SmartHelping / Visitor Attractions / Excel
Zoo, Aquarium & Amusement Park Financial Model
Plan the startup costs and ongoing cash flows of a visitor attraction. Model seasonal attendance, ticket revenue, donations, and government funding alongside exhibit construction, care, maintenance, and staffing.
The template is available to download immediately after purchase. By purchasing, you agree to the Terms of Service.
Video walkthrough & spreadsheet preview
See how the attraction's operating assumptions fit together.
Visitors, earned revenue & funding
Plan the cash coming into the attraction.
Bring admissions and other operating revenue together with donations and government funding.
Up to three ticket prices
Define up to three ticket prices, such as adult, senior, and child admission. Adapt the category labels to the visitor groups used by your attraction.
Monthly visitor seasonality
Set the percentage of expected annual visitors arriving in each month. The monthly pattern applies to each year, helping you reflect the busy and quiet periods of the season.
Gift shops and special events
Include gift shop and special event revenue alongside admissions when planning the attraction's cash inflows.
Donations and government funding
Account for funding from donors and government sources as part of the overall cash flow plan.
Exhibits, infrastructure & operations
Build the cost plan around up to ten exhibits.
Model the costs of creating the attraction and the ongoing expenses of keeping it staffed and maintained.
Construction by exhibit
Define construction on a per-exhibit basis, with capacity for up to ten exhibits or zones. Include the broader park infrastructure costs in the startup plan.
Animal care and exhibit maintenance
Plan the operating costs of caring for the animals or zones within each exhibit, along with the cost of maintaining the exhibits.
Staffing over five years
Define staff headcount for each of the five years, annual salaries, and yearly salary growth. Staff inputs also include start months so hiring can align with the operating plan.
General operating costs
Include park-wide expenses outside the individual exhibits, general maintenance, and debt service where applicable. Fixed-cost items have their own start months.
From construction to visitors
Set the timing of the cash inflows and outflows.
Define the exhibits and construction
Enter the construction and operating assumptions for each exhibit. Include the infrastructure and general expenses needed for the attraction as a whole.
Set the visitor start month and seasonal pattern
Choose when visitors begin arriving, then set how expected annual attendance is distributed across the months.
Add ticket prices and other cash inflows
Enter the admission prices and plan gift shop revenue, special events, donations, and government funding.
Schedule staffing and fixed costs
Set the start months for staff and fixed-cost items. Define headcount, salaries, and salary growth across the five-year plan, then review the resulting cash inflows and outflows.
Adapt the exhibit structure
Planning an amusement park?
Use the exhibit sections for rides, coasters, or other attractions. Rename the assumptions to match your operation, then use the construction, visitor, ticketing, staffing, and maintenance logic to build the plan.
More templates in one purchase
Explore the bundles that include this model.
Industry-Specific Financial Models Bundle
Explore financial models built around the operating assumptions of different businesses and industries.
Explore the bundleHospitality Financial Models Bundle
Explore the collection of financial models for hospitality and related visitor businesses.
Explore the bundleQuestions before you start
A few useful details.
How many exhibits can I plan?
The model supports up to ten exhibits or zones, with construction and operating costs defined around those exhibits.
Can I use different admission prices?
Yes. There are inputs for up to three ticket prices, such as adult, senior, and child admission.
How does visitor seasonality work?
Enter the percentage of expected annual visitors arriving in each month. That monthly distribution applies to each year. You also define the month when visitors begin arriving.
Can I plan staffing before visitors arrive?
Yes. Staff have start-month inputs, and you separately define the visitor start month. Fixed-cost items also have individual start months.
Does the model include donations and government funding?
Yes. The cash inflow plan includes donors and government funding alongside admissions, gift shops, and special events.
Can I adapt this for an amusement park?
Yes. Treat each exhibit as a ride, coaster, or attraction and rename the assumptions to match your operation.
How do I get the Excel template?
The template is available to download immediately after the $45 USD one-time purchase. It is also included in the Industry-Specific and Hospitality bundles linked above. For questions about your setup, contact SmartHelping.
Visitor attraction financial planning
Plan the opening and the ongoing operation.
Zoo, Aquarium & Amusement Park Financial Model — $45, one-time purchase.
