Business idea: Climbing wall is a profitable seasonal business

Relevance of the business idea

An active lifestyle is a true emblem of our time. People travel, share photos on social networks, some devote themselves entirely to sports or tourism. Rock climbing is a popular hobby today, and interest in it is constantly growing. In large cities there are climbing walls; they are installed in rope parks, trampoline centers, at festivals and children's parties.

Active recreation is becoming increasingly popular

Conducting an advertising campaign

Immediately before the opening of the climbing wall, you will have to make serious investments in advertising so that as many people as possible learn about the new entertainment. Effective ways to attract visitors:

• on local radio and television;
• on billboards;
• using leaflets.

In the future, you will have to regularly advertise the attraction. It’s worth creating your own website and groups on social networks. Photos and videos of training and competitions are usually posted on these sites. It is also worth introducing a discount system for regular customers. This will help retain the bulk of visitors and attract new ones.

Costs and profits

390 thousand rubles were spent on organizing the climbing wall. The cost of launching depends on the equipment, quality and area of ​​the climbing wall - it can be higher. Monthly profit after tax deduction and expenses - from 150 thousand rubles in the first year after reaching payback. Payback period is 6-8 months.

Start-up costs: approximate calculation for Lipetsk

Monthly costs

Financial part of the business plan

The amount of investment at the start varies depending on the region, as well as the selected type of equipment. Let's consider what the company's financial plan will look like using the example of a climbing wall located in the center of a city with a population of 500 thousand people, the area of ​​which is 150 m2. The attraction consists of 5 tracks of varying difficulty.

Investments in the project

Starting investments include:

• expenses for registration of business activities and paperwork – 5,000 rubles;
• room design and renovation work – 750,000 rubles;
• purchase of equipment – ​​550,000 rubles;
• advertising costs before the launch of the project - 60,000 rubles;
• costs for various organizational events - 100,000 rubles.

The total investment in opening the climbing wall is 1 million 465 thousand rubles.

Monthly costs to maintain the project

Current expenses include expenses for maintaining the operation of the climbing wall:

• rent – ​​45,000;
• employee salaries – 85,000;
• tax deductions (6% of income) – 27,000;
• attraction advertising – 25,000;
• payment for accounting services – 6,000;
• other expenses (utilities, depreciation, etc.) – 15,000.

The company will spend 203,000 rubles monthly on maintaining the project and its development.

Income and profit calculation, profitability of a climbing wall

The income of the climbing wall will grow from month to month along with the increase in the flow of customers. With a well-organized advertising campaign, already in the first month you can expect that 10 people will visit the attraction every day. The average cost of a one-time visit is 500–700 rubles, depending on the region. Interested people will purchase monthly passes, their cost is 5,000–6,000 rubles.

Taking into account additional opportunities for earning money - renting out premises for corporate clients and organizing training, the approximate monthly income will be 250,000–300,000 rubles. If events develop favorably, the project will pay off in 1.5 years.

Opening a climbing wall is a promising business direction. Modern people need new types of entertainment, but most people are especially interested in extreme sports. With proper organization of activities, an entrepreneur will be able to achieve heights in this field, and making a profit will not take long.

Permits and documents

Business registration

We are considering opening a recreational climbing wall with the prospect of organizing a full-fledged climbing school. To work, a novice businessman will need to register himself as an individual entrepreneur. Bring to the tax office at your place of residence a package of documents that we have listed below.

The taxation system is simplified or UST. OKVED code: 93.1 - Activities in the field of sports.

List of basic documents for individual entrepreneurs

• Application for state registration of an individual as an individual entrepreneur (form No. P21001)
• Copy of Russian passport
• Receipt for payment of state duty

Market description and analysis

Business organization should begin by assessing the project according to the following criteria:

• characteristics of the target audience;
• definition of competitiveness;
• analysis of the share and dynamics of the selected market segment.

The specifics of the analysis involve assessing the riskiness of the enterprise and ways to minimize risks.

