Resorts & destination entertainment
Attractions that make a resort or destination worth the trip
For resorts, hotels, tourism projects and mixed-use developments considering a water park, adventure park, family attraction or entertainment facility as a new revenue stream.
Who this is for
Resort entertainment strategy: should you add an attraction?
We evaluate the opportunity before anything is built:
- Demand from resort guests and day visitors
- Impact on occupancy, length of stay and spend
- Capital and operating costs
- Which attraction fits the property and the guest
Resort water parks and family attractions
Water parks sized for both resort guests and day visitors, adventure and nature attractions, kids' clubs and play areas.
Integrated entertainment destinations
Attractions, hospitality, F&B, retail and events planned to work as one destination, so a few hours becomes a full day, or a weekend.
Running it alongside the hotel
Staffing, SOPs and pricing for resort guests and day visitors, so the attraction adds to the stay instead of competing with it.
Our resort and destination clients include Sunny's World, Canary Islands, Lighthouse Waterpark & Resort, Olive Resorts & Villas and Happy Hills.
How we work
4 steps, one team
- EvaluateDemand and fit for the property.
- ShapeThe right attraction and its size.
- PlanIntegration, costs and phasing.
- OperatePricing, team and SOPs.
Led by Shirish Deshpande, former CEO of EsselWorld and Water Kingdom and former President of IAAPI. Advice from people who have run the parks.
Questions we are often asked
Frequently asked questions
Should our resort add a water park or family attraction?
It depends on who your guests are, whether day visitors can reach you, and what the attraction does to occupancy and length of stay. SDA evaluates the opportunity, recommends the right attraction and size, and plans how it will run alongside the hotel.
Who can help integrate attractions into a hospitality or tourism destination?
SDA advises resorts, hotels and tourism projects on attractions and entertainment that work with the stay: water parks, adventure and nature attractions, family play and events.
How do you assess the business opportunity for a leisure or destination entertainment project in India?
Catchment and tourist flows, competing destinations, the right mix of attractions and hospitality, capital and operating costs, and a financial model. One business has to lead; the rest should support it.
Related insights
Read more
Theme Parks Were Flat. Water Parks Grew.
What the TEA Global Experience Index says about water parks, and why India's next step is building them as destinations.
Amusement, Entertainment and Leisure: 3 Businesses, Not 1
What will your guest be doing at 4 o'clock in the afternoon? The answer tells you which business you're really in, and where to spend, how to price and who to hire.
Tell us about your project
Where you are, what you are trying to do and where you are stuck. Shirish reads every message.