canyon parcel to build vacation homes, but that didn’t work out. As a man with adventure in his blood—he tagged sea turtles in Costa Rica in 1969, and at one point sold salt and tobacco to New Guinea headhunters—he wanted to utilize the property in a unique way. So, in 2004, he Googled “zip lines.” That didn’t produce many results, so he saw an opportunity. Soon after, he opened Colorado’s first zip line attraction. Holmes built a park heralded as a place where Indiana Jones meets Spider-man. “This is a one-of-a-kind rugged box canyon,” he says. “It’s a natural to zip over it and have an aerial park. The canyon was way underutilized. The canyon really just spoke to me to make it special.” CAPITALIZING ON THE LANDSCAPE Cave of the Winds Mountain Park in Manitou Springs, Colo., is another canyon attraction. More than 130 years ago, two brothers stumbled across a cave

in the Pikes Peak foothills. Now, thrill seekers soar above, plunge down, and teeter along the edge of its spectacular Williams Canyon neighborhood. The operation started as cave tours, but the group of owners eventually wanted more adrenaline to blow through the air. So a trio of attractions has been added in the past seven years—the ropes, beams, and ladders of the Wind Walker Challenge Course; a family-friendly out-and-back two-seater Soaring Eagle installation called the BatA-Pult; and a free-falling aerial dive ride, appropriately named Terror-Dactyl. “The canyon was the perfect location,” says supervisor Aaron Friese, and builders took good advantage of it. The challenge course protrudes about 20 feet off the canyon’s edge, with the canyon floor 600 feet below. The 1,200-foot-long Bat-A-Pult crosses from one side of the canyon to the other, at a speed that allows riders to take in the rugged-yet-beautiful surroundings. Friese says the Terror-Dactyl is the only

ride of its kind in the world. Terror-Dactyl riders are strapped into a twoseat chair perched at the edge of the canyon. The chair is connected to the far-reaching end of the erector set-looking structure by a single cable. When ready, the chair tilts 90-degrees forward before it’s released, dropping riders 180 feet into the canyon at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. After swinging back and forth a few times, the chair is pulled back to the station. The extreme nature of the ride comes with size and weight restrictions, and it doesn’t operate in rain, or winds that exceed 10 mph. Soaring Eagle Ziplines prefabricated the structure and shipped it to the park. Outdoor attractions supervisor Chris Obert, who was on hand for the Terror-Dactyl assembly, recalls that the ride arrived in four or five large pieces, each

Cave of the Winds Mountain Park started with just cave tours, and now has adventure attractions over and around the canyon outside.

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lore are in the park’s adrenaline-inducing DNA.

A SENSE OF PLACE weighing about a ton, with the biggest section about 30 feet long. It included the ride’s basic framing, deck levels, wire ropes, cables, trolleys, and chair. But the unique location and existing infrastructure at the park made construction a challenge. “We had to use a crane to lift those huge pieces up and over our gift shop and then put it all together,” says Friese. Much of the structure overhangs the edge of the canyon. GOING UNDERGROUND In the case of the capacious 100-acre Louisville Mega Cavern, location is the absolute soul of its identity. The current owners purchased the old manmade limestone mine to build a high-security commercial storage facility. They went through some 12 years of permitting because of its unique location, and had to build up the floor before creating roughly 17 miles of roadways and corridors inside the cavern under the city.

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Captain Zipline in Colorado is perched on the edge of a rugged box canyon, and has been heralded as a place where Indiana Jones meets Spider-man.

Growing public interest brought attractions like the six-line, two-bridge Mega Zips, Mega Quest aerial ropes challenge course, an underground bike park, and more.

al square feet of space to work with, Mega Cavern is looking to expand. “We continue to search for new and unique opportunities not available in the immediate region to add to our list of attractions,” Priddy says. “Inevitably, whatever we add, the chances are it will be the only underground version, at least locally. This is a huge part of the Mega Cavern identity.”

“All of our attractions and services do exist inside of the cavern, and so the cavern is directly linked to all aspects of our identity, from our storage facility, our tourist attractions, and even many of the dozen businesses that operate from within the cavern,” says social media and marketing director Jeremy Priddy.

The caverns were once designated as a potential fallout shelter during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Displays along the Mega Quest routes make reference to that piece of history, and to its limestone mine origin. The gift shop features rare mining rocks, helmets, and the consummate subterranean t-shirt— which reads, “I did it underground.”

He says Mega Zips is the only underground zip line adventure in the world, and the novelty of zipping underground as opposed to above a tree canopy offers a unique option for seasoned zippers. But with millions of addition-

WALK THE PLANK Mega Cavern is under a city, but Montreal’s Voiles en Voiles is smack ensconced in one.

The storage facility, Louisville Underground, is still operational today and stores a large variety of goods, including boats, autos, and RVs.

The Mega Zips inside Louisville’s Mega Cavern is one of its many, entirely-underground attractions.

Before the Old Port aerial adventure park along the St. Lawrence River opened in the summer of 2015, its three owners did some brainstorming. It helps that they also own a Quebec tourist attraction development and management company, so they knew the Old Port drew some 6.5 million visitors per year to its attractions and activities, such as the science center, shops, urban beach, active tours, and more. The trio wanted an aerial course that would be relevant to the environment. “Being in a port, it made sense to have ships there,” says co-owner Jean-

At Shallotte River Swamp Park in eastern North Carolina, the pristine swampland that encompasses much of the park is central to the guest experience and shapes the park’s attractions.

