The years 2020 and 2021 will go down in history as the times that changed the way we look at life, freedom, globalisation, trade, travel, work and togetherness.
We realised the fragility of everything we’d taken for granted and even though we’ve risen – as individuals, companies, societies – the years have left scars that are sometimes hard to conceal.
But now, with the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, I can’t help but reflect on how COVID-19 helped Liseberg in many ways.
It turned everything upside down and we had to pivot and after doing things the same way for almost 100 years, it made us dare to challenge everything we’d previously taken for granted in our business.
The pandemic became a lever, a force that pushed us over the edge and into the unknown, to the point where now we conclude that the changes we were forced to make rescued us in many ways.
Firstly, 2022 goes down in history as the most profitable year in Liseberg’s history and many of the changes we introduced, such as capacity restrictions, differentiated pricing, continued focus on maximising guest satisfaction, are likely to transform the way Liseberg operates for good.
And now, as we move through 2023 – our centenary year – it feels both exhilarating and frightening. Exhilarating because we have so much good going on – the best team ever, a new hotel, an exciting coaster and all the experience we’ve gained over the last few years. Frightening because of uncertainties – the war in Ukraine, inflation, the ongoing energy-crisis, and a potential recession, to name just a few.
But, as always, something good may come out of all this. As Winston Churchill famously said when he was working to form the United Nations after WWII, “Never let a good crisis go to waste”. Our situation is obviously less complex, but we‘ll do our best to ensure 2023 will not only be a year of celebrating the past, but also the start of something new.
