SeaWorld Is Still Tanking as Public Perception Problems Return
Photo Credit: Killer whales leap into the air as part of the One Ocean show at SeaWorld Orlando. The performance is being transitioned to a more natural exhibition at all of the company's parks that have orcas. SeaWorld Orlando
Skift Take
SeaWorld said a lot during this call after a dismal quarter, but equally interesting is what the company didn't address. We wonder if higher spending on advertising will help the operator address the issues that have resurfaced — and what it will do if not.
Another quarter, another batch of bad news for SeaWorld Entertainment.
The theme park operator's efforts at a turnaround continue to be thwarted, this time by lower attendance from the UK and domestic locales, a $269 million write-down, and the resurgence of "perception issues" that had been kept at bay by robust advertising spending.
"To be clear, we are not satifisfed with our results," president and CEO Joel Manby said. "This quarter provided us with a better understanding of what is working and where we need to intensify our focus, and we have already taken action to address these areas."
Problems stemmed mainly from falling attendance at SeaWorld parks in Orlando and San Diego, which led the company to tweak its marketing strategy to highlight new rides and attractions. SeaWorld owns and operates 12 parks in the U.S., including Busch Gardens and Sesame Place.
New CFO Marc Swanson, who was named to the role this week, said that while attendance from Latin America had s
