1997/98 Dreamworld Attendance Figures Most Successful on Record

Attendance numbers for year ended June 30, 1998 for Australia’s favourite family theme park, Dreamworld were 1,119,918, the highest in the Park’s history and 2.2% above those achieved in 1996/97.

Commenting on the result, Chief Executive Officer, Fred Maybury said "In the current tourism market growth in attendance is an achievement. The 2.2% growth is reflective of strategic planning implemented more than 18 months ago when tourism trends initially indicated change."

"To surpass the previous years record attendance reinforces the strength of our core market, which is domestic and the appeal of the Gold Coast as a destination. In a tourism market acknowledged as soft, prior to and following the Asian market currency crash, the re-focusing of our marketing strategies in line with these trends has contributed to the result achieved, " he said.

"In this economic climate and relative to other operators, the attendance achieved is a solid result."

27.11% increase in attendances for Dreamworld over Easter holiday period

Following total visitor increases of 7.85% for the 1997 year, Dreamworld has lifted growth figures with a 27.11% increase in attendances, over the ten day Easter Holiday promotional period. This is in comparison to the same ten day period in 1997.

Acknowledging the softening of the Asian sector, Dreamworld re-focused marketing strategies toward the Park’s core market, the domestic sector, throughout 1997. With the Asian sector slowing over the ten day period, Dreamworld’s lift in attendances is attributed to the Intra, Inter-state and non Asian markets.

The New Zealand market remained strong, a result of co-operative television campaigns undertaken in New Zealand with the QTTC last year, while all other international markets also experienced growth results.

Commenting on the positive indicators that have emanated from the lift in attendances experienced over the Easter holiday period, Chief Executive Officer Fred Maybury said "While the tourism market in general indicated a softening twelve months ago, Dreamworld identified that the core market to be nurtured and protected, was the domestic sector. Having identified that, Dreamworld responded to those market indicators, protecting our core market. It is pleasing to now see this translate into growth."

"The domestic sector is critical not only to Dreamworld and Gold Coast Tourism, but to Queensland, and while the increase Dreamworld has experienced over this period is positive, it does not mean the tourism crisis has passed," said Mr. Maybury.

"It merely reinforces the need to protect the existing domestic market and the need to respond to any emerging trends, domestic or international. This I believe will be achieved through individual as well as co-operative marketing efforts, such as those currently being activated with the Gold Coast Tourism Bureau, Brisbane Tourism and the Queensland Travel and Tourism Corporation.".