Volume 3, No. 19. October 10,2003
Bearing out
The African Safari
Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio, had its best April ever in a year when
it originally didn’t plan to have an April. That early opening launched
a highly successful season for the zoo, thanks entirely to a waterpark resort,
said Director Bill Coburn.
It’s not his waterpark resort, mind you, but the Great Bear Lodge in nearby
Sandusky. Coburn set up a deal with the resort lodge to offer half-off admission
for any guests with a Great Bear room key or waterpark wristband. “People
spending three days at Great Bear, after a couple of days they are waterlogged
and looking for other things to do,” Coburn said.
Originally scheduled to open May 1, African Safari Wildlife Park moved its opening
up 30 days to April 2 to get some of the spring break business at Great Bear.
That earlier opening caused some challenges, especially bringing in staff earlier
to prepare the park after one of the region’s worst winters on record.
But it was worth it. Coburn called his April “12 times better than we’ve
ever had,” and the Great Bear traffic continued through the summer. Even
June’s incessant rain didn’t hamper business at the wildlife park.
“A little bit of rain doesn’t hurt us because people come off the
lake (Erie),” Coburn said, and the safari park can be enjoyed from inside
the guests’ cars.
Now, there’s nice market positioning, attracting people wanting to get
out of the water on the inside and out from the rain on the outside.
THE LOOP is written and produced by Eric Minton, Minton Enterprises, LLC. To see more examples of Eric Minton's work and Minton Enterprises services, visit www.ericminton.com.
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