How are adventure centers handling the pandemic?

How are adventure parks handling the pandemic?

Nicholas Wartham - 2/9/2021

 High adventure centers are in some eyes just like a mini Disney World. They offer activities such as rock climbing, ropes courses, mountain biking, and other fun recreation activities. Locations like this in the Carolinas are the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC), High Gravity, Aerial Adventure Park, as well as ski mountains that open their slopes for biking, and climbing during the summer time. When March hit, things changed and people were to be in quarantine and create their own adventures, but a home. Places like the USNWC, and other ropes course locations closed its doors this spring in fellowship with Roy Cooper’s stay at home order. In addition the American Hotel and Lodging Association reports that they were struggling to keep their doors open. The recreation and tourism industry was hit quite hard during this pandemic because of lack of travel, and the fear of a global pandemic. People then started to dream of going out and about and enjoying adventure. We all talked about how it was time to get back outside so many people utilized their local parks to get some fresh air while in quarantine. New York Times writes that people are adopting new ways of tourism, and that's to stay closer to home for their adventure needs. This is where adventure parks can be of service to the public! 

USNWC participants using the rapid while social distancing

The USNWC in early May opened its doors back up to the local public for use! Many adventure parks followed this trend, and were quick to understand what new precautions they should be taking especially with shared gear and spaces. The whitewater center reports that they are only to be guiding a very small portion of participants they are used to seeing during the spring but happy to be open at all. They offered in May kayaking, paddle boarding, mountain biking, as well as their trails. Not all the amenities of the center were opened back up and activities that allowed social distancing were kept in order to cater to the communities around Charlotte. While the USNWC does not report loss of employment, many places just like the center have either had to shut their doors, or lay off recreational employees. 

New techniques that adventure parks are adopting after the pandemic is the concept of touchpoint cleaning: “Touchpoint cleaning is the process of disinfecting key areas or items that are touched frequently throughout the day. These objects include doorknobs, light switches, rails, elevator buttons, keyboards, coffee machines, printers and any other surfaces that see frequent human contact.” Recreation branches are highly encouraged in this manner to disinfect everything from shared gear to even the benches people may or may not sit on around the park. In addition, when transporting people travel regulations have heightened when looking at how many passengers can ride in the van/busses. Furthermore, other practices such as mandated mask wearing, social distancing have all been enforced as well as encouragement of touchless devices to pay, and use of menus/activity options. As adventure parks start to open back up they are adopting these practices to ensure a safe experience for all.

As things start to come back to "normal" more high adventure centers are seeing a come back. The Washington Post reports that one community member says "we are not back to full travel but we're getting there." The recreational and adventure industry is slowing seeing a bounce back as well as we understand the virus just a little bit better, and can offer activities that allows social distancing. Using practices of disinfecting, and other precautions we can keep ourselves and employees of these locations safe as well as continue to cater to their local communities while travel is not the best idea. One day we will all be able to sit full capacity in a whitewater raft and send it down a rapid, but not anytime soon. Especially without using a full bottle of Lysol first.