Philippe Duchesneau. “When we pushed it further, it made sense to have a pirate ship and a royal ship that identified the location for us.” Now customers climb aboard life-size replicas of an 18th century Royal Guard ship and a sinister pirate ship to do more than walk the plank. Climbing walls, bridges, ladders, gangways, hanging nets, and more are all part of this adventure park at the port. At night, small lanterns line the park. Sometimes, children come dressed in pirate gear—eye patches and all. “The Old Port of Montreal is a family location,” explains Duchesneau. “We want to use our location to make it a family hub, and an adrenaline hub.” Another way Voiles en Voiles has embraced its location is by partnering with other Old Port businesses, including a zip line and quadricycle rentals, to offer visitors money-saving combination packages. ONE WITH NATURE Even swampland can be turned into a zip line and aerial ropes course playground. Drawing inspiration from Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp Park National Wildlife Refuge, entrepreneur Rube McMullan transformed 65 acres of land with 100-year-old cypress trees, blue herons, copious turtles and other marshy creatures into eastern North Carolina’s Shallotte River Swamp Park in Ocean Isle Beach. Opened in June 2015, the eco-friendly park features a zip line tour with 10 zips that travel over pristine swampland, and a 53-element challenge course open to adventurers as young as four

years old. Guided swamp boat tours are also available. The attractions are part of an experience centered on educating customers about the swamp. “We literally want to show people what it means to be in an eastern North Carolina swamp and all,” says general manager George Howard. “We want people to learn about the property.” Howard stresses that guides play an integral part in telling the park’s natural story. “Our guides are what makes the experience,” he says. “We work hard to make sure our guides are well trained.” In the future, the park may offer evening zip tours to take advantage of cooler temperatures. Though still in the planning stages, Howard is figuring out the story line for the tour, which could include costumed guides and have lanterns illuminating the route. “We are continuing to grow and learn,” says Howard. “We are figuring out how to tailor the property to this place and to the people who are here.” OCEAN BREEZES A boardwalk over a grassy salt marsh on the edge of Albemarle Sound leads customers to First Flight Adventure Park in Nags Head, N.C. Located in the tourism-driven Outer Banks—a long string of islands and peninsulas—that is no stranger to the impact of stormy weather, owners Brad and Abby Carey have woven in a maritime theme on their course, which is shaped like the swirling hurricane symbol seen on meteorological maps. Recognized in 2015 by the Association for Challenge Course Technology with its Outstanding Structure Design Award,

the course utilizes weather terms like Tropical Storm and Category 5 to rate its challenges from easy to most difficult. The Careys have an adventure pedigree. Before building the park, Brad spent 13 years building rope and obstacle courses for Challenge Design Innovations, while Abby led bicycle tours and worked in a bike shop. Both were Outer Banks vacationers in their youth, so the area was always on their radar. “We knew that if we found the right piece of property we could build a great course here,” remembers Abby. It took about two years to get the town’s approval, secure funding, and find the right location, but the park opened before the summer swarm in 2014. From the top of the course on the thin barrier island, the salt air from the ocean is ever-present. Soothing sunsets mark day’s end. Under the park, the flora and fauna is wild and mostly undisturbed. “We want to provide a unique way to challenge families and groups of friends, while they can get a bird’s-eye view of the Outer Banks,” says Abby. “Our location is key to our course, especially in the hot summer months. When it’s super hot on the beach, we always have a nice breeze.” Forging an identity based on location seems to resonate with guests. Captain Zipline, Cave of the Winds, Mega Caverns, Shallotte River, and First Flight all have been awarded Certificates of Excellence from Trip Advisor, while Voiles en Voiles garners a lion’s share of valuable excellent and very good visitor ratings on the trusted site. Clearly, the overall experience contributes to those accolades, not just the location. But there is no question that embracing their environs is what makes each operation unique and successful. And educating guests about the location rounds out the experience for guests of all walks of life, says Howard. “Not everyone is a Ninja Warrior. There are rocking chair people, too. Both want to appreciate the ecosystem.”

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The Outer Banks of North Carolina are no stranger to stormy weather, so First Flight Adventure Park created an experience that gives a nod to extreme ocean weather.

BY SAMANTHA RUFO, NXT CONCEPTS

Software Trends

How technology is shaping the adventure industry

DIGITAL BOOKING Technology. It’s all around us. It might be in your pocket right now— or it might even be how you are reading this article. The advances in mobile technology have revolutionized the way we live and the way we do business. The world of travel and outdoor activities are no exceptions. Technology makes it possible for park staff to work from anywhere, and for your customers to make changes to their itineraries at 35,000 feet.

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It’s safe to say that technology— especially booking technology—has impacted the aerial adventure industry. Technology has made it easier for consumers to plan, book, and manage travel. Yet, even with consumers pushing for last-minute and mobilebased options, there are still many adventure parks and zip tours operating in the “digital stone age, managing their bookings with sticky notes, desktop calendars, and three-ring binders,” says Craig Langer, president and CEO of TheFlyBook. Don’t be that company. Digital technology is woven into every aspect of our modern existence, whether we’re sharing a selfie, ordering takeout, researching a destination for our next outing, or booking a zip tour adventure— and this trend is set to continue. THE YEAR AHEAD A decade ago, software to manage online bookings didn’t exist. Yet,

within the past year, there has been a 50 percent increase in the number of booking software options. In 2017, businesses will have nowhere to hide from the disrupting, yet invigorating, effects of technology change. Those organizations with flexible processes, structures, and culture will be able to respond quickly, and will find technology-led changes loaded with opportunity. You can use this everchanging environment to redefine your company, improve operations, create new revenue streams, and drive higher profits than ever before. BOOKING SYSTEMS How does the eye-watering next wave of technology support operators? And, how do you know you are using the best system for your organization? The opportunity to thrive is out there, and companies just need to be smart about how to tackle some of these changing trends in order to meet the needs of their organization and customers. Luckily, there are quite a few tools available online to help. A quick search of Google for “how to choose a booking system” returns millions of articles with suggestions. Sure, many are written by the software companies themselves, but the articles still offer great insight into the knowledge and level of experience they bring to their customers. Of course, keep in mind that these may be written to tout some of their product’s best features.

