Aquatic and Recreation Institute

What Aquatic and Recreation Institute does

The Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI NSW) is a not-for-profit professional association serving the aquatic and recreation industry, headquartered in Sydney with operating reach across New South Wales and a nationally open Trade Membership tier. Founded in 1963 per firmographic records (with the current organizational entity dated 2023), the association represents individual practitioners (facility managers, swim teachers, lifeguards, duty managers, fitness professionals), facility operators (councils, private operators, not-for-profits operating aquatic centres, swim schools, fitness centres, and recreation venues), and trade suppliers across Australia. Its mandate is industry advocacy, professional development, networking, awards recognition, and representation on state and national advisory committees.

ARI NSW's product portfolio centers on three membership tiers — Individual ($99/year), Facility ($299/year), and Trade ($399/year) — sold through the PerfectMind membership management platform. Beyond subscriptions, the organization generates revenue from event sponsorships (Platinum, Gold, Silver tiers across the annual Awards of Excellence, the joint Spark Conference with ASSA, and the Diversity & Inclusion Forum), job vacancy advertising at $150 per feature beyond five free inclusions, and content partnerships including distribution of Australasian Leisure Management Magazine. The flagship annual Awards of Excellence spans 20+ categories including Facility of the Year, Lifeguard of the Year, and the Innovation & Technology Award, while the 2025 Spark Conference and recurring Diversity & Inclusion Forum extend the programming surface. Distribution is primarily digital self-serve via PerfectMind, augmented by field/event-based channels targeting mid-market facility operators.

The association is governed by a Board of Directors currently chaired by Suellen Goyne (appointed December 2025), with a Young Leaders Advisory Group (YLAG) providing a leadership pipeline. Strategic partnerships include a three-year technology sponsorship with Xplor Recreation (signed October 2024), Platinum sponsorship from Specialised Engineering Technologies (SET, November 2025) anchoring the AI safety agenda, and recurring collaborations with Belgravia Foundation, AUSactive, Pride in Sport, Royal Life Saving, and the Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA). Customer concentration is low by design — the pricing model is small-ticket, distributed across councils, private operators, individuals, and trade suppliers — though event sponsorship is more concentrated among a named set of Platinum, Gold, and Silver partners.

Name

Aquatic and Recreation Institute

Legal name

Aquatic and Recreation Institute

Website

https://arinsw.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI NSW) is a not-for-profit professional association serving aquatic and recreation practitioners, facility operators, and trade suppliers in New South Wales via tiered memberships, annual awards, and advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Shows & Exhibitions (Booths, Show Management) (BPAFAGAD)

Keywords

• Aquatic industry association
• Recreation professional membership
• Industry advocacy services
• Awards program management
• Trade conference services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The primary revenue stream comes from membership fees across three categories: Individual Membership ($99/year), Facility Membership ($299/year), and Trade Membership ($399/year). Membership is valid for 12 months from date of application or renewal.
2. Event Sponsorship: Sponsorship and trade exhibitor opportunities at ARI events including the annual Awards of Excellence conference and trade show. Sponsorships range from Platinum to Silver tiers with various marketing benefits.
3. Job Vacancy Advertising: Organisational members receive 5 free job features per year. Additional job features are invoiced at $150 per feature. This provides additional revenue while supporting the industry's employment needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Aquatic and Recreation Institute (ARI NSW) is a not-for-profit professional association that sells tiered memberships (Individual, Facility, Trade) and annual industry events (Awards of Excellence with 20+ categories, Conference and Trade Show) to aquatic and recreation professionals, facility operators, and trade suppliers in NSW, Australia. It also offers job vacancy advertising, organisational sponsorship packages, a Young Leaders Advisory Group program and webinar series, and supplier directory listings. Revenue is generated through annual subscription memberships (Individual $99, Facility $299, Trade $399), event sponsorship tiers (Platinum to Silver), event ticket sales, and job vacancy advertising at $150 per additional listing.

