More than 3,6 million visitors/increasing number of Austrian and Arab guests

Europa-Park, one of the world´s leading theme parks, reached its goal for the summer season 2008: despite the bad weather and a therefore slow start into the season, more than 3.6 million people have visited Germany’s biggest theme park, which is located in Rust/Germany. Particularly August was the most strong-selling August since the opening of the park in 1975. However, not only visitor numbers made this season successful: compared to the previous year, per capita expenditures of visitors have gone up. 

At the same time, the visitor structure becomes more and more international. With about 800.000 visitors each, the Swiss and the French are the largest visitor groups after the Germans. But also more and more guests from Austria and Arab countries are visiting Europa-Park. For the first time, Austrian and French overnight stays lay level. All flights from Austria to the Black Forest Airport in Lahr/Germany were fully booked.

During the summer season 2008, Europa-Park recorded an extremely good occupancy rate in the hotel resort. Germany’s biggest theme park can therefore stabilise the trend for an independent short break destination – despite constantly rising petrol prices. In an academically supported representative survey, 97 per cent of the visitors stated that they planned another visit to Europa-Park.

Petra Hedorfer, chairman of the German National Tourist Board, calls Europa-Park a “visitor magnet for tourism in Germany”. Nationally and internationally, the park is an “absolute highlight of the travel destination Germany”. Concerning “tourism intensity”, which is defined as overnight stays per 1,000 inhabitants, Rust, with 175,000 overnight stays, is ahead of major German cities like Berlin, Munich or Stuttgart.

Today, more than 80 per cent of the guests are repeat visitors. For Europa-Park´s managing partner Roland Mack this is a “firm proof of the above-average quality and class” of Germany’s biggest theme park. Without a constant flow of new ideas and initiatives, such a level could not be maintained. Roland Mack’s strategy: “We need innovation, emotion and quality.”

The results after 33 years of Europa-Park are impressive: almost 80 million people came to see Europa-Park until today, more than 500 million Euro were invested by the Mack family, without public subsidies. Approximately 3000 people are employed at Europa-Park and more than 8000 indirect jobs were created by the leisure business. Roland Mack: “Europa-Park is an important initiator and a strong leader for the economy of our region.”

Spooky moments on Halloween

From the end of September until early November, more than 150,000 pumpkins, 6,000 corn stalks, 5,000 chrysanthemums, 2,000 bales of straw and 200 skeletons turned Germany’s biggest theme park into a playground for a wide range of creepy creatures. During this time, also the special evening event “Terenzi Horror Nights” achieved a new visitor record: compared to the previous year, the visitor numbers doubled with a total of 30.000 guests. Moreover, the Halloween-Show “DJ BoBo goes Halloween” was very successful. The most famous pop star from Switzerland celebrated the finale of his tour “Vampires Alive” at Europa-Park.

Experience Marc Chagall – a completely new art exhibition

On 29 November, Europa-Park starts its winter season, which will last until 11 January 2009. One of the highlights of the winter opening is the Chagall exhibition “The Marc Chagall Experience – His Love of Greece”. With walk-in paintings, a hall of mirrors and oversize details, Europa-Park presents an entirely new form of exhibition. Chagall's love of Greece is reflected in the 69 exhibited original lithographs, illustrating the Greek romance "Daphnis and Chloe", Homer's epic "Odyssey" and the cycle "In the land of the gods". All these art works are especially loaned by the artist´s family estate. Therefore, Chagall’s granddaughter Meret Meyer was substantially involved in the planning of this exhibition.

From 21 November 2008 until 24 January 2009, the dinner show “Cirque d’Europe” presents its new program “One Night” and a 4-course menu created by the French starred chef Emile Jung. Europa-Park becomes more and more popular as an attractive location for conferences, company events and entertainment. To meet the growing demand and requirements, a new classical ballroom will therefore be opened in the “German Alley”.

In 2.5 seconds from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour

From 2009 on, Europa-Park is upside down! The new coaster with catapult launch and overhead elements promises pure adrenaline. The new attraction will be put into operation in April 2009. The more than 1 kilometre long and 34 metres high ride will have a capacity of 1,720 passengers an hour. The train, which has a weight of 10 tonnes, is accelerated from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in only 2.5 seconds. In addition to that, a new themed area is in planning. Approximately 35 million Euro will be invested within the next five months. This will be the most extensive expansion of the park since its opening 33 years ago.

See also:
English theme park industry on a round trip through Europe: BALPPA Summer Meeting at Europa-Park