Mattis, the Mainau Adventure Forest is a special place for many adventure seekers. What makes your park unique compared to other adventure parks?
A standout feature of our park is the elevated visitor walkway. Upon entering the adventure forest, visitors are greeted by this approximately 90-meter-long circular path that surrounds the climbing courses both inside and outside. This walkway allows visitors to observe the climbing action up close and get a preview of the experience. It's especially ideal for those who may not want to or are unable to climb themselves, offering a way to be in the midst of the action and capture great photos.
Moreover, reaching a height of 7 meters at its highest point, the visitor walkway offers a practical advantage: Our guides also use it to provide climbers with tips and assistance at eye level. This is particularly comforting for climbers with a fear of heights, as they don't have to look steeply down to the ground.
Our climbing courses are meticulously designed, offering a wide range of difficulty levels that challenge both beginners and experienced climbers alike. We take pride in the lovingly crafted wooden figures and numerous zip lines that give our courses a special touch and ensure an unforgettable experience.
Another distinguishing factor is our comprehensive range of additional activities. In addition to climbing, we offer customized team training sessions designed specifically to strengthen communication and trust within groups. These trainings are ideal for companies looking to enhance their team dynamics, making us an attractive destination for team-building events.
Furthermore, we provide axe throwing and archery, perfect for small groups and a great complement to corporate events for employees who prefer not to engage in high-altitude climbing.
Our beer garden is also a highlight that sets us apart from other adventure parks. Situated in a historic monastery, it offers a relaxed and charming atmosphere. Beneath sparkling string lights, our guests can enjoy delicious tarte flambée and sausage salads, and enjoy monthly live concerts featuring a mix of jazz, soul, and pop music—all free of charge.
Overall, the Mainau Adventure Forest offers a perfect combination of adventure, appreciation of nature, team building, and relaxation.
The Adventure Forest underwent renovations earlier this year, which were the main reasons?
Firstly, we aimed to enhance the appeal and diversity of our offerings. Through the renovation, we added new climbing courses with varying difficulty levels and lowered the minimum age for participation from ten to six years. This change makes our activities more accessible to younger visitors while still providing thrilling challenges for all age groups.
Another crucial reason was to improve safety. Safety is our top priority, and by modernizing our equipment and structures, we were able to elevate our safety standards. This ensures that our guests can focus more on their adventure without concerns about safety.
Additionally, we aimed to streamline operations. A clearer layout, improved access points, and better-functioning exercises contribute to a smoother and more enjoyable experience for everyone. Lastly, the existing facility required significant maintenance efforts. The renovations brought us up to date with the latest safety technology and created an enhanced experience both for our guests and our staff.
The implementation of the continuous safety system CoudouPro and the restructuring of the course layout appear to be central elements of your renovation. How do these innovations work, and how do they contribute to reducing the number of trainers?
The renovations in the adventure forest have brought several advantages. Firstly, our guests can no longer accidentally detach themselves, significantly enhancing safety. Additionally, the layout is now clearer, and the exercises are much easier to understand. These improvements have allowed us to eliminate four fixed supervision points. As a result, we can focus much more and in a more relaxed manner on our guests, addressing their needs individually.
In concrete terms: What we previously managed with seven guides before the renovation, we now accomplish with just four. This increase in efficiency enables us to provide an even better experience for our guests while using our resources more effectively.
Which challenges did you have to face during the renovation in wintertime?
During the conversion in the winter months, we faced several challenges, particularly due to the weather conditions and logistical hurdles. As the last 200 metres to our central area become a very soft and wet woodchip path in winter, normal deliveries were not possible. All deliveries first had to be made to the island of Mainau and then transported to us in the forest at a later date using trailers and wheel loaders.
Another logistically challenging aspect was that we sourced the timber for the platforms from our own forest. This required considerable additional coordination effort in order to efficiently organise the harvesting, transport and processing of the timber.
Despite these challenges, we managed to successfully complete the conversion.
How has the remodelled park been received by visitors and your team so far? Is there any specific feedback that has particularly stuck in your mind?
The remodelled park has been extremely well received by both our visitors and our team. We are particularly pleased that the new exercises are now much more self-explanatory. This has led to a noticeable relief among teachers and parents who celebrate children's birthdays with us. Many are relieved to hear that there is now a new safety system that prevents accidental unhooking.
One specific piece of feedback that has stuck in my mind came from a mum who called our office. She started the conversation by saying: "You have a new system with new courses. Two other mums have already recommended it to me and I thought I'd have to give them a call and ask when I can have a children's birthday party with them." Feedback like this shows us that our efforts and the remodelling are really appreciated and offer visitors a better and safer experience, which is very well received.
What experiences and adventures can visitors expect when they visit the Mainau Adventure Forest? How do you ensure that every visit is unforgettable and that guests always want to come back?
To ensure that every visit is memorable, we prioritise excellent customer service and thoughtful design of our offerings. Our staff are well trained and always ready to help guests with any questions or needs they may have. We continuously invest in the maintenance and safety of our facilities to ensure a high-quality and safe experience.
We are now gathering experience with our current park and using this as a basis for deciding where to go in the future to make it even more attractive, who knows!
Dear Mattis, thank you very much for the interview!