The Experience Economist

The Experience Economist: Americas Edition 2026 – Regional Spotlight is Leisure Development Partners’ (LDP) latest regional report on the volume, value and impact of theme parks, waterparks and related leisure attractions across the Americas. It updates the regional landscape and then concentrates on three location highlights — Texas (United States), Alberta Province (Canada) and Brazil — while also examining the role of special-event and seasonal programming.

What this edition covers

Two layers run through the report. Across the Americas, the United States continues to dominate visits and economic impact, with 2025 performance remaining relatively flat as Universal Epic Universe’s roughly 4 million new visits were largely offset by declines elsewhere linked to climate and economic pressures. Mexico is the second-largest contributor but saw a visit decline, while Guatemala, Colombia and Chile posted gains. Brazil stands out with the highest increase in visits and is the region’s second-largest market by population. Opportunities in Central and Latin America remain strong for appropriately scaled product.

Headline Americas totals in this edition:

• 336 million annual theme park and waterpark visits
• 384 visits per 1,000 residents
• US$55.4 billion total economic impact
• 253,000 total employment impact

Key findings

• The US accounts for the large majority of regional visits and impact (US figures: ~342 million population, $89k GDP per capita, 824 visits per 1,000 residents, $114 average spend per head, $51.1 billion economic impact, ~212,000 jobs).
• Brazil delivered the strongest visit growth; Mexico is second by total impact but softer on attendance.
• Family entertainment centre (FEC) supply remains early-stage in Latin America (Brazil ~0.9 centres per million residents, Mexico ~1.1, Argentina ~2.2) versus mature North American levels (US ~17.6, Canada ~12.2).
• Special and seasonal programming (Halloween, holiday light events, ice attractions, etc.) is reshaping the product from fixed assets into flexible platforms that can drive incremental visits, longer stays, secondary spend and better capacity use.

Location highlights

Texas is undergoing a multi-billion-dollar transformation. Notable projects include Netflix House at Galleria Dallas (100,000+ sq ft IP-driven experiences that extend dwell time and mall footfall), Universal Kids Resort in Frisco (compact family-focused park with seven themed lands), Therme Dallas (~$800 million indoor-outdoor thermal resort), Cannon Beach surf/adventure development, and competitive-socialising concepts such as Batbox and JumpShot Live, plus COTALAND at Circuit of the Americas. Houston remains underserved by major destination parks.

Alberta is shifting emphasis from volume to value. The province targets C$25 billion in annual visitor spending by 2035 (from C$14.4 billion in 2024; C$15 billion in 2025), prioritising longer stays, higher-value and year-round experiences, and dispersal beyond Banff, Jasper, Calgary and Edmonton. Developments include Scotia Place (C$1.2 billion arena and entertainment district in Calgary), Everwild Nordic spa-hotels in Canmore and elsewhere, and retailtainment additions at West Edmonton Mall.

Brazil is in a multi-billion-dollar attractions boom. Highlights include the R$2 billion expansion of Beto Carrero World (new areas, ~600 hotel rooms, SpongeBob land planned), Beach Park’s Surreal water coaster and Ohana resort, Latin America’s first Smurfs park (Vila dos Smurfs), Play Center Family, the ~$330 million Cacau Park (target ~3 million annual visitors, Latin America’s tallest/fastest launch coaster), and a letter of intent for a Puy du Fou park.

Special events and programming

The report’s Expert View examines how seasonal and special-event programming (e.g. Gaylord Resorts’ ICE!, which draws ~1.4 million visitors annually across properties) can generate incremental demand, support occupancy and rates, improve capital efficiency and diversify audiences — provided operators carefully assess whether visits are truly incremental versus shifted, maintain quality and differentiation, and evaluate the full cost stack.

Who should read this report

• Operators and developers evaluating Texas, Alberta or Brazilian pipeline opportunities
• Investors testing which Latin American or US regional schemes are financeable at the right scale
• Groups and FECs assessing competitive socialising, IP-led and indoor concepts in less mature markets
• Anyone modelling the contribution of seasonal programming to attendance, spend and seasonality

About Leisure Development Partners

Leisure Development Partners is the leading specialist economics and strategy expert for visitor attractions and leisure real estate. We have worked in more than 80 countries on over 1,000 projects. We offer market and feasibility analysis, enhancement strategy, economic impact, strategic planning, business modelling and due diligence.