After two years of pandemic concerns that saw many waterparks remain closed throughout 2020 and suffer continued disruption in 2021, 2022 is anticipated to be a pivot back to normal for the industry. As vaccines are now widely available and COVID becomes endemic, waterparks are poised to capitalize on pent-up demand and return to pre-COVID

As U.S. hotels continue to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic, leisure travel has been a boon for the industry. Recent studies, in fact, suggest that leisure travel will reach prepandemic levels in 2022. However, not all hotels cater to the leisure segment, leaving a large swath of properties that cater to group

In a brief look back at 2021, there was widespread hope that it would be a slow return back to normal as pandemic concerns eased and society reordered itself, but pandemic troubles lingered through the year. While lockdowns and closures may be a thing of the past, new concerns were thrust to the forefront as

Over the past few decades, there has been a growing trend globally of hotels and resorts adding waterpark attractions and features. Some properties have added one or two slides, and some have built a substantial waterpark attached to the resort. H&LA conducted a study for WhiteWater, the leading global manufacturer and designer of waterpark equipment,

Surfing is one of the fastest-growing action sports in the world. People around the globe flock to the ocean to enjoy the beaches, relax, exercise and surf. Perhaps the largest impact on the surfing industry has come from the rise of surf parks. One of the great challenges for surfers across the world is access

Despite 2020 challenges, growth within the U.S. waterpark market is projected for 2021: See the article as published by WWA. The COVID-19 crisis was the definitive event of 2020. The lodging and attractions industries were among the most negatively impacted sectors and experienced record declines in occupancy, attendance, and revenue. With mandated closures, limited capacities,

The once-in-a-century pandemic has caused hoteliers to endure a firestorm that decimated the hotel and leisure industries. The growing COVID-19 cases across the U.S., as well as government restrictions on travel that further stress demand, continue to leave the hotel industry significantly behind pre-pandemic levels in terms of revenues, profitability and valuations. Gateway cities such

Back when we were all naïve enough to think that 2020’s biggest headache would be a seemingly endless year of political campaign ads, hotels and resorts in the U.S. were poised to enjoy the fruits of a robust economy. But the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic threw the industry into chaos, forcing hotels and resorts

The current COVID-19 crisis continues to have a significant negative effect on the waterpark industry. Waterparks play a major role in providing entertainment, supporting job creation, fostering small business opportunities, and contributing to robust economic growth. Due to COVID-19, many outdoor waterparks delayed their season openings while others have decided, or were mandated, not to

A hotel feasibility study is generally required by the mortgage lender or investor before a developer or organization is able to move forward with constructing a new hotel. Typically completed by an independent third-party consultant who specializes in analyzing hotel projects, a feasibility study determines whether a proposed hotel development is economically feasible and if

As casino resorts prepare to reopen in the era of the coronavirus pandemic, operators are looking at how to best serve the needs of both their customers and team members in this new reality. The world has changed and Indian nations across the country are evaluating best practices, reopening plans, and business strategies to stop

This article explains the major components of a waterpark feasibility study that should be analyzed as part of determining the potential success of a waterpark project.

Among the many challenges facing the waterpark industry in 2020, one of the biggest questions on the minds of many developers is: after so many years of growth in the industry, are new waterpark projects still being financed? Financing a new construction waterpark has always been extremely difficult, but 2020 has the added complication of

Waterpark Appraisal Methodology A waterpark resort appraisal is similar to other appraisals in that it is a professional appraiser’s opinion of value. It is typically required by a lender before financing can be obtained for a new project. The scope of the project, including plans and development budgets should be well defined prior to the

Coming into 2020, the United States hotel industry was ready to build on the record-setting performances of the past few years. In 2019, revenue per available room and average daily rate reached the highest levels ever tracked by STR. While some experts warned of oversaturation with the number of new properties built in recent years, nobody