If you are looking for an unbiased opinion, Liz Ward, one of the founders for an organization called Tourism Tribe, has created a series of tutorials for choosing a booking system. Many of which are free. EMBRACE THE CLOUD The aerial adventure industry is relatively new, which means vendors are able to create affordable platforms on the latest technology and systems, with no concern about compatibility with older, legacy software. Specifically, more vendors are offering the “software as a service” or Cloud-based model. This is beneficial, since the park operator using these systems does not need to worry about the hassle of maintaining software or hardware, and can instead focus on managing the business. Current Cloud-based technology has been built to adapt to the changing demands of the travel and outdoor industries. With affordable applications available for both web and mobile, it has never been easier or more costeffective to use a technology specifically designed for aerial adventure parks and zip line operations. That’s why more than 90 percent of vendors are currently using Cloud-based technology for their booking systems. There is one major drawback, though. It’s the reason you will find “stability” at the top of any checklist for choosing a system. If a software company goes

Ultimately, choosing a booking system is more than just making sure it has the typical features you’d expect, such as online booking capabilities, payment collection, staff scheduling, logistics planning, and low cost. It’s about whether you feel comfortable using it, and whether your staff will adopt it. Almost all booking software companies offer a free trial to help you dip your toe in the water before diving in, so take advantage of that. Another important consideration is whether or not the company offers 24/7 support. If the company holds bankers’ hours and your busy time is the weekend, when an issue arises no one from the company will be there to answer the phone. It’s Murphy’s Law. FIVE TRAVEL TECHNOLOGY TRENDS Mobile First. This shouldn’t come as a surprise: More of us are now making travel plans on mobile devices. Thanks to wireless carriers lowering or eliminating their roaming charges, we can now connect for less. Phones become travel guides that weigh next to nothing, and become instant information sources for people looking to learn more about where to go and what to do. Having mobile options is critical, especially to attract the largest segment of the population—Millennials. Parks must make the transition to mobile to stay relevant. Millennials (born circa 1980–2000) are the largest generational group in history. By 2020, 50 percent of the workforce will be Millennials, and they will make up half of all travelers. Not only are Millennials causing a shift to the travel booking process, but the technology they use to do it is also changing. Millennials plan and book travel via smartphones more than any other group. They’re also the largest group of smartphone owners, and growing. >> continued

POPULAR SOFTWARE SYSTEMS ActivityRez www.activityrez.com Starting price, $249/month Pricing is based on monthly tickets sold. Adventure Office www.adventureoffice.com Starts at $500/year, plus start up fees. Price varies with company size, revenue total, and products and services purchased. Adventure Bucket List www.adventurebucketlist.com Starting at $20/month Checkfront www.checkfront.com Starting at $50/month FareHarbor www.fareharbor.com Credit card rate of 1.9% + 30 cents per transaction.

TheFlyBook www.theflybook.com No initial or annual fees. Fee per ticket passed on to end customer (varies based on volume, averages about $1)

Resmark Systems www.resmarksystems.com Installed system starts at $249/month. Initial setup and training costs generally range from $2,500 to $9,900. Rezdy www.rezdy.com Flat fee, commission-free, no additional costs for your customers. Rezgo www.Rezgo.com (A Division of Sentias Software Corp.) For bookings made through the Rezgo private label website, WordPress plugin, or Facebook, Rezgo charges a 5% transaction fee. For bookings that you and your staff (or booking agents) enter directly into your Rezgo administration system, Rezgo charges a 1% transaction fee.

Trekksoft www.trekksoft.com Starts at $71/month, plus a 1% online transaction fee. The offline transaction fee is 62 cents. XOLA www.xola.com Professional package starts at a flat $99/ month, plus credit card processing.

Zozi Advance www.zozi.com Free trial. Quick setup. Starts at $39/ month. 51 Fall 2016 51

away, so does all of your sales and customer data. This was recently the case with Zerve. In a relatively short period of time, its 500+ clients had to decide what to do when Zerve shut down in the middle of busy summer bookings.

DIGITAL BOOKING A company that’s ahead of the game is FareHarbor. Not only is its system built mobile first, it’s now providing the option of entire mobilefriendly websites for customers on its fareharbor.me platform. Using a Wordpress foundation, FareHarbor can get new customers up and running with a fast and optimized website—for free (invite-only for now)—saving the cost and time of traditional website design and development. Also, FareHarbor displays the same admin dashboard features on desktop and mobile, so you can manage booking from anywhere. Plus, it offers a mobile app for iOS.

Q5:

Automation. While the travel and outdoor industries are all about oneon-one guest service, there are now more self-service booking options that save time and reduce data entry errors. Options such as TheFlyBook’s reservation management system, integrated with Smartwaiver technology, means that the legal and compliance aspects of the trip are handled before customers ever step foot on your property. This helps save time and adds the value of capturing all customer/ client information at the time of transaction or reservation.

