Activeon buys Airtastic, lifts its Irish leisure footprint to 11 venues
What's the deal? ActiveonDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the European operator of indoor adventure and play parks, has acquired indoor play brands Airtastic and Funky Monkeys. The deal, announced in November, adds ten family entertainment venues across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Terms were not disclosed.
What's the endgame? The acquisition adds to Activeon's three existing Jump Zone parks in Dublin, making it one of the largest family leisure operators in the country with 11 venues across Ireland and Northern Ireland. The purchase also pushes Activeon beyond trampolining into attractions such as bowling, mini-golf and laser tag.
Why now? "Our Jump Zone parks in Dublin have shown us how strong the demand for active family leisure is in Ireland, and we are excited to now take the next step," said John Nylen, chief executive officer of Activeon.
What changes? Both businesses will keep trading under their existing brands, with no change for customers, bookings or memberships, and venue teams remaining in place. Activeon plans to invest in the sites and introduce new attractions from its European parks.
Thomas Fegan will lead the integration. "We will keep what our guests love, while bringing in new attractions and investment from across the group," he said.
The signal: The deal reflects a wider consolidation push in European indoor leisure. Sweden's JumpYard added a Frankfurt site in October, and UK operator Oxygen Activeplay bought five Ninja Warrior parks in November. Activeon is also pursuing new concepts, including a European rollout of Slick City indoor slide parks.
Read more: amusementsandattractions.com
Image credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
