/ New investments and openings for Europa-Park after an exceptional 2022 season /

Despite all the hardness brought by a war coming short on the heels of a pandemic, 2022 was an exceptional year for Europa-Park, exceeding 6 million visitors for the first time in the German park’s almost-50-year history. Park owner Roland Mack defined the record as “a huge vote of confidence from our visitors” in a year made difficult by factors such as war, supply problems, inflation and the energy crisis. “People are looking for leisure and balance, and the Europa-Park Resort, alongside the Rulantica water world, offers just that,” Mack said.

This success is also fueled by an extensive plan of investments, for a total of over 80 million euros over 3 years. In November 2022, for instance, the resort opened the internationally acclaimed new restaurant of the future Eatrenalin, which combines the experience of a dark ride with that of fine dining (read our story in G&PI, November 2022).

As for 2023, the resort has already opened a new area and one new attraction inside its Rulantica water park. Nordiskturn, opened in January, is a 30m-high tower that was built over what is supposedly a scintillating gemstone mine. With a total foot space of 7,700sqm over 6 storeys, this area is the largest and most complex expansion of the park’s indoor area. At opening, it included wellness and relaxation spaces, separated for adults and families, as well as 2 restaurants. But the ringer opened on February 8th in the form of Vikingløp, a racing slide with 8 lanes and a total length of 1,500m. The largest of its kind in Europe, Vikingløp is a mat slide by ProSlide, with 8 tubes where visitors descend head-first. Every second counts in this mad race, where people can see their competitors during the slide, and other visitors can watch and cheer from the grandstand. “With Nordiskturn and Vikingløp we are very proud to be opening the third slide tower,” said Mack. “We have thus been able to expand our year-round offering in a very attractive way.”

Another important investment will not be in the attractions and park offerings themselves, but will help Europa-Park front the significant increase in energy costs. Together with the automobile logistics company Mosolf, the park is investing in a 30-million-euros photovoltaic system covering more than 20 hectares in Kippenheim near Lahr, which is scheduled to go into operation in 2024. After completion, the plant will produce around 25 gigawatt hours of electricity from renewable energies. “We already operate photovoltaic systems, hydroelectric power plants and combined heat and power plants, but this new system opens up a completely new dimension for us in terms of renewable energy supply,” said Mack. “In the long term, Europa-Park will be able to supply itself with renewable electricity largely independently of other energy sources, particularly in the summer months.”

Continue reading Games & Parks Industry February 2023, page 20

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