A new research report by colliers International has signalled that theme park resorts could benefit from appealing to a wider audience than just visitors to the attraction.

The paper, entitled theme parks: Experiential Travel, especially noted the potential of the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions) and corporate markets – something Disney and Resorts World Sentosa have embarked on.

According to the paper, this kind of diversification is especially important for older parks where first-time guests are fewer and return visitors tend to just come for a day.

“During the first eight to 10 years after the opening of a theme park, there is a strong correlation between theme ark attendance and hotel demand,” says the report. “However, once the park has been open for more than 10 years and demand is mature, the correlation becomes weaker, as certain visitors return only on day trips.”

“Thus it becomes increasingly important in the long term for a theme park hotel to diversify its segmentation to target more non-theme park visitors (MICE, corporate).”

The report recommends using MICE events to boost visitation in off-peak seasons, introducing entertainment for adults, maximising their length of stay and targeting guests from specific regions.

To read the full report, which also looks at how the Middle East is incorporating the development of theme parks into national tourism strategy, click here.