The Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) is changing its membership categories, a move intended to align membership benefits—including different numbers of licenses for the new standard—with the needs of different member types. “As people come to purchase the standard, we want them to join [ACCT] to receive other benefits and services, too,” said ACCT chairwoman Micah Henderson.
In the new system, there are four categories:
- operator/B2C service provider
- vendor/B2B service provider/supplier/manufacturer
- industry stakeholder/affiliate
- individual
The operator and vendor categories are further divided into commercial and non-profit organizations, with different fees—$400 and $295, respectively.
Members in all four categories receive a variety of benefits, from copies of the new ANSI/ACCT 03-2016 standard and subscriptions to ACCT publications, to discounts on registration fees and booth space, among others. Operators and vendors in the U.S. also gain access to group insurance options.
The operator category also positions ACCT to offer an accredited program/operator designation. ACCT has been developing an operator accreditation process and hopes to have a pilot program in place for the coming season. An operator membership will be required to gain accreditation. More information on this program will be available at the ACCT convention.
The vendor category will be home to ACCT’s accredited professional vendor members (PVMs).
The stakeholder/affiliate category is intended for those who affect or are affected by ACCT’s actions and policies. These include regulators and policy makers, law firms, supplemental service providers, and amusement park operators not currently offering challenge course services. Membership fees are $300 per organization.
The individual category is expected to include individuals not tied to a single organization, such as independent contractors, architects, engineers, and prospective park operators, as well as retirees and students. Memberships cost $85, or $65 for retirees and students.