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Personalized Travel. Aerial adventure operations can now store and analyze a frequent guest’s preferences, and use that data to provide the guest more of what he or she wants. Customization is one trend that will impact how we manage marketing and sales in the future, whether it’s booking a zip line tour or a whitewater rafting trip. According to Julia Barrero, marketing manager at Xola, “Having an intuitive system decreases the amount of time spent with software and increases the amount of time with the guest.” For example, when Hope from Sonoma Canopy Tours sees a family walking up to enjoy a zip through the redwoods, she doesn’t want to worry about the multi-step process it will take to check them in. Or worse, she doesn’t

want to ruin their vacation by telling them they’ve been double booked. A quick and easy check-in starts their experience on the right foot and sets the stage to create a loyal customer. When it comes to booking activities, studies show that Millennials, especially, prefer autonomy and speed over process. They are more inclined to book and make changes to their travel itineraries, as well as search through online travel sites. That’s where Rezgo’s sales channel partnerships with local businesses and larger global partners like Viator, Expedia, and Orbitz makes it easy for operators to use the system to sell tours through these third parties. According to Stephen Joyce, CEO and co-founder of Rezgo, users of the system can create a service provider and assign inventory to it. They can also search for inventory based on a service provider, and even generate booking reports based on a service provider. “We are constantly trying to both make the technology better and grow the industry as a whole. Having partner programs in place is just one way we are doing that,” says Joyce. True Traveler Engagement. Businesses need to think how costs can be saved and customer service improved over time, so that it leads to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. True traveler engagement hinges on a few things. Being authentic is important, but it is also incredibly important to be relevant. When communicating with a traveler, the underlying technology needs to deliver content that truly enhances the overall trip at every touch point. If I get served an offer, is the offer relevant to my trip and specific to me, the traveler? It is incredibly important to deliver the right content for the right person at the right time and the right place. There are the usual ways we think of technology assisting us when we travel, and then there are some more unusual concepts. Take, for instance, TheFlyBook’s new go.kiosk reservation

system with a kiosk interface. Operators can set up self-serve kiosk stations where walk-ins can buy tickets based on real-time availability, and also sign waivers. To make this effective, the systems need to anticipate exactly what the guest will need, and deliver it quickly and efficiently. Social Media Shapes Activities. Consumers love social media, and the aerial adventure industry has taken notice. Rezdy does a nice job of integrating online reviews from TripAdvisor in its platform. The Rezdy Review Express is an automated email-based review collection platform that makes it easy to invite recent guests to submit reviews on TripAdvisor. When guests opt in, they automatically receive a customized, post-checkout email from you requesting a review. This system is effortless, and also targets guests while they are still excited from their experience and more likely to give a positive review. APPLYING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO OLD BEHAVIOR The impact of technology on travel cannot be overstated. It puts power and freedom into the hands of the masses, unlocking doors that once could not be opened, and unleashes untapped economic potential. Name an everyday aspect of travel and we can name a technology that could make it more efficient. Ticketing? Smartphones have already replaced the paper ticket, but beacons and NFC can take it up step further. Booking? Data, analytics, and dedicated apps make it easier, more timely, and convenient. Payment technology such as TouchID will come down the road as well. If the aerial adventure industry has learned anything in recent years, it’s that the winds of change are volatile. Regardless of where technology leads the industry over the next year, it’s important for owners and operators to remain in the know of the latest and greatest offerings and services available. With the rise of traveling Millennials and tech-savvy consumers, the future of your business depends on it.

BY PETER OLIVER

Zip lines are now a widespread attraction, but no two are alike.

ZIPPY DESIGNS

The environment may be the single greatest factor in zip line design. Site: Navitat Canopy Adventures, N.C.

If there is such a thing as essential entertainment at an adventure park, the zip line might well be the first activity to qualify. The zip line has become as much a part of the typical adventure park (or mountain resort) as home plate is on a baseball diamond. Zip lines of various sorts have been around for centuries, both for human transportation and as a means for moving goods—food, mined ore, etc. But as an adventure ride, the zip line is relatively new, roughly 20 years old. And business is booming: according to one estimate, there are now somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000 zip-line rides in the world, many of which are producing a handsome chunk of revenue for their proprietors. So if you are an adventure park operator, a zip line (or zip tour) is a must-have part of your activities package. However, “zip line” is a multifarious concept, which is to say, no two zip lines are the

same. A single zip line might range from less than 100 feet long to more than a mile-and-a-half long. It might drop more than 2,000 vertical feet, and it might at times be steeper than a 50-percent grade. It might be in a natural environment or an urban amusement park setting. It might be a “tour,” with several separate segments. It might comprise a single line or as many as six parallel lines. Given the many design variables, what works best? How do you decide what type of zip line will work in a specific location? Leslie Sohl of Bonsai Design recommends an initial assessment of “guest population stats.” That is, who will be riding the zip line, and what experience are they looking for? While this might at first seem like a demographic calculation, it is in fact more a calculation of time and money. How much time do guests have to spend—less than a half hour for a single ride, or a few hours

for an extended tour? And how much money are they willing to spend, with prices ranging from $10 to more than $100 per rider? AN INCLUSIVE ACTIVITY Before going into the time and money aspects, however, it is worth considering the demographic component. There is really no demographic segment that can be excluded; five-year-olds to 70-plussers can be part of the mix. Bonsai Design even has a zip-line ride especially for infants, according to Sohl. In fact, while zip lines might at first seem to be made for adrenaline-junkies, Valdo Lallemand, president of Aerial Designs, says zip lines “are not a challenging activity, because they are so controlled.” When it comes to an adrenaline rush, says Lallemand, zips just aren’t in the same league as, say, bungee jumping or skydiving. To put that into context, even on a long and steep zip line, where speeds

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Aerial Designs zip in Moab, Utah

ZIPPY DESIGNS

Bonsai Design built this Navitat Canopy Adventures course in Asheville, N.C.

and revenue. At a park with the potential of hosting 2,000 riders a day, having a short ride makes more sense than settling for the much smaller capacity of a long zip tour. Ultimately, however, you can only play with the hand you are dealt environmentally. An urban-area park operator simply doesn’t have the terrain to build anything comparable to, say, the 8,350-foot line—reportedly the world’s longest—installed by ZipRider at Copper Canyon in Chihuahua, Mexico. In addition, a central purpose of zip lines, like canopy tours, is to give guests a unique chance to appreciate beautiful natural environments. Thus, cutting a wide swath through trees or dynamiting rock to make room for a zip line probably doesn’t make sense. “The structure itself is not as important [for the guest experience] as the overall takeaway,” says Sohl.

exceeding 60 miles per hour might be possible, the risk is infinitesimal. Serious zip-line accidents are extremely rare, and the various braking systems—rider-operated, guide-operated, or automatic—are extremely reliable. Eric Cylvick, member manager of ZipRider, says there should be no problem putting an older, less nimble rider on a line that can reach highway speeds. In fact, it can also be a great activity for disabled guests, since ambulatory capability is not a requisite. No athletic talent is necessary; all you have to do is sit down and enjoy the ride.

