2020 has certainly presented all of us with challenges we never anticipated. Poised to be a year of growth and opportunity, it quickly turned to one of uncertainty and unease. As we approach the turning of the new year and afford ourselves a moment to look back, we can choose to lament on all the lost opportunities – or we can focus on the seeds of success that did manage to bloom despite the pandemic. Proving once again, that our industry is resilient – well positioned to survive, and thrive, despite the most difficult of circumstances.
Resilience In The Face Of Adversity. As a founding member of the World Waterpark Association, we at ADG have had the privilege to be a part of this industry since its inception. And our team takes heart in the future – knowing that the foundation on which our industry is built, and the community of which we are proud to be a part of, is resilient, and will come out on the other side of this stronger for the struggle that we will all have collectively endured.
I am very proud and pleased at how our team at ADG has responded to the calls for support from our clients. New opportunities will always emerge, and we stand ready to act!
While many parks were unable to open, the ones that did showed us that it was possible to deliver a positive guest experience amidst even the most challenging of situations. Thanks to dedicated staff that braved the pandemic, work within our industry continued. New waterparks were built, new rides were added, park renovations were completed, and service to our rides and equipment never ceased, as our team of designers, technicians, construction managers and engineers were determined to do all they could to keep our clients forging ahead and operating successfully.
Progress may have slowed, but it never stopped.
The number of visitors to our parks may have been less, but they never disappeared.
Encouragement For The Future. Admittedly, times of uncertainty can be a struggle to navigate through. Change often forces us to think differently, to operate differently; not because we want to but because we must. But from change comes innovation. And from every challenge, new opportunities.
It has been heartening to witness how our colleagues have come together to support one another and our industry. No one has a playbook for what we’re dealing with, and no one knows exactly when we will be back to “normal”, if I dare to use that word. What we do know is that the landscape for how our parks are operated and experienced will continue to evolve, and that we will continue to evolve with it.
We are a Resilient Industry Built on a Foundation of Fun – A Tenant which will Never Disappear. At ADG we are looking forward, forging ahead, and planning for the future. We do not know when this pandemic and its effects will be completely behind us, but we do know that this too shall pass, and that brighter skies (and crowded waterparks) will once again prevail!
Stay safe,
Jim Dunn, President, Aquatic Development Group
