The 27th International ACCT Conference & Exposition drew 1,138 participants to Savannah, Ga., Feb. 2-5. The mood was upbeat, with well-attended seminars and workshops and a lively crowd in the exposition—at least when no educational sessions were underway. Among the few dark clouds was growing concern among operators of all stripes over upcoming developments regarding certification and standards. The significant turnaround of the association’s balance sheet—which now shows a surplus—after its brush with financial ruin only a year ago was a hot topic among leadership.
One recurring theme: the good old days of operating independent of outside oversight, from a builder and operator standpoint, are gone, and both builders and operators must accept the reality of standards and regulation. Complying will lead to higher costs and prices for all—builders, commercial operators, camps and educational programs, and customers. That’s the price to pay for the rapidly expanding popularity of zip lines and aerial adventure parks. Higher visibility is leading to greater regulation and more documentation.
The seminar schedule and the show floor were full of ideas and means for meeting the challenge. Software options seem to grow by the day. Several seminars showed how to take advantage of it, from tracking maintenance and training to identifying the most efficient forms of marketing.
Risk management, always a major concern, saw plenty of attention as well. The several workshops addressing it were well attended.
And, for all those who wish to join the growing ranks of aerial adventure park operators, several sessions addressed how newcomers should plan their entry.
New activity options, including mountain bike rentals, were also presented to operators new and old, along with advice on managing multi-activity operations.
ACCT itself was the subject of some workshops, from a discussion about the mostly-stalled operator accreditation program (a pilot program could roll out this year, but there’s no timetable for the full rollout yet) to an open forum on the organization’s recent past and the near future.
At the closing ceremony, ACCT welcomed three new board members, including new board chair Ben Kopp of Signature Research Inc. Bahman Azarm of Ropes Park Equipment and Outdoor Ventures, and Carson Rivers of Challenge Towers also joined the board.
Check out this slideshow with photos from the 2017 ACCT conference in Savannah.
Susan Muncaster of Treetop Adventure at Snow King Mountain chats with Olivia Rowan and Rick Kahl at the Adventure Park Insider booth.
Tom Krastch, head of TRK Creative Group, enjoys a beer with Adventure Park Insider's Dave Meeker.
Laurent Comte shows publisher Olivia Rowan the latest at the Koala booth.
Ian Maier and the Xola team holding down the fort at ACCT.
Allison Pfefferkorn of Action Photo Systems chats with Sharon Walsh of Adventure Park Insider.
Attendees check out CLiC-iT's continuous belay system.
Bryan Bernaldo of Landway talking with Sharon Walsh of Adventure Park Insider.
The team at Tree-Mendous enjoys a nice sit down.
Sharon Walsh visits with Jack Dunn at Kong USA's booth.
The team at Snapsportz showing off its wares.
The Peek Pro crew at the company's booth.
Peter Okonek of Spinnanker gets a visit from Sharon Walsh of Adventure Park Insider.
Hanging out with Dan Brennan at the ZipFlyer booth.
Olivia and Sarah chat with Jim Wall from Challenge Design Innovations.
Now whip it! Whip it real good!
Taking careful measurements of the cable whip event at the ACCT Olympics.
The Yellow Hats jump in and help out everywhere! Including as a pillar for measurement.
An Olympic celebration!
Team Yellow Hat celebrates a strong performance in the cable whip.
Team Yellow Hat celebrates its win of the ACCT Olympics.
Current, incoming, and outgoing board members cheer outgoing board chair, Micah Henderson.
Incoming board chair, Ben Kopp, gives a few remarks at the closing ceremony.
Dave Horan and Lori Pingle lead a session on 50 things every operator needs to know.
Matt Marcus presents Outdoor Venture's Thomas Knuth the ACCT Award for Outstanding Event.
The team from High Gravity Adventures smiles with one of its two ACCT Awards!
The award for Outstanding Program Impact went to True Friends at Camp Courage and Universal Ropes Course Builders.
Chris Howard presents Dr. Mark Zmudy with the ACCT Research Grant.
The staff of ACCT presents the Community Service Awards, also known at the "Wedgie" awards.
Jim Wall presents the 2017 Critical Link Award surrounded by the previous winners.
Jennifer and Erik Marter accept the 2017 Critical Link Award.
Micah Henderson presents outgoing board member Niels Dammon with a thank you for his board service.
Mike Smith insisted on a hug after being presented with a plaque for his board service.
Adventure Park Insider's Dave Meeker and Sarah Ebbott share a cocktail with ACCT executive director Shawn Tierney (middle).
Dave Meeker of Adventure Park Insider with the crew from Heavenly. L to R: Dana, Emmett, Dave and Chris.
Attendees enjoy the sessions at ACCT.
Coffee break!
Rachel Moore of Strategic Adventures and Really.Social gives a presentation on livestreaming.
Strategic Adventure's Stephanie Sibille leads a workshop.
Alicia Green of Aerial Adventure Technologies chats with a customer.
Editor Rick Kahl visits the Mobile Inspection booth.
The team at ISC chats with Arbortrek's Mike Smith.
John Hines (on right) of Outdoor Ventures with a member of the ACCT Olympics team.
Publisher Olivia Rowan chats with Greg Gallavan of Amaze n'Mazes.
ZipFlyer's Shawn Lerner displays some of the company's latest tech.
The Strategic Adventures team takes a break to enjoy its favorite magazine.
Aerial Designs' Emily Hawkins shows Adventure Park Insider's Sarah Ebbott its latest trolley innovation.
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Jim Wall and Jonathan Berry lead a session on starting a zip line/adventure park.
Outgoing board chair, Micah Henderson, congratulates Ben Kopp on assuming the role.
Outdoor Ventures celebrates its ACCT Award win!
Shawn Tierney presents Don Stock with a "Wedgie" award.
High flying at the ISC booth.
Treetop Quest's Julien Hatton mans his booth.
Attendees chat with the folks at Ropes Park Equipment.
SPSfilets' cool booth.
Adam and Clayton of Bonsai Design hang out at their booth.
Attendees talk free fall devices with Head Rush Technologies.
Casey Dixon and The Flybook crew demo the company's software for attendees.
Mike Courtemanche and Debra Haslam of World Wide Enterprises.
The crew from Walltopia Adventure at its booth.
Richard Wren of Boyne Resorts and Steve Coppin of Candia Springs Adventure Park hang with Olivia Rowan (right) and Rick Kahl (left) at the Adventure Park Insider booth.
ACCT also handed out several awards at the closing ceremony. Among them:
Outstanding Marketing Video: High Gravity Adventures, “You Belong Up Here” Outstanding Special Event: Adventure Park at West Bloomfield, Michigan, “2017 Weekly Events Series” Outstanding Website:KohalaZipline.com Outstanding Marketing Collateral (non-video): Ropes Park Equipment, “2016 Equipment Brochure” Outstanding Fundraising Campaign: High Gravity Adventures, “Mountain Ninja Warrior Competition” Outstanding Program Impact: True Friends at Camp Courage/Universal Ropes Course Builders Outstanding Structure Design: Corolla Adventure Park
Research Grant Award: Dr. Mark Zmudy & Eric Sommer
ACCT Olympics 1st: Team Yellow Hat 2nd: Edu-Mercial 3rd: Team Monkey Fist
Community Service Award “The Wedgie”
Brian Lisson
Kathy Harris
Keith Jacobs
Don Stock
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