From swimming pool to water park!
June 5, 2025
‘Slides are a crucial element in guests’ decision to visit a swimming pool or water park and contribute strongly to their satisfaction and ‘coming back’.
Image: design for City of Bellevue Waterpark by Holland-Basham Architects
There are hundreds of swimming pools in the Netherlands, but only a few can be characterized as a true water park. Off the cuff, our working definition: a water park can be characterized as an aquatic facility of at least 1,500 m2 with 3 or more water attractions
The Dutch swimming pool world is still very traditionally oriented, particularly the policy makers and those who draw up programs of requirements. This often results in sustainable buildings (which, by the way, are often not recognizable as a swimming pool or water park), with few (appealing) attractions and focused on traditional target groups.
From swimming pool to water park
However, it is not complicated to design a swimming pool with the look, feel, and attractions of a water park, which can give recreational use a huge boost. Research by B&Eau shows that adding special slides can lead to growth in visitor numbers of up to 30%, meaning the higher investments can be quickly recouped. Slides are a crucial element in guests’ decision to visit a swimming pool or water park and contribute strongly to their satisfaction and ‘coming back’.
Below are five tips to turn your swimming pool into more of a water park:
1. Add attractions!
Most swimming pools in the Netherlands don’t have too many attractions. And generally, adding slides is not too complicated: if the slide is positioned outside the building, you essentially only need a tower and a splashdown pool in terms of extra floor space. Add to that some technical components: pumps and buffers (often in a basement) and a couple of wall penetrations and you’re done.
Another good strategy (especially in case of limited and ‘expensive’ indoor space) is to add outdoor attractions for the peak season. Mainly because you often want extra capacity then. For example, a slide zone for children, a water playground, or a splash pad.
2. Choose distinctive attractions
Every self-respecting swimming pool in the Netherlands has a body slide. Some are a bit higher, longer, more exciting, or more attractively designed than others. But generally, they are all rather tame, outdated, or poorly designed.
In terms of special, truly well-designed water slides, the Netherlands is far behind. For example, there are very few tube slides, there is not a single(!) mat racer, there is only 1 four-person family tube slide (‘Bombo’ in Hof van Saksen) and there is also only 1 (heavily outdated) water coaster (Center Parcs Port Zeelande).
Furthermore, it is noticeable that there are few slides with ‘features’, think of funnels (Cones), saucers (Saucers), bowls (Bowls), or walls (Walls).
In short: if you want to stand out, there are enormous opportunities in the flat Dutch water slide landscape!
3. Invest in the look & feel
According to the latest trend, (indoor) swimming pools in the Netherlands are designed in a sleek, clean, and sober style: both inside and out. For some reason, Dutch architects don’t like slides (and don’t like color), which means they always seem to be located at the back of a building and preferably executed in an inconspicuous mono color. And yet a well-designed and positioned slide tower can form a fantastic calling card and both attract new visitors and enthuse arriving guests.
Many water parks are more strikingly designed and the synthesis between building and master plan is much greater. Slides, attractions, and pools are integrated into the design and combined with landscaping, theming, and lighting.
So I don’t want to advocate turning every swimming pool into a full water park, but a bit more creativity, courage, and integration can’t hurt. And as for the costs: yes, they will be higher, but if executed well, you’ll appeal to more target groups who will also come back more often, stay longer, and spend more!
4. Focus on families with children
On average, one in four guests at a water park or swimming pool is younger than 12. And these young guests rarely come alone, but are often part of a family. It is therefore recommended to appeal to these target groups with well-chosen slides, splash pads, an adventure pool, or for example a water playground. The latest trend in this area is offering slides where parents with children or even families can enjoy together. Hof van Saksen is one of the few swimming pools in the Netherlands that plays into this, and here you’ll also find the only 4-person tube slide in the Netherlands.
In short: there is much more possible than many swimming pool managers or developers think!
5. Phase it!
A good and smart way to expand is to gradually add attractions. Major advantages here are the spread-out investments and the fact that you always have something new in store for your guests, which keeps guests coming back and allows you to attract new groups of guests. Case studies show that well-chosen expansions (special attractions, focus on the right target group) can lead to growth in visitor numbers between 20 and 30%!
It is, by the way, recommended to have possible expansions already designed in concept and perhaps some things already installed, so that the addition can happen easily and without disruption or even closure. Adding new outdoor attractions can also be a good way because during the summer season you often need extra capacity for visitors who come specifically to recreate.
B&Eau has extensive experience with the above items. Feel free to contact us if you’d like to exchange thoughts on this!