Pune: As temperatures soar past 40 degrees Celsius and summer vacations begin, residents are flocking to water parks in and around Pune. The ongoing heat wave has limited outdoor activities for children, prompting families to seek relief at nearby water parks.
Family Outings Gain Momentum
"There are limited outdoor activities for children owing to the ongoing heat wave. We have decided to go to close by water parks for one day picnics as the children will enjoy as well," said Devanshi Tanna, a resident of Baner. This sentiment is shared by many families, leading to a significant increase in visitors at water parks across the region.
Expected Footfall Surge
Water parks are anticipating a surge of 20-30% in footfalls during the month of May. To accommodate the rush, many parks have introduced special packages for group bookings, with varying rates for weekdays and weekends. "We are getting a lot of pre-bookings for the weekend and are also offering special rates to groups of 10 people and more," said a ticketing manager of a water park in the city.
Enhanced Guest Comfort
To combat the extreme heat, parks are implementing heat-mitigating features. "We have also introduced a few heat-mitigating features like misting zones across the park to enhance guest comfort during this period. Growth has been supported by the continuous addition of new attractions, immersive shows, and fresh experiences across the parks. There has also been a strong focus on event-led programming, curated offerings, and formats that encourage repeat visits," said Dhimant Bakshi, CEO of Imagicaa World Entertainment.
Regional Attraction
Footfalls are largely driven by strong regional catchments, with visitors coming from nearby metros as well as emerging Tier 2 cities. Lonavala-based amusement and water park Wet n Joy is offering special summer discounts and 'Buy-1-Get-1' offers. For group bookings, there are further discounts of 10%. "We plan our weekends in advance and purchase tickets to water parks online. There are better discounts on online bookings. The children will be keen to experience the new slides, attractions at these parks too," said Sheetal Thakur, a resident of Magarpatta.
Evening Packages Introduced
Diamond Water Park at Lohegaon has introduced evening packages to allow guests to enjoy the park after the heat subsides. Abhijeet Bhairavkar, Marketing Head of Diamond Water Park, said that footfalls are seeing a significant rise compared to last summer. "There is clear pent-up demand, with weekends and post-exam periods seeing strong traction. However, extreme heat conditions and orange alerts in some cities have influenced timing, with fewer visitors during peak afternoon hours. Instead, people are choosing more comfortable time slots, indicating a shift in behavior rather than a drop in interest," he explained.
Expanding Visitor Base
Apart from Pune and Mumbai, there is an increasing number of visitors from nearby cities like Sambhajinagar and Satara. This trend highlights the growing appeal of water parks as a preferred summer destination for families seeking respite from the heat.
