Record-breaking summer 2021 at Enchanted Adventure Garden in Australia

Neveplast Tubby was a huge success during summer 2021 at the Enchanted Adventure Garden in Australia. While Europe and other Northern Hemisphere countries eagerly anticipate the summer of 2021 amid pandemic concerns, summer 2021 has already concluded in the Downunder continent.

At Enchanted Adventure Park, located an hour's drive from Melbourne, the post-COVID summer season was excellent. The numbers, particularly regarding the Neveplast TUBE SLIDES, are promising for the resurgence of tourism in our hemisphere as well.

Caitlin, Marketing Manager of Enchanted Adventure Park: “We couldn’t have hoped for a better summer restart. During the peak five weeks of summer 2021, we recorded a 45% increase compared to the previous summer, even though we had to set a maximum attendance limit to adhere to social distancing protocols.”

1. When did you open the park, and when did you introduce the Neveplast TUBE SLIDES?

Enchanted Adventure Garden opened in 1997, and we introduced the Neveplast Tubby in 2011.

2. Enchanted Adventure Garden features 6 TUBE SLIDES, making tubing a popular attraction. Why do you think tubing is so popular? What are the main advantages of tubing for you, considering management costs, maintenance, hourly capacity, and final revenue?

“Our Neveplast Tube Slides are one of our guests' favorite activities. This can be attributed to several factors. One of the most appealing aspects of tubing is its dynamic nature. Parents love seeing their kids active and having fun outdoors. Children usually go home tired after sliding down the Neveplast Tube Slides, which parents find delightful.

We often describe our Tube Slides as 'dry water slides' that can be used year-round. Among the Tube Slides, we have a Nippers Tube Slide specifically designed for younger children and larger slides for older kids and adults. Another advantage of Neveplast Tubby is its affordability and accessibility compared to winter tubing at ski resorts, which can be very expensive in Australia.”

3. What is your target audience? Would you recommend including TUBING in an adventure park's attraction package? If so, why?

“Our primary target market is families, accounting for about 60% of our business. We also have a significant market among teenagers, but families are our main focus. The Nippers Tube Slide can be used by very young children, starting from 2 years old. We recommend Neveplast Tubby to any park that wants to offer healthy and family-friendly fun.”

4. Could you briefly describe the TUBE SLIDES (dimensions, features, etc.)? Do people prefer the straight slides or the twisting TUBE SLIDES?

“Most of our slides are about 80 meters long. Our Nippers Tube Slide, designed for very young children, is 50 meters long. The straight slides are the most frequented and popular compared to the parabolic or twisting slides. This might be because guests love racing head-to-head with their friends on the parallel straight slides to see who reaches the bottom first. Straight slides are often the first step for those who have never tried tubing. Once they gain confidence, they move on to the parabolic slides for more adrenaline.”

5. Last year, you introduced an innovative product that enhanced the appeal of the TUBE SLIDES. Can you tell us about this product?

“In 2018/2019, we added trampolines to give our Tube Slides even more momentum. Over the years, we also added the Nippers Tube Slide, designed for younger children. This slide is for kids under 135 cm in height and offers a gentler but still fun experience for our little adventurers.”

6. How is the current COVID-19 situation in Australia? Do you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

“Since our reopening in November 2020, the park has recorded unprecedented numbers. COVID-19 restrictions have introduced many complications in managing customers and staff, with a maximum visitor limit to ensure proper distancing. Fortunately, the Tube Slide attraction naturally ensures social distancing, and even in queues, the presence of the tubes helps maintain the required distance. Due to the pandemic, Australians have greatly limited overseas travel and have preferred to spend their holidays and free time outdoors, close to home. This has benefited businesses like ours that rely on the influx of Melbourne residents and surrounding areas.”

7. How was the summer reopening post-COVID? How was the summer season overall, in terms of revenue and customer approach, considering the rules on distancing and the maximum visitor limit?

“When we reopened after the lockdown, we weren’t sure if the business would pick up encouragingly. We were also concerned that our customers might prefer smaller, less crowded venues. We spent a lot of time preparing a safe reopening plan, strictly adhering to virus containment regulations, with great attention to hygiene and safety. Thankfully, our efforts and courage were rewarded. We ramped up our communication efforts to inform everyone that the park was ready to host tourists safely, and being outdoors minimized the risk of contagion.

From the first day of summer reopening, bookings exceeded our expectations. Due to the capacity limitations imposed by our anti-COVID measures, we had to turn down many reservations, highlighting the success of our post-lockdown reopening.”

8. Enchanted Adventure Garden is located at Arthurs Seat, just an hour and a half from Melbourne. Do you think the desire for freedom, fresh air, and nature, spurred by the COVID-19 lockdowns, will persist in the tourism and leisure sector?

“Australians are big fans of outdoor activities. It’s in our DNA. Our winters are mild, and there’s no doubt that if you ask an Australian to choose between an indoor and outdoor activity, they’ll choose the latter. There’s a strong desire to experience nature and outdoor activities like those at Enchanted Adventure. These experiences can be enjoyed year-round. The trend towards nature and outdoor activities, accentuated by the pandemic and lockdowns, is likely to remain constant even when, hopefully soon, we return to normal life.”

9. The pandemic has shown a desire to leave cities and enjoy summer outdoors. Has this trend been seen in Australia as well?

“Absolutely! As I mentioned, Melbourne residents are moving to what used to be their holiday homes in an attempt to escape the city. This trend is widespread throughout the country. Country or mountain homes within the same region are in high demand.”

10. The tourism and leisure sector has been among the most vulnerable due to the health emergency. What strategies did you use to mitigate losses and ensure safety and fun for your customers?

“We were extremely fortunate that our national government supported the tourism sector with the Job Keeper program. This allowed us to retain our employees and maintain contracts even during the lockdown. We also benefited from targeted government support and loan freezes. This combination of support enabled us to reopen confidently despite the crisis.

During the lockdown, we didn’t stop but planned and worked to improve operational efficiency. Upon reopening, we created a timed entry ticket. Previously, guests could enter without a reservation, anytime, with no time limits. This way, we mitigated the risk of gatherings and queues during peak arrival times. By encouraging visitors to book in advance, we could organize everything better.

We also changed the ticket purchase rules. Normally, entrance tickets are non-refundable. In case of non-attendance due to COVID-19, we decided to refund customers to ensure greater safety for all our clientele.

In Australia, as elsewhere, the tourism sector is struggling, especially those dependent on international tourists, which are now nonexistent due to COVID-19. We consider ourselves very fortunate and grateful to have a strong local visitor base (statewide and nationwide) and focus on targeting the local audience.”

11. In an unprecedented situation, tourism and leisure had to reinvent themselves, starting from scratch like a startup. Marketing communication through social media has become more important, and virtual offerings have increased in many sectors. What was your marketing strategy?

“During the two main lockdowns in our state, we felt it was important to stay in touch with our followers by strengthening our communication through social media, which is increasingly essential in our industry. Using digital marketing tools, we effectively communicated to our customers that the park was ready to welcome tourists safely and relaunched our business with gift vouchers, which were very well received.”

12. What is your opinion of Neveplast?

“Neveplast is a fantastic company offering unique product lines with superior quality and customer service. We are grateful to have a long-standing relationship with Niccolò Bertocchi and the entire Neveplast team.”