SuperPark, a global family entertainment centre, opened its first Australian indoor adventure park at Melbourne’s Highpoint Shopping Centre in December last year. With more activities than any other indoor adventure park, it has more than tripled its numbers since opening. With global family entertainment centres being valued at $30.9 billion in 2022, and projected to reach $88.7 billion by 2032, we invited SuperPark’s co-CEOs to tell us about their success in the entertainment centre market and why they chose Melbourne to launch in Australia.
The entertainment centre market is accelerating worldwide, and we’re seeing a growing trend towards creating playful, experiential and interactive spaces that go beyond traditional arcades and play centres for kids and parents. There is an increasing demand to cater to a wider range of age groups and interests by providing a variety of spaces that have an immersive experience. We are seeing a shift towards providing new and unique activities that the customer can’t get elsewhere.
With the cost-of-living crisis a very tangible reality, particularly for the Australian market, along with research highlighting the negative impact screen time has on children, parents are looking for convenient ways to keep their whole family entertained in a cost-effective manner. We also know they are seeking strong value for money. It’s for this reason that we believe SuperPark is a great example of play centres that embrace these changes and appeal to customers. It has been designed with more than 15 movement based activities for all age groups. A place that combines play, technology and community that the whole family can enjoy together.
How can shopping centres create lifestyle destinations for entire families to shop longer and have an enhanced experience?
Shopping centres are transforming to become less of a utilitarian box-ticking exercise and more of a family getaway experience. We are seeing centres incorporate entertainment options such as sporting facilities, VR experiences, movie theatres, indoor playgrounds, and interactive exhibits to attract families and shoppers looking for unique experiences and to encourage them to spend more time within the spaces.
To create lifestyle destinations and entice families to shop longer, we’ve started to see centres implement strategies that foster a strong community. Our research has identified seven key areas which attribute to our success in Highpoint, Melbourne.
1. Regular family-friendly events: Events such as live performances, or seasonal celebrations create a unique drawcard that entices families into the centre. Making these events regular, like SuperPark’s SuperDisco, give local shoppers something to look forward to, keeping the centre top of mind.
2. Engaging play areas: Dedicated play areas are essential for providing children a fun space to enjoy and run around while their parents shop. Parents also want the choice of fun family destinations that appeal to adults as well, with activities that allow parents to get involved. Appealing to both adults and kids, offering activities for the whole family to enjoy will increase dwell time.
3. Food and dining options: Food is at the heart of any outing and offering a variety of food options, including kid-friendly menus is essential. We have done extensive market research and continue to optimise our menu to ensure it is enticing enough to keep kids and their parents happy.
4. Experiential entertainment: Family entertainment centres are focusing more on providing experiential entertainment rather than passive experiences. This includes immersive activities, interactive games and hands-on attractions that actively engage visitors. We are all about immersive experiences and have numerous activities that are engaging and interactive, such as SuperJump, which superimposes your body onto a gaming screen while you’re jumping on a trampoline.
5. Multi-generational appeal: We see everyone from toddlers to grandparents, so we designed attractive activities that everyone can enjoy together. Offering a broad range of options ensures that there is something for every family member. We have more than 15 activities that cater to individual play, teamwork, coordination, strength, imagination and, of course, fun.
6. Health and wellness focus: Emphasising health and wellness in entertainment options is becoming increasingly important. Activities that promote physical fitness, mental wellbeing, and healthy lifestyle choices align with the growing consumer interest in health-related experiences. There are no arcade games at SuperPark, physical activity powers each game. Not only that, but SuperPark’s games are fun and are designed for solo or team play.
7. Technology integration: Incorporating technology such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and gamification into attractions and games is a popular trend in family entertainment centres. These technologies enhance the overall experience and provide a modern touch to traditional entertainment offerings. Our SuperMove game is an interactive space with dozens of games that augment your body onto the screen while pushing you through different adventures.
By focusing on creating a holistic shopping and entertainment experience that caters to families’ needs and preferences, shopping centres can effectively transform into lifestyle destinations that encourage families to stay longer, increase foot traffic, and enjoy an enhanced overall experience to encourage repeat visitors.
An example of this is our local reach and a healthy return customer rate. We had a family from Ballarat who drove more than an hour to visit SuperPark and Highpoint, highlighting the attractiveness a highly distinctive and differentiated play centre can bring. Giving families a unique reason to visit, combined with the benefits of a shopping centre, makes the combination a lifestyle destination you need to visit.
Why SuperPark chose Melbourne to launch in Australia
Highpoint Shopping Centre is in the top three shopping centres nationally – with Melbourne leading the way for retail experiences. As a shopping centre-only business, this was the best way to launch our product into the Australian market. We work closely with Highpoint to make a very mutually beneficial partnership.
Melbourne also has a strong reputation for being a family-friendly city with high demand for entertainment options for all ages. This demand is fuelled by a growing population, with many families moving to the state for better job opportunities and a better quality of life. The increasing number of families settling in Melbourne creates a robust market for family-orientated venues.
Additionally, Melbourne is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world. We believed a family entertainment centre in Melbourne would appeal to both locals and tourists seeking new, fun and exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy.
We also know that Melbourne has really unpredictable weather which can often make outdoor activities challenging. An indoor family entertainment centre can provide family-friendly activities for all to enjoy regardless of the weather. This combination of factors made Melbourne an appealing first site to open SuperPark Australia.
The expected growth of SuperPark Australia and expansion plans globally
SuperPark has ambitious plans for expansion, both within Australia and globally. The success of our Melbourne launch has laid a strong foundation for further developments. We’ve noticed in our parks across Asia, that we’re the community’s local park. With unit living increasing along with migration, families lack a lot of space in cities and we’re seeing some suburbs in Australia trending in the same direction.
We’re constantly in discussions with Highpoint to ensure we’re working closely together to further promote SuperPark to the local community. We’ve seen a direct impact on the increase in foot traffic of new audiences, particularly off the back of our school holiday programs and birthday packages.
Further expanding from the Highpoint location, we are actively exploring opportunities to open additional adventure parks in other major Australian cities.
Our market research indicates a robust national demand for family-friendly entertainment, with similar demographics and consumer behaviours across the country. This expansion will allow us to bring our unique blend of fun and activity to more families, creating new hubs of excitement in urban centres nationwide.
To ensure easy access and convenience for families, we will continue to partner with leading shopping centres. These strategic partnerships allow us to integrate seamlessly into existing retail environments that foster family-centred community hubs, offering shoppers a wide range of variety.
On top of this, we’re passionate about engaging with the local community through meaningful initiatives. This includes working with local schools, sporting clubs and families to ensure we’re consistently providing value to the areas we are located in. We have been working with The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) to design a specialised school program to offer more than just fun for kids during the week, with a tailored program for school students that is aligned with the Victorian Health and Physical Education Curriculum.
Our expansion strategy is designed to bring the SuperPark experience to a wider audience, while also ensuring we’re encouraging families to come together and move their bodies in a healthy and fun way.
This article by SuperPark is featured in the latest edition of SCN. View the full digital magazine here.
