UBCNews - Business - The Biggest Challenges Facing The Attractions Industry In 2026 (+ Solutions)

Episode Date: February 4, 2026

Welcome back, everyone! Today we're tackling something that's honestly keeping a lot of folks in the attractions industry up at night - the biggest challenges facing theme parks, waterparks, zoos, and FECs in 2026. And more importantly, we're talking solutions. Joining me is an expert who's been watching these trends closely. Thanks for being here. Gatemaster Technology City: Arvada Address: 5610 Ward Road, Ste 300 Website: https://gatemaster.com/

Welcome back, everyone. Today we're tackling something that's honestly keeping a lot of folks in the attractions industry up at night, the biggest challenges facing theme parks, water parks, zoos, and FECs in 2026. And more importantly, we're talking solutions. Joining me as an expert who's been watching these trends closely. Thanks for being here. Happy to be here. Yeah, 2026 is shaping up to be a really interesting year. And by interesting, I mean, there's a lot to unpack. Right, so let's start with the elephant in the room, geopolitical factors. We're hearing a lot about tariffs, trade policy uncertainty, immigration shifts. What's the real threat here? Well, trade policy uncertainty has actually reached near record levels, higher even than during COVID, according to the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index.

That's creating a volatile environment for attractions. Tariffs can drive up costs for new attractions, equipment. even merchandise. And volatile international tourism patterns mean operators can't always count on the same guest mix they had before. Um-hum, interesting. So the challenge extends beyond any single policy change.

The unpredictability across the board is what matters. Exactly. And then you layer on consumer sentiment, which remains more than 20% below a year ago. High prices are a major concern. 78% of consumers cite rising prices as a top worry. So people are feeling the squeeze, and that impacts leisure spending. That's sobering, but I know the industry isn't just sitting back and hoping for the best.

How are leaders responding with technology and strategy? Great question. So, first off, there's a big shift in where capital is being deployed. While the U.S. construction pipeline remains active, think Dollywood's 50s, $50 million night flight expedition or Universal Kids Resort being planned in Texas, the largest new capital investments are increasingly international. We're seeing massive projects like Universal's planned UK resort with a 50 billion pound investment and large-scale builds in Saudi Arabia.

Emerging markets are expected to grow at around 4% annually, compared to 1.5% for advanced economies. So the opportunity is global, not just domestic. Definitely. And that means attractions need to ensure their supply chains can support international projects, build relationships with international operators now, and invest in team members with international experience. Diversification is the core strategy here.

And I'll say it again. Diversification is really your best hedge against uncertainty. That point on diversification sets up our next piece, guest expectations and how they're fragmenting, but first, a quick word from our sponsor. Running an attraction means juggling ticketing, retail, food and beverage, and party bookings, often across multiple systems. Gatemaster technology provides all-in-one point-of-sale and ticketing solutions designed specifically for the global attractions industry. See these solutions in action and connect with industry peers at the GT Summit. hosted by Gatemaster Technology in March in our Veda, Colorado. Learn more at gatemaster.com.

Picking up on diversification, how do you actually implement that when guest expectations are fragmenting? So guests are splitting into two camps, value-minded and VIP-minded. Value-minded guests want a full evening's entertainment without nickel and diming. They're exhausted from work and won't tolerate overcrowding

or endless lines. They'll pay, but they want it packaged as all-inclusive. On the flip side, VIP-minded guests have money but no time. They expect zero-waiting and premium experiences, and they won't blink at high-price tags. So operators need to figure out where their audience sits on that spectrum. Right.

For value audiences, bundle your offerings. Make the sticker price feel honest and complete. For VIP audiences, invest in premium experiences, even if you only sell a handful. The economics work at low volume. I remember visiting a haunted attraction last fall that had this VIP fast pass option. Only 20 people bought it that night, but those tickets alone covered half their staffing costs. Wow, that's powerful. And I'm guessing basic creature comforts are part of this equation too?

Absolutely. Guests won't tolerate uncomfortable mediocrity anymore. They expect quality food worth the price, clean restrooms, good merchandise, and adequate shelter from weather. These aren't nice to haves. They're table stakes. Attractions with poor facilities signal poor value, regardless of how good the rides are. You know, speaking of weather, I've noticed museums are having a bit of a renaissance. What's driving that? Museums are thriving, partly because they're indoors, so they're protected from unpredictable weather. Prices are typically all-inclusive, which eliminates planning fatigue. And they're experimenting with IP in fresh ways. Museums provide a predictable, comfortable experience where the ticket price covers everything. I see, go on.

The outdoor attractions can learn from this. Do you have adequate indoor components for when temperatures hit 105 degrees? Or when it's pouring rain? Can guests still have a meaningful experience if outdoor attractions close? The parks that thrive will be those that don't ask guests to gamble on weather, or their wallets, for that matter. Ha, yeah, nobody wants to pay premium prices and then get rained out. So to everyone listening, have you a lot of everyone listening, have you a lot of

ever wondered how your favorite attraction stays ahead of these kinds of challenges? There's a lot of scenario planning involved. Uh, I think the key message is that diversification is your hedge. Ask yourself, if that new coaster costs 30% more due to tariffs, what's your backup plan? If international tourists can't reach you, how do you make up that revenue with locales? If your primary demographic gets squeezed economically, do you have offerings that appeal to different audience segments? Those are smart questions, and I know there's a lot of support out there for professionals trying to work through this.

Yeah. Events like the GT Summit, 2026, are designed for serious attraction leaders who want clarity, strategy, and community. An intimate results-driven event, only 40 in-person seats, focused on improving operations, boosting revenue, and creating unforgettable guests. experiences. Ruby Newell Legner is the keynote speaker and MC, bringing decades of experience transforming service cultures across sports, leisure and recreation facilities worldwide. That's impressive. And for those who can't travel, there are virtual tickets available too,

right? Exactly. Virtual tickets let you access every session from anywhere, so businesses can invest in their staff's training without the cost of travel. It's happening March 11th and 12th. So we've established that 2026 brings real challenges, geopolitical uncertainty, shifting consumer sentiment, evolving guest expectations, but the industry has weathered storms before. The playbook is intensified, not rewritten.

Right. We survived a pandemic that shut down the entire industry. Scenario planning isn't pessimism. Survival strategy is what matters. The attractions that thrive won't be those that predicted the future correctly. They'll be those that built flexibility to adapt to multiple futures. Well said, so for anyone out there managing an attraction, diversify, plan for weather, understand your audience segments,

and stay connected with your peers and industry leaders. The solutions are out there. Couldn't have put it better myself. Thanks for having me. Thanks for joining us. And to all our listeners, keep asking the tough questions, keep building those contingency plans, and keep creating unforgettable experiences. We'll catch you next time.