by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:40 AM ET, Sat May 2, 2020
A new report regarding the amusement park industry in the United States shows a positive outlook over the long term, but a grave impact in the short term due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
According to the Amusement Parks: United States report released by Freedonia Focus Reports, annual visitation numbers for theme parks in America are expected to rise by 2.2 percent yearly through 2024.
The forecast was predicated on parks constructing new rides and attractions, as well as the growth of season passes. The increased number of visitors and per-visit spending estimates were also projected to boost revenue growth.
The problem now is the impact of the viral pandemic and how long before crowds are permitted to enter the theme parks. Many facilities have been forced to shutter or delay opening for the 2020 season, which will profoundly impact visitation and revenues.
In addition, the short-term outlook is bleak even when parks do open up again, as there will undoubtedly be lingering concerns about large groups of people gathering in long lines, food courts or live-show venues.
Earlier this week, Disney theme parks announced they were evaluating how and when it can safely reopen Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim.
In Florida, the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force started working on guidelines during a meeting Tuesday that would be put in place before the process of reopening Orlando's theme parks could begin.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and California Department of Public Health director Dr. Sonia Angell painted a much bleaker picture, with theme parks in California possibly not opening "for months" until a coronavirus treatment becomes available.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
