IAAPA recently released its annual FEC Benchmark Report, based on data from FY 2016. The study breaks down details like admissions, attractions information, guest demographics, pricing and even parking data. As expected, it depicts a diverse marketplace with multiple models showing success. According to the report, 42 percent surveyed were pay-as-you-go FECs, 41 percent a mix of pay-as-you-go and ticketed attractions with the leftover respondents pay-one-price.
Another interesting finding is that only 45 percent of respondents were single FECs, showing that many FECs are a part of a larger company. The average number of facilities owned by respondents was 4.5.
The study’s questions on pricing, one of the easier metrics to compare across the complex market, revealed that the average pricing for individual activities was between $5 and $8. The lowest average cost activity was a bumper boat ride at $5.81; the highest single activity cost came in at $7.64 for an hour on the ropes course. The two most common activities, according to IAAPA’s report, were a single game of laser tag (averaged at $7.36) and a game of mini-golf ($6.63).
FECs surveyed also shared what activities generated the most revenue, choosing from a list of the top 28 activities found at FECs. Arcade games came in near the top of the revenue-driving activities, with laser tag, outdoor mini golf and go-karts also bringing in the cash. The most lucrative events for FECs remain to be birthday parties.
The full report is available to IAAPA members as part of their membership, and non-members can purchase it. Read more about the study in the November RePlay. For more information and to find the full report, click here.