Amusement Parks enhance wellbeing against stress from COVID-19

AmusementParks

The Zamperla Group has long understood the importance of wellness and inclusion provided by the entertainment industry. We consider ourselves as a serious and socially responsible business that produces “dreams and well-being” through our attractions and the management of our amusement parks, an industry that is also particularly committed to the issues of inclusivity and disability, supported by our interdisciplinary research group composed of internal designers and external specialists.

Now, more than ever, amidst the stress and worry of the pandemic, playful moments and experiences have been missed. Covid-19 has impacted access to amusement parks throughout the world and among other things, taken away the opportunity to share meaningful experiences. That’s why, because of the overwhelming period we are facing, our company has promoted research that aims to explore how amusement parks can be a valuable way of fighting the malaise and stress that people have been feeling as a result of COVID-19.

AmusementParks

The Cerino-Chiari study, “AMUSEMENT PARKS – A NON-CONVENTIONAL BUT EFFECTIVE MEASURE AGAINST STRESS FROM COVID-19,” outlines the consequences which have occurred as a result of COVID-19 and how entertainment, more specifically, Amusement Parks are positioned to help our society minimize or negate these effects.

“It is therefore clear that a lot of “positive” energy will be needed to face the post lockdown phase”, says Dr. Stefania Cerino.

In the amusement sector, all we know is positive energy. It is what inspires our engineers, our ticket takers, our operations managers, and most importantly – our guests!  No one goes to an amusement park to have a bad time. We provide shared experiences between both families and strangers which evoke feelings of happiness, joy, and connection.  By design, we are makers of fun and well-positioned to counter any negative impacts of our outside worlds.

We have all been overwhelmed by the events and we have been thrown into a silent and empty world due to the lockdown; which distanced us from work, from affections, from moments of fun and left great perplexities about the future. Feelings of isolation, depression, and melancholy have permeated psyches. This result is the antithesis of what our collective objective has been in the entertainment industry since the dawn of time.

Amusement Parks

“The amusement parks, born between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, are the heirs of the medieval mercantile fairs, and have then evolved over time thanks to technological development, ending today to represent spaces where dreams, wonder and fantasy can materialize into positive emotions and well-being experiences.”, states Gianni Chiari, ANCASVI technical secretary and member of the main international technical committees.

Our world was smaller than ever and now we remain largely apart in the interest of safety. The businesses we own, operate, and support are designed to enrich the lives of the public. The amusement parks of the world that have re-opened had to follow, and continue to pursue, a strict protocol of safety measures given by national governments and health representatives. Parks safety is the number one priority, thanks also to the care and attention paid by the operators and park-goers themselves.

It is our duty to have a positive impact on society: our global people need us to forge forward in the face of adversity and continue to advocate with our legislators for the safe and effective reopening of all entertainment venues. Live music, museums, zoos, amusement parks, family entertainment centers, and countless others provide an opportunity for society to FEEL ALIVE!

“We have not surrendered to disability; making our attractions increasingly inclusive and accessible, it will certainly not be Covid19 that will stop us,” comments Alberto Zamperla, President of Zamperla Spa.

Each one of us has a responsibility to continue the good work we do by exercising caution and providing peace of mind at our establishments. Enacting protocols and procedures only go so far.  We must enforce these rules to exhibit our commitment to the communities we serve. We can all come together to uplift one another and inspire those around you through positive engagement.