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Some rides allow for hand braking by the guest, but that is mostly to provide what Sohl calls “a sense of participation.” For the most part, control and safety remain under the auspices of ride operators, through automatic gravity brakes or guide-operated brakes. Zip-line hardware hasn’t changed enormously in the last decade or so. Says Cylvick: “A lot of the technology is similar to what it was five years ago. It has been a matter of refining.” But two technological improvements have been instrumental in enabling design improvements. First are the cables themselves; so-called swaged cables, says Lallemand, make for a “smoother, softer, quieter ride” and are more du-

rable than their predecessors. Second, braking technology, for which ZipRider has been a principal innovator, enables designs that incorporate steep pitches and assure reliability at high speed. Hence, the initial presumption—that longer, steeper, faster rides are for younger adrenaline seekers and shorter gentler rides are more appropriate for families and older riders—might be false. Anything goes, really, for any demographic segment. WORK WITH WHAT YOU HAVE So why would an adventure park or resort operator choose a single, short ride or a longer, extended tour? A big part of that determination is dictated by the specific environment in play—more on that in a moment. But Lallemand says that remoteness is a central determining factor as well. Few people, he says, are going to want to drive several hours for a single ride of a few minutes. So, more elaborate ziptour designs make sense at locations that are more remote. And destination visitors are typically more willing than day trippers to pay $80 to $100 for a couple of hours of outdoor entertainment. On the other hand, highly accessible locations near large visitor populations call for a short, relatively inexpensive ride to maximize throughput

From an environmental perspective, the two critical design factors that come into play are natural features to enhance the ride experience, and engineering considerations that determine where an installation is feasible. As an example of the first factor, Lallemand was recently in Hawaii with a new client, who had a choice of site possibilities to consider. During Lallemand’s location inspection, he noticed a particularly beautiful waterfall, which he felt needed to be a part of the zip-line setting. Simple lesson: make the most of your natural assets. When it comes to engineering, zip rides are almost always a continuous, uninterrupted line (or several, in a multi-stage zip tour). The main engineering focus is on start and finish stations, whether on natural or man-made features. According to Jared Krupka, principal engineer for K2 Engineering, all installations should meet ACCT standards; for example, anchoring wires need to be able to bear two times the expected load. Krupka says that ASTM standards, those of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and international building codes should also be followed. Different jurisdictions—states, federal land, municipalities—have different permitting and inspection standards as well,

Anchoring is perhaps the most important component of station siting, ideally where anchoring wires can be extended at a 45-degree angle. Krupka says that 60- to 70-degree anchoring is possible, but that 45 degrees “maximizes horizontal and vertical” forces. In other words, a relatively flat setting where guy wires can be extended at 45 degrees is optimal. The number of lines in an installation is another consideration. While zip tours typically feature a single line for each tour segment, one-shot zip rides usually include two to six parallel lines. Multiple lines provide a “shared experience” for guests, as Cylvick puts it—flying through the air on a zip line might be a gas, but having your spouse, best friend, or grandmother next to you can make it a real hoot. Krupka suggests that a smart approach to an initial zip ride construction might be to start with two lines but leave room for the installation of two more future lines if business warrants it. An additional factor to consider in a multi-stage zip tour is the sequencing of segments. Optimally, you want to “build up the excitement,” says Lallemand. He points as an example to a four-stage Aerial Designs installation in Arizona, which starts with a 65-foot line to give riders “confidence that it will work,” and finishes with a 2,300-foot line and a top speed of 45 miles an hour.

Sundance Zip Tour, Utah

The number of segments in a tour obviously depends on the terrain and setting, but Lallemand calls seven “the magic number.” In part, that is determined by finding a satisfying compromise on the price/time grid. While guests might be willing to pay $100 for a two-hour tour, resistance is likely to arise for a three-hour tour at $150. PRICING OUT THE OPTIONS Not the least among design considerations, of course, is cost. Cylvick says that the cost of an installation by ZipRider, which specializes in longer, steeper rides, can range from $800,000 to $3.5 million. But less ambitious installations can be had for less. And the installation itself is only a part of what is being paid for. According to Sohl, the complete process, from the initial consultation with a client to opening day, involves acquiring permits, construction, inspection, testing, and staff training. That might take anywhere from a couple of months to a year (delays in permitting and inspection often slow down the process), and it doesn’t necessarily end there: beyond the initial installation and inspections, Bonsai includes the cost of annual inspections. (See “Find the Right Builder,” page 38, for more details about planning and cost considerations.) Tag onto those costs the operational expenses necessary once the ride is up and running. Staffing expenses for multi-stage zip tours, where guides are necessary, are typically higher than for

