The amusement park group Parks and Resorts, with Gröna Lund and Kolmården among its parks, had a turnover of one billion kronor less last year than in 2019 and reported an operating loss of 270 million kronor.

The number of guests in the various parks decreased from 3 million in a normal year to 570,000, and revenue decreased by 77 percent, from 1.3 to 0.3 billion kronor. Operating profit decreased from +63 to -270 million kronor, according to a press release from Parks and Resorts.

The group owns the amusement and zoo parks Gröna Lund, Kolmården, Skara Sommarland and Furuvik. The owners of Parks and Resorts are mainly the Clas Ohlson heirs Johan and Helena Tidstrand.

The largest decrease in turnover was in Gröna Lund, where sales decreased by almost 95 percent from SEK 669 million to SEK 37 million. The amusement park is subject to the Public Order Act and thus the restrictions on public events, where there is a ban on more than 8 people. In 2020, the park was therefore not able to open at all and only had a few guests at the Tyrol restaurant at the beginning and end of the year.

The company criticizes the current corona restrictions in its press release.

”"Continuing to work to reduce the spread of infection must be everyone's priority going forward. But it becomes problematic when the government's restrictions do not take into account where the risk of infection is," says CEO Christer Fogelmarck, CEO of Parks and Resorts.

He continues:

”"The risk of infection is almost non-existent outdoors in parks adapted to low-density living, but Gröna Lund and Skara Sommarland have still not received the green light from the government. When the business ban is also not backed by direct or adapted financial support, it becomes a huge challenge for us."”

Just over 130 permanent employees, approximately 30 percent of the staff, were laid off and the group reportedly had 2,500 people lose their summer jobs as a result of the pandemic.

THE DIFFERENT PARKS REDUCED SO MUCH

Sales and operating profit 2020 for individual parks in SEK million (2019 in brackets):

• Green Lund: sales: 37 (669), operating profit: -137 (+46)

• Kolmarden: sales: 263 (425), operating profit -59 (+9)

• Skara Summerland: sales: 3 (112), operating profit -37 (+9)

• Furuvik: sales: 45 (155), operating profit -27 (+15)

Source: di.se