SeaWorld Blames Attendance Woes on Homebound Brazilians
Photo Credit: Killer whales leap into the air at SeaWorld Orlando. Parent company SeaWorld Entertainment said attendance dropped at its Florida parks during the second quarter. SeaWorld Orlando
Skift Take
SeaWorld executives knew they would not see an immediate improvement after changing course over killer whales. External factors mean they may need to be even more patient than expected.
SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby had already described the brutal impact of Brazil's economic crisis and a slowdown in Orlando tourism during an earnings call Thursday when an analyst brought up the latest hot-button issues: Brexit and Zika.
"The hits just keep on coming," Manby said, sounding like he almost couldn't believe all the bad luck.
He joined the company in 2015 after years of controversy over SeaWorld's handling of orcas in captivity, brought to a head by the critical documentary "Blackfish" in 2013. After making leadership changes, he announced in March that SeaWorld would end its orca breeding program and change the famous (and infamous) killer whale shows into more natural "encounters." Social media mentions turned positive for the first time since Manby arrived, he said, and favorable sentiments are continuing to grow.
Public opinion aside, by most other