single rides. On the plus side, maintenance is usually minimal; lines, stations, and hardware (harnesses, trolleys, brakes, etc.) are all pretty durable. The return on investment? Anywhere from less than a year to five years is the time frame suggested by design companies. That depends largely, of course, on the annual number of paying guests, which can range widely. Lallemand says that a remote, destination-resort client might be happy to host 4,000 guests in a season, while a more urban client might expect 20,000 riders a year. In the end, there are as many possibilities for zip-line designs as there are zip lines—no two are alike. But any park or resort operator contemplating a zip-line installation should start by considering three principal factors: budget, setting, and guest profile, of which the second is most important. Regarding the budget, few operators can swing an installation of more than $3 million. But anyone should be able to get in the game for $500,000 and up. Even though pretty much any zip ride can be handled by any rider, the demographic profile of your anticipated guests is a major factor to consider. If families are the primary audience, a ride that engenders at least the perception of intimidation might be something to avoid. More important than demographics, though, are sheer numbers and how much customers are willing to pay, i.e., tens of thousands of riders paying $15 apiece for a single zip, or a few thousand riders paying $100 apiece for a tour. Ultimately, the overall guest experience will be determined by what assets— terrain, views, natural and man-made features—can be incorporated within the reasonable constraints of budget and engineering feasibility. (For more on the importance of location, see “A Sense of Place,” page 46.) While zip lines can produce thrills for participants, the experience of appreciating a beautiful or unusual environment from an unusual perspective is the real draw. For most participants, that becomes the essence of the ride.

55 Fall 2016

although enforcement is often lax. “A lot of states adopt ASTM standards,” says Krupka, “but they don’t enforce them.”

Insider Interview BY RICK KAHL

The new executive director of the Association for Challenge Course Technology talks about his past and outlines his goals for the future.

SHAWN TIERNEY It would be difficult to conjure up a more likely candidate for executive director of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) than Shawn Tierney. He has served as director for several non-profit outdoor organizations, has worked in the outdoors business itself as a hands-on mountain guide and, briefly, as a challenge course guide. And has experience in the development of industry standards. Did we mention he first attended ACCT decades ago, and is familiar with its role? All in all, his resume reads like an ACCT wish list.

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Beyond all that experience, though, his calm, confident demeanor may be his greatest asset. We spoke to him toward the end of the summer, as he was getting comfortable in his new role, to learn how he plans to lead the organization.

What have the first few months been like? Tierney: It’s been going really well. We’ve focused on transition items, and we’re mostly through that. The first three months are a challenging time. I’ve been learning what the different groups and committees are, and who the players are. Now, though, we have an office in Boulder, and we have moved a lot of stuff out from Chicago. It’s a small space, just me at the moment. We still have part-time staff in Canada, Chicago, Maryland, all over the country.

I’m still in the process of evaluating what will be the optimal structure. What we have in place will serve us well for the year ahead. Then we can see how we might want to add a staff member, for example.

What are you focusing on first? Tierney: Growth. The industry, which is comprised of many different elements, has seen a lot of growth in the past five years or more. We can position ourselves to increase membership. We have tremendous value in products and services, networking, and shows. I see huge opportunities in training, accreditation, and being a strong advocate for the industry as more regulation comes down the pike. We can take the lead as a trade association. There is a lot that we can offer to members to serve them well. More broadly, we haven’t even touched on growth internationally. Whether it’s China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, we’re seeing growth in the industry there. Even in South and Central America. That will continue as well. We have some operator members from these areas already. U.S. regulatory bodies are already citing ACCT standards. That’s something that will continue, and we’ll see that internationally as well. Looking ahead, I want to make sure we have all the resources needed to act on a strategic plan that was developed before I arrived. We need to revisit that and see what our priorities are.

Where are some of the specific opportunities to invest and grow? Tierney: Program accreditation is one. That will be ready to roll out by the end of the year or early next year. We may want to do a pilot program first. But that will be a great opportunity. Operators are going to be really interested in that. Operator certification could become an important function for ACCT as more pay-for-play operations enter the industry. It elevates professionalism and recognizes operators’ moves toward excellence. There are also opportunities for education and professional development. Credentialing will be important for the industry going forward. All that ties back to membership. And we have lots of affordable membership categories. A big piece now is we’re ANSI-accredited; that is huge. We have an American National Standard, and a lot of people purchased it. We offer discounts for members, and that has enticed people to join.

Explain a bit of your background and how it will inform your work as executive director of ACCT. Tierney: Part of my work as a risk manager was as director of accreditation for the Association for Experiential Education. I worked with various industry groups to develop consensus standards. Those are different standards, of course, but the process is similar. I’m familiar with the process.

How do you view the role of the annual convention? Tierney: It’s a huge opportunity to get people together. We offer a ton of workshops and the expo will include more than 100 exhibitors, so there will be a wide range of products and services for attendees to experience. It’s a tremendous networking opportunity as well as being a huge amount of fun.

My background includes several non-profit organizations, and touches on HR, marketing, strategic planning, and the budget. It’s essential to ensure that the association stays on sound financial footing. You have to align your resources with your actions, such as providing professional development and maintaining government relationships, among other things. In working for a climbing and advocacy group, I worked with land managers and agencies regarding climbing issues. We want to be at the table and have stakeholder representation with the various regulatory bodies, and I have experience in that. No one candidate is going to embody every quality the association needs, but at the end of the day, we have all that individual expertise on the board and in the committees. What I bring is the organizational background. The experts are the volunteers; my role is making sure we stay financially strong and build toward the future. That’s a different skill set.

You spent more than a year as Emergency Services Coordinator in New Orleans after Katrina. What did you learn from that? Tierney: First of all, it was very humbling. I intended to work a few weeks with the Red Cross, but wound up spending more than a year there. I coordinated efforts with government

agencies that were providing services and relief efforts for an incredibly impacted community. We helped people work through the maze of bureaucracies. That role gave great insight into how those agencies functioned. I also assisted local business communities to spotlight their needs, and performed a lot of logistical support to provide basic necessities. In all, it was in an entirely new and different environment and setting.

