Holidays 2020. Rabkoland temporarily closed. The red zone can paralyze tourism in Rabka-Zdrój

Piotr Wiecha, owner of the Rabkoland amusement park: To put it simply, it is a disaster for us. Yesterday I had to lay off about 100 people who were hoping to work and earn money for nearly 2 weeks. However, we do not have this option at the moment. People employed directly by us, as well as companies that we hire for conservation, cleaning or, recently, disinfection works, lost their jobs. Honestly, I’m starting to worry that I won’t be able to keep all the so-called winter jobs. In other words, if the situation does not change, or we do not receive any support, I will have to start laying off workers not only for the season but also for permanent jobs.

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It is doubly difficult for the company, because we did everything to save all jobs. We took a loan for this purpose as part of the first anti-crisis shield and committed to maintaining the current level of employment. If we have to lay off some of the team, I will not only say goodbye to the employees, which I would not like very much, but also next year, when we are returning the borrowed money, I will simply have to give up more. This is a consequence of failure to meet the obligation to keep jobs.

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Private archive

–Piotr Wiecha, owner of the Rabkoland amusement park (Private Archive)–

There are many restrictions in the red zones. However, they are mainly associated with the introduction of more stringent limits, e.g. 50 guests at weddings, four square meters per person in churches, and 10 meters in sports facilities. Only 25 percent of the cinemas may be occupied. places, etc. Why are outdoor amusement parks banned?

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I would love to know the answer to this question. So far, we have not heard of any case of infection in the park, not only Rabkoland, but any amusement park in Poland. Already at the beginning of August, when the project of introducing red and yellow zones appeared and the first consultations were carried out, together with the Association of Tourism and Family Attractions we drew attention to the absurdity of this provision. If gyms, cinemas, theaters, clubs etc. can operate, why not amusement parks?

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Our guests are in the open air, we have large spaces, so it is easy to social distance. Alcohol is not poured here like at weddings, so people do not forget about the safety rules. We know exactly what the guests touch, so we can carry out permanent disinfection. Besides, we are visited by families, usually with children. This group of clients is the most disciplined and the least exposed to contamination for themselves and others.

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In places like ours, it is relatively easy to provide guests with safe entertainment. It is much easier than, for example, on beaches, where people are lying next to each other, where nothing can be cleaned, or even in stores where we have a closed space, and nobody runs all the time, disinfecting hangers, shelves or goods sold.

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What security measures have you implemented in Rabkoland?

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From the very beginning, whenever we could invite guests to the park, we focused on disinfection. We hired a company that was cleaning surfaces touched by guests on an ongoing basis with disinfectants. After each ride, e.g. on a carousel, all handrails and handles were disinfected. At the entrance to the park and at various attractions, there were also employees who disinfected the hands of the guests. On our own initiative, we also closed the theater operating in the park, organizing an open-air stage instead. At the entrance to confined facilities, like an inverted house, there was an employee who made sure guests put on their masks.

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It also makes me feel very disappointed in a decision that forbids theme parks – and actually only them – to run their business. Because we really did everything in our power to ensure the safety of guests and we managed to achieve this goal. Throughout the summer, we received very positive opinions about the implemented security measures. We even heard comments – joking – that there is a smell of alcohol in the park all the time.

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Raka-Zdrój is a tourist town. Rabkoland is one of the city’s greatest attractions. Will the closure of the park affect other tourist businesses in the city?

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I think to a great extent. Many people who planned to spend their holidays here on a family vacation, do not come. This means that people who run guest houses, agritourism farms, restaurants, etc. will lose customers.

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How did customers react to the closure of the park? Was there a response?

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Huge. Since yesterday, the phone has simply been off. There were so many questions that the employee responsible for contact with clients, despite the closure of the park, decided to take the phone home so as not to leave our guests without explanations.

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When it comes to pickup, customers have shown full understanding. Even those who did not know the whole situation came to Rabkoland and left the park gates today with disappointed children. We handed out one ticket to all these people, which can be used even in the next season. On the one hand, we wanted to somehow compensate them for their disappointment, on the other, we hope that this small gesture will make them come back to us.

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The most difficult situation is with customers who have purchased tickets to the park. We have extended their validity until the end of 2022, but not everyone is planning to spend next year’s holidays in our region. Some of the guests, wanting to use our offer many times, also decided to purchase seasonal tickets. Meanwhile, it looks like this season is over for us.

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What could help you, but also other amusement parks that may be in the same situation in a moment, help overcome the crisis?

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First of all, lifting the operating ban. We all understand that it is about safety and we absolutely do not want parks to become hotspots. However, I think that the limits of people who can use the parks, clear guidelines regarding safety rules and enforcement of their compliance will be sufficient in this epidemiological situation.

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We also hope that amusement parks will be covered by the support that the government plans for the tourism industry, such as exemptions from ZUS or parking payments. We are not included in the draft at the moment but hopefully this will change. Without state support or allowing us to return to work quickly, the situation of Rabkoland and other parks that will be in the red zones will be truly dramatic.

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Private archive

–Piotr Wiecha, owner of the Rabkoland amusement park (Private Archive)–

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