FED: Almost 9 million visits to top 30 amusement and theme parks

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FED: Almost 9 million visits to top 30 amusement and theme parks

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, April 30 AAP - Australia's top amusement and theme parks earn almost $300million-a-year, and the Gold Coast was the most profitable area in which to operate, accordingto a new report.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found there were 8.9 million visits madeto the 30 major amusement and theme parks in Australia in the 2000-01 financial year.

Queensland parks attracted 56 per cent of the visits with the star attractions beingDreamworld, Movieworld and Seaworld on the Gold Coast.

Nigel Benton, the publisher of the industry magazine Leisure Management, said by globalstandards Australian amusement and theme parks were "very good".

"But the future will be focused on the Gold Coast which has the money to refresh itsattractions," he said.

"Away from the Gold Coast things are a little more difficult.

"I don't think we'll see major new parks happening elsewhere."

The ABS survey found on average that the 30 major amusement and theme parks received$29 per visit from admission, rides, food, drinks.

They employed 4,150 people with about 54 per cent of them being casual employees.

Total income in the 2001-01 financial year was $287 million, with more than half ofthe income from admissions and rides.

Other income sources were the sale of merchandise ($43 million), takings from mealsand foods ($37 million) and the sale of beverages ($15 million).

Mr Benton said some of the problems confronting the industry were rising liabilityinsurance premiums and the cost of establishing and running theme parks.

"Land values and insurance costs will make it harder and harder for many smaller andmedium-sized parks to survive," Mr Benton said.

AAP ch/sc/was

KEYWORD: TOURISM FUN