How to Set Up and Market an Inflatable Theme or Water Park

How to Set Up and Market an Inflatable Theme or Water Park in the UK 💦🎪

Inflatable theme parks and water parks have exploded in popularity across the UK in recent years. They offer fun, flexibility, and high profit potential — especially during school holidays and warm weather weekends. Whether you’re launching a land-based indoor inflatable arena or an outdoor floating aqua park, success depends on smart planning and even smarter marketing.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up and market your inflatable park to attract families, schools, and thrill-seekers — and keep them coming back for more.

🏗️ Setting Up Your Inflatable Theme or Water Park

Choose the Right Type of Park

Start by deciding the kind of experience you want to create:

• Indoor inflatable parks (think trampoline park meets obstacle course)

• Outdoor inflatable zones (ideal for summer or festivals)

• Inflatable water parks (floating obstacle courses on lakes or reservoirs)

Each setup has different logistical, safety, and weather-related considerations. Be clear on your vision from the start.

Secure a Suitable Location

Indoor parks require:

• High-ceiling warehouse-style buildings (at least 6–8m clearance)

• Adequate parking and access

• Room for reception, party areas, and changing rooms

Outdoor or water-based parks require:

• Land or waterway access (often via lease agreements)

• Permissions from local councils or private landowners

• Adequate changing, toilet, and safety facilities

For water parks, you’ll need to assess water depth, flow, and quality — and install anchor points to keep inflatables secure.

Meet Legal & Safety Standards

This part is non-negotiable. In the UK, you must comply with:

• Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines

• PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations)

• PIPA or ADIPS inspection certification for inflatables

• Water safety risk assessments (for aqua parks)

• Lifeguards or marshals trained to RLSS standards

You’ll also need:

• Insurance (public liability, employer’s liability)

• Daily inspection procedures

• Clear signage and safety briefings

Invest in Quality Equipment

Don’t cut corners. Choose commercial-grade inflatables built for frequent use. Consider:

• Durability and repair kits

• Design variety (obstacles, slides, climbing walls)

• Branding opportunities (custom colours or logos)

• Anti-slip surfaces and secure anchor points

For water parks, buy from reputable UK or EU suppliers who meet EN ISO safety standards.

Build a Seamless Booking & Waiver System

Make it easy for customers to:

• Book online with real-time availability

• Sign waivers digitally (especially important for under-18s)

• Choose party or group packages

• Pre-order extras (e.g. socks, wetsuits, food)

Use booking systems like BookNow, FareHarbor, or Checkfront that integrate with your website and email marketing.

📣 Marketing Your Inflatable Theme or Water Park

Once you’re ready to launch, marketing becomes your most powerful tool to drive awareness and bookings. Here’s how to make an impact:

📍 Target Local Audiences First

Start by marketing within a 30-mile radius of your park. Use:

• Google Ads (with location targeting)

• Facebook & Instagram Ads (target families, parents, schools)

• Local press and event listings

• Partnerships with schools, scout groups, and leisure centres

💡 Tip: List your park on school holiday activity directories and “Things to do with kids” sites.

📱 Get Social with Exciting Content

Use your social media channels to create a sense of fun, colour, and chaos (the good kind):

• Show videos of people bouncing, sliding, or wiping out

• Share behind-the-scenes staff clips or setup time-lapses

• Post event announcements and competitions

• Use Stories, Reels, and TikToks for maximum reach

Encourage UGC (user-generated content) by asking guests to tag you — and offer prizes for the best photos!

📸 Invest in Launch Day Buzz

Make launch weekend a big deal with:

• Discounted soft-launch tickets

• Local influencer invitations

• Press release to local newspapers, bloggers, and radio

• Facebook Event page and paid event ads

📢 Bonus: Have someone live-stream on launch day and post live updates.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Create Packages for Schools, Birthdays & Groups

Design and promote group packages that appeal to your core markets:

• Birthday parties – Include food, socks/wetsuits, party room, and medals

• School trips – Offer bulk discounts and teacher freebies

• Corporate or team-building events – Evening takeovers with catering

• Scout and sports groups – Reward-based sessions or fundraising partnerships

🎟️ Sell Gift Vouchers & Merchandise

Add extra revenue by offering:

• Gift cards (especially around Christmas, Easter, birthdays)

• Branded socks, towels, t-shirts, or water bottles

• Membership or loyalty passes (“Bounce 5 times, get 1 free”)

Make these available online and in-venue, and promote them via email and social ads.

📧 Use Email to Stay Top of Mind

Build an email list from your online booking system or in-venue QR codes. Send:

• Welcome emails and discount codes

• Event announcements and early-bird access

• Loyalty offers and birthday reminders

Use platforms like Mailchimp or Brevo to automate and personalise your campaigns.

🌦️ Promote Around Weather & Seasons

Inflatable theme parks can be seasonal — especially water-based ones. Use weather and seasonality to your advantage:

• Promote “rainy day fun” for indoor venues

• Push hard on school holiday and bank holiday marketing

• Offer weekday deals during term-time

• Promote end-of-season “last chance to bounce” events

📈 Track Performance and Optimise

Use tools like:

• Meta Ads Manager to monitor ad performance

• Google Analytics to see which pages and packages perform best

• Your booking platform to review most popular time slots and price points

Learn what works — and double down on it.

🏆 Final Thought: Bounce Into Business the Smart Way 

Launching an inflatable park is a big, exciting venture — but without the right marketing, it’s easy to get lost in a crowded space. By combining smart planning, strong branding, and targeted local marketing, you can quickly become the go-to destination for family fun, parties, and action-packed adventure.

Need help building your marketing strategy or running paid campaigns? At LeisureBoost, we specialise in promoting UK-based leisure attractions — from trampoline parks to inflatables — and we know exactly how to get people through your doors.

Let’s talk! 🎪