Finances have been an issue for ACCT in the past year. How will you address that? What in your background helps with it? Tierney: We’ve already addressed it. We’re on a July 1 fiscal year, and just wrapped up 2016 with a healthy surplus. We’ve already budgeted for 2017. We worked through the budget process and analyzed how we got into that situation. Then we asked, “How do we prevent that? How do we create a realistic budget going forward?” Essentially, you have to estimate revenues conservatively, and then stay within your budgeted expenses. Then you can look for ways to exceed your revenue projections. Just because we’re a non-profit doesn’t mean we can’t make a profit. We just have to plow any surplus back into products and services for the industry.

How can ACCT help operators handle insurance and related risk management issues? Tierney: The insurance game is a really complex issue. Operators are concerned about costs, of course. We’ve tried to provide some guidance. Hibbs Hallmark has been a key player for many years; they know the industry and discuss it at the annual conference. They help educate operators about their choices, the costs, and other factors. But it’s a constantly changing landscape, and we as an industry have only so much control. There will always be an element of risk in adventure parks, as in many things. When it comes to risk management, we have to help jurisdictions avoid kneejerk reactions to incidents. We have to analyze and, where needed, take corrective action.

Last thoughts? Tierney: For those who are not familiar with ACCT, the website is a great resource. And if you are in the industry, you really need to be a member. There’s no rationale for not being a member. To speak with Shawn Tierney yourself, contact him at shawn@acctinfo.org or (303) 328-5978.

57 Fall 2016

Executive director Shawn Tierney has set up a new ACCT office in Boulder, Colo.

It’s a great group of people that work in this industry. We’re not always in complete agreement, but people are very devoted and committed to what they do. Many of us might not see each other except at the conference, so it’s a place and time to develop working relationships, too. And the conference is growing as well.

BY MOIRA MCCARTHY

Staff burnout is a real thing, and operators have several ways of dealing with it.

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Above: Food, beer, and socializing as a team are key tools to combating burnout. Here, Air Donkey staffers enjoy some time on the ground together at a team BBQ. Left: Early season staff training for Air Donkey guides is one of the first steps in solidifying the team.

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It seems almost counterintuitive for something that brings so much joy to also trip us up. After all: tell the world you’re working at an adventure park—spending all day out in the trees or on zip lines or hiking up passes—and they’re going to drool with envy and think, “You’ve got the life.” And yet, burnout is a real thing in this industry. Be it the long hours, the intense way seasons are packed into weeks, the repetition of the days, and perhaps most of all, the pressure. The pressure to keep everyone safe, to keep things moving along, and to make every single guest feel they are the most special guest you’ve ever been with. It all adds up. That’s why many successful adventure park managers know to keep ahead of burnout. Beginning as early as the inter-

view process, it’s something good managers acknowledge, address, and act on. And even then, it can be something they struggle with late in the season. Adventure Park Insider recently surveyed park operators about burnout. Responses came quickly and often, most with the same theme: Yes, indeed, burnout is real. And yes, parks are addressing it, with a combination of planning, communicating, outings, and of course, beer. We took the time to speak more with some of the respondents, and to learn more about how burnout can be addressed. At Air Donkey Zipline Adventures in Oklahoma, Steve Burrough knows how strange it can seem to have to deal with burnout on the job site. “The perception from friends and family is like, ‘Oh, all you do is zip line all summer. How

lucky are you?’ They don’t understand the phenomenon. I tell them that after about 3,000 trips, it loses its thrill,” he says. That’s why he understands not only the signs of burnout, but the timing as well. “It usually starts to show a bit just after the Fourth of July,” he says. “That’s when you can start to see someone going downhill. It’s like all the things you are taught, all the steps you took to avoid it, just seem to slip. You have to realize at some point you are telling the same joke over and over and doing the same thing over and over and over. It can be hard.” WAGES, TIPS, AND TEAM-BUILDING But Burrough takes steps even before he sees this to keep staff motivated. “We start with good wages, and we remind them they keep their tips,” he says. “We also realize these are young

Burrough and his team also offer a $500 bonus to any employee who does not miss a Saturday all season. With that comes the understanding that money, even to the poorest employee, does not always rule. “It’s amazing how many of them don’t make it,” he says. Air Donkey hits several of the recurring themes we heard in fighting burnout— pop-up fun and free meals, ice cold beer (after work), and special outings to not only remind employees of why they do what they do, but also to build relationships. And that’s key. One huge sign of and side effect of burnout, according to Psychology Today, is separation from the team. Chris Christie, park manager at the Adventure Park at Long Island, likes to teambuild with food as a foundation. It’s not unusual for him to cook a breakfast for his entire staff as a way to bring them together and teambuild, without it feeling like a stilted and planned “team building exercise.” “It’s more of ‘team engagement,’” Christie says. “I like to back-end it, not call it a seminar. I like to find a way to get us together to get to know one another

and talk things through, and cooking a meal for everyone works well for that.” Christie points out something that many managers echo: the less they interact with each other in real time and in real situations, the more likely burnout is to set in. “The one time we did have a problem with it was when I got stuck inside for about three weeks,” he says. “When I am outside and really engaging with the staff, we see less of it.” Not that he wasn’t working hard while he was in the office; it’s just better for him to be out there working side-byside with his staff. But it also could be simply because he’s out there giving his staff a voice and demonstrating that he cares what they say and how they feel first-hand.

Even rescue training, like they do at Snow King Mountain, Wyo., can be a fun activity to solidify a team and help avoid burnout. It goes further than that, too—and this might sound shocking to anyone in the service industry: Companies that fight burnout well always put their employees first. As in, before the customer.

