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The Wave Habitat : Independent Surfing Facility
Existing data makes a compelling argument that people are willing to pay significant premiums for board-sport experiences. Other similar sporting facilities include:
- Surfing boat trips, costing around $A250 per day per person in the Indonesian Mentawai Islands
- Ski resorts which typically command over $A100 per day per person
- Wake Board parks that generate some $A70 per day per person
- Indoor Ski fields that generate some $A70 per day per person
The Mentawai costs do not include air fares or other travel expenses!! Surfers are searching for waves and will always continue to do that. The wave pool fills a major void and, by practicing in the pool, it may even save you from the worst wipe out of your life on a future Mentawai boat trip.
The business model for the Independent can be effectively analysed even though no facility currently exists that operates in this manner. Almost all of the wave pools in existence today have been built as an attraction in a water park. The pool is designed to maximize overall capacity (to keep the queues down for the other attractions in the park) rather than create high-quality surfing waves.
Flying in the face and confirming the business models is Typhoon Lagoon in Orlando Florida. This facility is rented to groups of surfers when the water park is closed to the general public. The wave quality is marginally surfable, but it is still fully booked months in advance. On top of this, the facility charges $1,500 for 100 waves ($15 per wave!). Their waves are a minimum of 90 seconds apart.
What does Surf Pools Ltd offer? Bigger and better waves every 15 seconds!!
    
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