Analysis of the popularity of extreme sports in Russia

The characteristics of the climbing market in Russia are as follows:

1. In recent years, this sport has been actively developing. In terms of popularity, rock climbing is still inferior to “traditional” entertainment. However, thanks to widespread popularity and accessibility, such entertainment is becoming increasingly attractive.
2. Compared to other countries, the Russian market is only 10% full.
3. In large cities, climbing walls are quite common; in small towns the level of competition is low. Accordingly, there is a chance to get a profitable business.

A climbing wall business plan, drawn up taking into account industry trends, will allow you to occupy a free niche in the amusement ride market and open a successful business.

The target audience

The audience of the climbing wall is vast, although heterogeneous:

• young people aged 17–25 for whom rock climbing is a new hobby;
• lovers of an active lifestyle from 33 to 42 years old, leading a healthy lifestyle;
• young people from wealthy families;
• children who study in a section or simply come with their parents;
• random visitors who came to evaluate the attraction.

Competitive advantages

The main competitive advantages of a climbing wall include:

• good quality of services provided at an affordable price;
• decent level of service;
• additional services provided;
• a combination of several types of climbing walls in one room;
• correct location;
• modular designs can be easily modified to create new “tracks”, thereby maintaining the interest of the target audience.

Advertising campaign

Despite modern technologies, participants in this business consider customer recommendations to be the main means of informing potential clients.

Other areas of marketing activities:

• outdoor billboard advertising;
• website creation;
• publications on social networks - maintaining a news group;
• ordering publications in city media;
• distribution of leaflets;
• posting advertisements;
• discount cards with 5-10-15-20% discount (5% copper, 10% silver, 15% gold, 20% platinum cards);
• discounts on daytime visits, sections for children and teenagers open during the day to ensure an uninterrupted flow of visitors;
• preferential conditions for groups of visitors and corporate events;
• discounts for large families - minus 30% for three or more children.

Selecting a room

Before looking for premises, and indeed before starting work, study the demand for rock climbing in the city. Are climbing walls already in operation, and what are their disadvantages? All this will become the basis for your policy and marketing strategy.

Several options for where to place a climbing wall:

• Local shopping and entertainment center
• Sports complex
• A fitness center
• Separate room

The first three are beneficial from the point of view of attracting an audience: in an open, well-traveled area you can be seen from afar, but a separate room still needs to be promoted. Choose based on the rental price per square meter, popularity of the location and distance from the city center.

An example of a climbing wall in a separate room

An important criterion for choosing a location is high ceilings. For an entertaining climbing wall, you will need 7-12 meters in height and 15-20 square meters in area.

Types and types of climbing walls

Types of climbing walls:

1. Sports. Suitable for training professionals and trained fans of extreme sports.
2. Entertaining. Designed for first-time visitors or for corporate events.
3. Children's. Suitable for children aged 5 years and older.

If space allows, it is recommended to place several types of climbing walls in one building. Classes can be held separately for each group or separated by partitions.

The sports facility should be close to natural surfaces, however, creating an angle of inclination of the wall will increase the cost of the climbing wall.

There are 3 types of walls:

• flat;
• broken;
• connected to each other.

Types of climbing walls:

1. Modular. It is assembled from interchangeable modules, which allows you to assemble a variety of routes on one climbing wall. In this case, reliable fixation of the structure on a wall made of brick or concrete is necessary. The hooks are securely attached to the required points, due to this new routes are created.
2. Mobile. It is easy to transport and can be installed in a few hours in any park or yard. The advantage of the mobile option: compact dimensions and ease of installation, the disadvantage is the seasonality of outdoor business. Mobile climbing walls are usually installed where people monitor their physical fitness.
3. Monolithic. This design has the highest complexity because it is professional. There are difficulties with installation - it is difficult to find a suitable room. The cost of such attractions is higher than others, but there is additional income in the form of organizing competitions.
4. Children's. Exercises at the climbing wall allow children and teenagers to use their energy productively and develop dexterity and coordination. The routes in such designs are easier than for adults and take into account the needs of a growing body.