PUTTING EMPLOYEES FIRST Tim Kreutzer, owner of Open Air Adventure Park, agrees, pointing out that while food and beer help, there’s a basic need employees have as well that helps push away burnout: employers who listen.

“We tell our employees that friends and family come first, not work. And we mean it,” Kreutzer says. “We try to be flexible with them, give them time when they need it. We know this is not a career; it’s a summertime job. Showing them we know that helps.”

“We have always really valued our employees,” he says. “They are not just a body. They have a voice and we remind them of that constantly. They can come to us and critique us. We ask them all the time: what can we do better? And we listen.”

Sue Muncaster, chief adventure officer at Snow King Mountain, Wyo., echoes that. “We make sure they get time off when and if they need it, and if we’re short, we’re short,” she says. “You know, most of us learned from our own experience that you have to have a balance of family, life, and work. That’s why we actually put our employees before our customers.” Snow King is in Jackson, Wyoming, a resort town that, she says, lends itself to employee burnout, since folks want to work hard in-season to make all the money they can. One tip she gives for battling burnout? Give employees a benefit they can only get on your work site: lessons in how to be better outdoorsmen. “We haven’t been able to do as much as we wanted to, but we’ve done some,”

The team at SkyTrek looks hyped because they started doing “experience exchanges” as a team, including one with a whitewater rafting company.

59 Fall 2016

kids [who cannot afford a lot]. So we stock the break room with good snacks for them, and we hold [impromptu] cookouts. We throw some ribs on the grill and feed them. It’s amazing how much that can boost a person.”

THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER she says of special—free—sessions and getaways to learn more about the outdoors. “We’ve been able to teach them rescue skills they would not use in our park.” That’s the difference between additional training for their jobs and a nice perk, which these activities are. “We try to meet every few weeks for food, beer, and to work on those skills,” she says.

around the bottom of their course, build a fire pit, and have a fun overnight. They do it a few times a season, he says, and it works well not only as a reward for staff, but to solidify the team.

he pulled the staffer off his usual job and put him on some social media work for a spell. Another who expressed an interest in marketing was asked to help with that program.

“All of our staff are really good friends,” he says. “And you know, I would say we are almost family. As it is in family, I encourage hijinks and kidding around. That goes a long way, too. I try to avoid the drama by letting them know we can have fun.”

Christie ties in the serious by acknowledging that the work actually entails a lot of responsibility. “I tell them straight out: you have a tremendous amount of responsibility. I remind them of how important their work is; how they have to address all situations immediately and professionally, and how important I know that is,” he says.

It seems to be helping, she says. But this is the operation’s first year of offering the skills lessons, so she’ll know more as time goes by.

SERIOUS FUN And then there is the serious route, which can combine with beer, food, and fooling around quite well. Kreutzer is careful to pay close attention to employees and hone in on their interests, both personally and career-wise.

Kreutzer has a similar plan, though his has less to do with learning skills, and more to do with enjoying the outdoors in a fun and unique way. To that end, he holds “hammock nights” for his staff. They set up hammocks from trees

“I find ways to give them work to do that ties into that, for two reasons: to break up the monotony, and to give them a new spark of interest,” he says. For instance, when he learned one employee was a whiz at social media,

“Sometimes we forget we are working with 18- to 22-year-olds. We have to help them learn how the real world works. I know it helps. I have them say to me all the time, ‘Wow, Chris. I feel like I can work anywhere after working here.’” STAFFING AND TEAMWORK Sara Baggett, operations manager at Treetop Quest Gwinnett in Georgia, speaks about burnout from experience.

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A season ago, her team suffered big time from it. In the 2016 season, she took what she learned and started fresh, working toward less—or no— burnout as a goal. “Everyone was exhausted,” she says of that rough season. “It’s a long season, and when you are almost short staffed, it can really wear on you.” The solution started at staff selection. “We went into the season knowing that some might leave [earlier than they agree to]. So we over-hired,” she says. There was risk of it backfiring, because staff could become unhappy with fewer hours if work had to be spread out among more people. The result? A happy staff with almost no burnout. “They ended up happy with the hours they had, instead of overwhelmed with the more hours they could have had,” she says. They also were honest to a fault with those new hires, before they even

agreed to come on board. “We tried to be up front with people. You know, when you ask people why they want to do this work, the number one response is always, ‘it seems fun.’ So we try now to warn them that truly, this is indeed work,” she says. They did throw in some fun, too. One big hit was staff nicknames. Everyone got one (Baggett’s is Sriracha), with employees answering to names like Mountain Goat and Sasquatch—all season. “Everyone loves it,” she says. AUGUST-ITIS Speaking of nicknames, Veronika Stevenson, director of operations at Skytrek in B.C., Canada, has one for the entire burnout situation. She calls it “August-itis.” For her, giving it a name makes it real for her and for staff, and helps them all address it head on. She points out to her employees that the “want-tobe-happy customer” can be a grueling person to deal with over and over.

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“It helps a little to talk about it,” she says. “We remind them that the vacationers are stressed out, to be honest. This is their big chance. Their few days or week to have fun, darn it, to have fun. Their expectations are high, and they can be impatient and angry at times. It’s important that staff does not take that personally.” Stevenson came up with a novel idea for battling burnout: experience exchanges with other adventure operations. “We did a rafting exchange. We got to experience theirs for fun, and they got to experience ours. I’m working at doing it with more parks. It’s been so helpful to all of us.” So, has she avoided burnout this season with those ideas? Not entirely. “They’re tired,” she said in late August. “You cannot stay ahead of it completely, you can only warn them and try to get them to address it. There’s no avoiding some of it. It’s just part of what we do.”

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