In order to facilitate further growth and expansion of Theme Park Toverland, a new managing board member has been appointed: Mr. Pieter Cornelis PhD, director of ‘strategy and development’, starting the 12th of October. He will focus on the development and execution of plans for the park in the coming years. Caroline Maessen, CEO, will still be responsible for the current park and organization.
Related: Theme park Toverland celebrates 10th anniversary! / IAAPA’s Record Breaking Euro Attractions Show
Success formula
This year, Toverland celebrated its 10-year anniversary. In that decade, the park has grown year after year, and now receives more than half a million visitors each year. Jean Gelissen is the owner of the theme park, and creative father of the successful concept: “More and more families find their way to our park, and have an amazing day 365 days a year, in any kind of weather. This year we are expecting yet another wonderful number of visitors”. Besides an indoor area with dozens of attractions, the park also boasts numerous outdoor attractions, among which the highest and fastest wooden rollercoaster in the Benelux.
Ambitious plans
Gelissen: “Now that the concept has proven itself, we are going to develop further in the coming years. For this, Pieter Cornelis is the right man at the right time”. In the coming years, Toverland will e.g. add several new attractions, especially in the outdoor area. To this end, the first grounds have recently been purchased. Investments will be more and more focused on families with children above the age of 12. All these attractions, as well as the wooden rollercoaster, will have their own themes and stories. The end goal is to double the number of visitors in the next 10 years. The plans also provide room for overnight accommodation. Caroline Maessen, CEO of the park since its opening: “Another goal is in the field of ‘software’. As a family company, it is very important to us that our guests have a great day in Toverland. Even though research has shown that we are already doing very well in ‘customer satisfaction’, we will continue to invest in this area in the coming period. We will stand out from other theme parks on this point as well.”
Theme park know-how
Pieter Cornelis (45) is a known face in the theme park world. In May 2011, he received a PhD from the universities of Tilburg and Tarragona, for his research into the effects of investments in European theme parks. Earlier, Cornelis was Head of Research at Efteling, and university lecturer in Leisure Studies. Within Toverland, he will also be responsible for marketing, communication, sales, entertainment, and Imagineering.
Theme Park Toverland is situated in Sevenum, in the north of the province of Limburg. The park was opened in 2001. Toverland is part of the Gelissen Group. Every year, the park receives over 500.000 visitors. In 2010, consumer program “Radar” named Toverland The Netherlands’ best theme park. More information can be found on www.toverland.nl