To minimize investments, you can purchase a mobile climbing wall, wait for the profit and switch to a modular one. This is where many owners of famous climbing sites started.

Children's climbing wall

Mobile climbing wall

Modular climbing wall

Monolithic climbing wall

Equipment

We present inventory in a separate table:

The construction and installation of the climbing wall itself, with an area of ​​up to 20 square meters, will cost from 150 thousand rubles.

Pricing policy and age category of clients

People leading an active lifestyle, mainly from 35 to 50 years old, will be able to allocate about one hundred dollars for a monthly subscription. Young people (students and climbing beginners) will visit your climbing wall from time to time. A businessman can charge for one-time visits, you can enter client cards for several visits - there are a lot of options!

The highest climbing wall is about a 13-story building, Groningen. Netherlands.

How to choose a supplier

It is impossible to build a climbing wall yourself from scratch without experience in construction. There are too many nuances to consider when creating it. Therefore, use the services of companies that specialize in this niche.

The easiest way to find them is on the Internet - a search engine will return many sites upon request. Carefully study the offers, compare prices and reviews, and the reputation of the companies. Give preference to trusted suppliers who operate in different regions and have earned the respect of customers.

Buy shoes and equipment in specialized stores - Trial-Sport and others.

Additional sources of income

In any business there is always the possibility of generating additional income, a “side effect”, so to speak. At a climbing wall this could be:

• Opening of rock climbing courses.
• Sale of equipment for rock climbing and mountaineering.

We remind you that when implementing any business idea, you can get advice from our experts, order the development of a business plan (or try to write it yourself, using the material -). You can contact us by filling out the form in the “Contacts” section. Good luck to you in your business endeavors!

Staff

The following personnel are needed to operate the climbing wall:

• Two administrators (in shifts) - 50'000 ₽
• Three instructors (in shifts) - 120'000 ₽
• Total — 170'000 ₽

Instructors must be true professionals in their field to teach others and ensure safety on the site. One of the areas of your business is a rock climbing school, so your employees must be able to teach beginners how to move on rocks correctly.

The tasks of the manager, marketing strategy and accounting are taken over by the business owner. Administrators communicate with clients, accept payments and organize the process and space on the site.

Directions for earning money from a climbing wall

1. Corporate events. Modern companies now organize corporate events anywhere, as long as it is interesting for the employees. Why is a climbing wall not a place for team building? To get people to think this way, you will need to emphasize this in your advertising campaign.
2. Children holidays. The same goes for children's events. You can organize an exciting day off here for a group of schoolchildren.
3. Climbing school. These are classes for beginners in rock climbing who want not just to have fun, but to learn how to climb rocks correctly. Classes can be held for adults and children.
4. Competitions. They should be held when your climbing wall gains a certain popularity and gains regular customers. Just run an advertisement that on such and such a day you will have competitions for adults or children with prizes. To make it more interesting, competitions can be held in several stages.
5. “One-time” premises by clients. For a start-up business, this category of clients will be the most important. These are visitors who simply found out about your climbing wall and wanted to have fun, or, while walking through the shopping center on a weekend, saw a sign. If you can conduct a climbing “session” for a visitor in such a way that he likes it, he will become your regular client.

The operating mode should be convenient for your target audience. On weekdays, the climbing wall should close no earlier than 23:00, so clients can come to you after working hours. Weekends will usually be even busier, so open as early as possible and close late in the evening.

How to advertise a business

Advertise in several directions:

• Printing and distributing leaflets in places where the target audience gathers: schools, kindergartens, sports clubs, fitness centers, shopping malls, etc.
• Publications in local and federal media: interviews with the owner, stories about the climbing industry, the prospects and goals of the school
• Work with social networks, write blogs, share photos with visitors
• Create a website, promote it in search engines and using contextual advertising

You can make money using a climbing wall not only from one-time visits and school passes. Hold corporate events on it by creating a commercial offer in the form of a landing page. The same applies to children's events: a day off for one or two classes of school.

