Walibi Belgium goes for new strategy!

[KristofWB]

Panick at the backoffice staff from Walibi Belgium past week. Fifteen of their employees at the administration of the park unexpectedly got their letter of resignation.

Reason for their resignation is the fact that Compagnie des Alpes will reform the park pretty drastic. The past season, CdA noticed a profit of 282.000.000 EUR, still a loss of 7,4% compared to 2012. Parks such as Mer de Sable, Bellewaerde Park and Walibi Belgium had an increase in profit and number of visitors past season, but the other didn't.

CdA finally realized that the competition between parks is getting higher and higher and found out that people are less satisfied after a visit to Walibi Belgium. That's why in the following years, Walibi Belgium will start to invest in several brand new rides to keep up the competition from other parks and to keep their visitors satisfied.

Because the costs of these new rides in the future, 15 employees have lost their job. I guess more information will appear pretty soon.

Source: l' Avenir, 10 tot 6.be

 

[insanecoastervids]

Well good for them they really needed a wake up call and I hope they don't have problems with these new rides.

 

[Gavin]

^How is it "good for them" to fire 15 people because of their previous s**ty management and refusal to add anything for years?

Competitors add new attractions and see an increase in visitor numbers and profits. Wailibi add nothing apart from a few tins of paint and some mangy costumed characters and see profits fall. Big shocker! You don't need to be Donald Trump to recognise it as a crappy business model.

 

[insanecoastervids]

^ You know what gavin I was meaning that it's good that they are going to add new rides not that they fired 15 people that is not good and they are going to add new rides as it clearly said that.

 

[Mushroom]

Good, there has not been anything new since my first visit in 2008 of note. Maybe a kick up the backside is a good idea.

Posting from a random place which you need to find me at.

 

[Gazza]

Because the costs of these new rides in the future, 15 employees have lost their job. I guess more information will appear pretty soon.

The cost of 15 employees won't pay for much of a ride.

 

[Lofty]

^ In all honesty, it depends on their roles. If they're MD and Senior Management roles and the like, the figures surprisingly add up quickly.

This business model is totally flawed as Gavin has pointed out. If you don't add much to bring back your custom, you're actually shooting yourself in the foot. Most parks out there have their highest percentage of annual figures from repeat customers.

 

[Nemesis Inferno]

It wasn't until my visit that I realised an entire side of the park is literally a hedge away from someone's back garden, and it's not particularly loved for that (and Psyke Underground's loudness), hence that's an entire side of the park they can't build anything major on...

The other side of the park being a motorway, means expansion is really limited, doesn't surprise me that nothing has been added (not that it excuses it of course)...

I think that the brand seems quite strong, and that should be a definite focus, but naturally they need to add new stuff with it... They have space for a new dark ride by Cobra (and a building), but aside from a seemingly bit field behind the Dodgems, I can't see where else they would build without removing something first...

It's a case of finding the balance I would say, and perhaps the management weren't doing this in an ideal way, especially with Plopsaland really pushing itself forwards in the near future with the Waterpark/Hotel combo...

 

[KristofWB]

It wasn't until my visit that I realised an entire side of the park is literally a hedge away from someone's back garden, and it's not particularly loved for that (and Psyke Underground's loudness), hence that's an entire side of the park they can't build anything major on...

The other side of the park being a motorway, means expansion is really limited, doesn't surprise me that nothing has been added (not that it excuses it of course)...

I think that the brand seems quite strong, and that should be a definite focus, but naturally they need to add new stuff with it... They have space for a new dark ride by Cobra (and a building), but aside from a seemingly bit field behind the Dodgems, I can't see where else they would build without removing something first...

Actually, the park has really alot of space to expand. For example, the field behind the dodgems is actually pretty huge. Check the picture below to have a look at the size of that field. The field you mean is where Tornado is located now, but it's only a part of this field.

The park also has this massive space at the side of the highway, next to Calamity Mine, passing these tennisfields and all the way to the little buildings behind the white tent. The park owns this space since 10 years or something and again, it is huge.

They also got permission to build on the lake and a little bit of space located between Vampire, the Dyle river and the parking.

 

[KristofWB]

What we expected: employees in a strike! Yesterday, they blocked the entrance of Walibi's waterpark Aqualibi with rafts from the parks rapid river, Radja River. Aqualibi, which supposed to re-open today after a small break for winter maintenance, remains closed because employees of the park blocked the parks parkinglot with FlashBack boats! Belgian Christmas holiday starts on friday, normally a top-holiday for Aqualibi!

Source: http://www.tientotzes.be

 

[Ian]

I hope Caroline Crucifix is still there, such a fab name.

 

[Mike]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but...

"Walibi Belgium had an increase in profit and number of visitors past season"
and
"Walibi Belgium will start to invest in several brand new rides"

Surely these are good things for the park?

Plus, don't most parks employ seasonally, and tend to have a massive staff turnover each year anyway?

I don't really understand this story.

 

[jokerman]

^I think what we're assuming is that they aren't just ride operators and the like that are being kicked, it's more full time, higher paid roles. There was no warning given that these jobs would be going from what I understand.

 

[KristofWB]

We are a couple of weeks later now and Aqualibi re-opened on December 30th 2013, after six hours non-stop negociating with management and labour unions, it is decided that 7 of the fired employees can keep their jobs at the park. Only in another function as they did before.

But now it also seems that Walibi Belgium is cutting costs by saving in openinghours and late night openings. The new calendar, that was published today, shows us that the park has cut back late night summer openings from five (2 in July and 3 in August) to only three in August. As the park used to be opened till 11 PM during those summer nights, starting from 2014, it will be only till 10 PM. During July and August, the park is opened from 10 AM till 7 PM, while this year only till 6 PM.

As Walibi Belgium said, saving costs will lead to major new investments in the near future. In 2015, when the park will celebrate it's 40th birthday, hopes are high for a big, new ride...