Actively develop your business and create a close-knit community of interests around your climbing wall. Recruit new instructors who could teach those interested in more professional mountaineering. Organize trips to low mountains during the holidays.

How to open a climbing wall

What is he like? A climbing wall is an artificial structure whose surfaces are modeled like rock reliefs. Such structures consist of vertical paths (paths), on which there are special holds - with their help, climbers climb to the top. The height of the structure can be from several meters to almost hundreds. Its walls can be very diverse - flat, broken, turning into one another, overhanging, connecting, and so on. The effect of overhanging stones looks very good.

Climbing walls are actively used by both professional climbers to train their skills, and by amateurs - just for fun and new sports emotions. Of course, designs for professionals and amateurs can differ significantly in the degree of complexity and danger. Often the walls of structures are made of beech plywood.

No permits are needed to open a license; climbing walls are classified as attractions.

Why is a climbing wall a promising business project?

Today sport is relevant and popular among young people.
Physical activity allows you to not only have a beautiful figure, but also maintain health for many years. Rock climbing is considered an exotic activity that is gaining popularity. A climbing wall for children will be an interesting pastime with friends and parents. Living in the modern world, we work a lot and spend most of our lives sitting. But it is important to find time for sports. Gyms sometimes get boring and you want something new and interesting to get a dose of new positive emotions and a charge of positive energy. Most people simply don’t have the opportunity to go to the mountains often, so a climbing wall will be a unique opportunity to have fun. In this business, you will not have problems with clients, and you can earn decent money with the right approach. A children's climbing wall will require a minimum investment from you.

How to build a structure?

To build a climbing wall you will need:

• Choose a suitable room with high ceilings, ventilation and air conditioning systems. For professional venues, higher ceilings are needed; for entertainment venues, 7-12 m is enough.
• Develop a project. Here it is better to contact specialized studios. You will need a detailed plan, taking into account the design features of the climbing wall and its actual dimensions. Designers will prepare a 3D visualization that will clearly show what the structure will look like in reality.
• Find a company where you can buy equipment for a climbing wall, as well as a company that will build it. Often this is one company that provides a range of turnkey services: project development, sale of components and assembly. It is not recommended to choose the cheapest options. If the project is successfully implemented, modernizing and converting a simple climbing wall into a more advanced one will cost more.

What is important to know about the climbing wall

Before investing in a climbing wall, it is important to understand what the structure is. As a rule, this is a climbing structure in the form of vertical and horizontal panels that are attached to the wall at different angles. Hooks of different shapes, sizes and colors are installed on relief surfaces, placing them in accordance with the complexity of the route. Climbing walls are installed indoors with a ceiling height of 3 meters or more. The size and complexity of the attraction routes may vary and depend on its location. For the safety of visitors, additional equipment is required: safety systems and mats.

Financial capabilities determine a lot

Regarding investment, everything depends on financial capabilities, since the most expensive wall option will be the most promising choice. But at the same time the most expensive. If the budget allocated for starting a business has strict restrictions, then it is worth starting with the simplest option and gradually, having accumulated money, improve your business activities.

You will also need to purchase all the necessary fastenings, insurance, mats and much other equipment necessary for the quality operation of the climbing wall. Additional equipment, except for the wall, will cost approximately 250 thousand rubles.

Important construction details

Before building a climbing wall, there are some factors to consider. Before looking for premises for a sports complex, you need to draw a sketch of the project in order to present it to the owner and administration of the building where you plan to rent it. In this image you will need to highlight all the nuances. If necessary, the design of the climbing wall can be changed taking into account the nuances of the premises, after which the contractor’s approval will be required.

Also, during installation, it would not hurt to seek advice from people who are professionally involved in this sport. This will help to design all sections of the routes more competently and bring them closer to real conditions. At the moment, there are companies that perform all types of work necessary to build a climbing wall. Therefore, if you have the finances, it makes sense to turn to such specialists and get a turnkey climbing wall.