Product overview

The Aquatic & Recreation Institute (ARI) NSW is a not-for-profit professional association serving the aquatic and recreation industry in New South Wales. Rather than a single unified software product, ARI NSW offers a portfolio of membership-based services including Individual, Facility, and Trade membership programs; industry events such as the annual Conference & Trade Show and Awards of Excellence with 20+ award categories; professional development initiatives including the Young Leaders Advisory Group (YLAG) and webinar series; and advertising services for industry vacancies. The organization also maintains a Preferred Supplier Directory and Goods & Services Directory connecting members with industry vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Individual Membership Annual membership at $99 for individuals working in or involved with the NSW aquatic and recreation industry, providing networking opportunities, member discounts for events, ARI voting rights, ability to submit nominations for ARI awards in individual categories, ability to nominate for vacant Board positions (if member for over 12 months), opportunity to participate in ARI sub-committees, and free Australasian Leisure Management Magazine subscription.
• Facility Membership Annual membership at $299 for aquatic centres, private swim schools, fitness centres, and recreation and leisure centres. Includes 4 free Individual Memberships for employees, ability to submit award nominations in all individual categories and for the venue, ability to sponsor applicable ARI events and awards, facility listing in the ARI directory, ability to advertise jobs within ARI communication channels, ability to contribute content to ARI communication channels, and discount for partner and sponsor offers.
• Trade Membership Annual membership at $399 for trade partners of the aquatics and recreation industry across Australia. Includes ARI voting rights and ability to participate in ARI sub-committees and groups, ability to submit nominations for awards in trade categories, ability to exhibit and sponsor at applicable ARI events and awards, company listing in the ARI directory, ability to advertise jobs within ARI communication channels, and ability to contribute content to ARI communication channels.
• ARI NSW Awards of Excellence Annual awards program with event ticketing (ARI Member $200, Non-Member $280, Table of 10 $2,150 with early bird $2,000) recognising excellence across categories including Lifeguard of the Year, Duty Manager Award, Customer Service Team Award, Swim School Award, Accessibility Award, Environmental Sustainability Award, Social Impact Award, Child Safeguarding Award, Aqua Instructor of the Year, Seasonal Facility of the Year, Health Club of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Regional Facility of the Year, Innovation & Technology Award, Diversity & Inclusion Award, Swim Teacher of the Year, Children's Program Award, Emerging Leader Award, Marketing & Communications Award, Adam Lloyd Memorial Spirit Award, Award of Excellence, and A.H. Pierce Memorial Facility of the Year.
• Conference and Trade Show Annual industry conference providing professional development, networking opportunities, trade exhibition space, and presenter Expression of Interest opportunities for aquatic and recreation professionals. The 2025 Spark Conference was jointly delivered with ASSA under the theme 'Spark: Engage, Equip, Evolve' at Sofitel Wentworth Sydney, with two dedicated streams: Aquatics and Recreation Stream and Swim Schools Stream.
• Industry Vacancy Advertising Job vacancy advertising service featuring positions on the ARI NSW website, LinkedIn page, and social media platforms. Organisational members (Facility and Trade Membership) receive 5 free job features annually, with additional features invoiced at $150 each.
• Organisational Sponsorship Packages Tiered sponsorship packages at ARI events including the annual Awards of Excellence and Conference and Trade Show, with Platinum, Gold, and Silver tiers offering varying marketing benefits such as brand visibility, exhibit space, and access to facility decision-makers.
• Young Leaders Advisory Group (YLAG) Advisory group for aquatic and recreation workers under age 35 providing networking, consultation, collaboration opportunities, and pathways to industry leadership, including progression into governance roles on the ARI NSW Board.
• YLAG Webinar Series Online webinar series hosted by the Young Leaders Advisory Group covering topics such as aquatic programming, supervision planning, professional development, and career progression in the aquatic industry.
• Preferred Supplier Directory Listing Directory of preferred suppliers in the aquatic and recreation industry including equipment providers for pools, fitness equipment, accessibility solutions, and water treatment systems. Trade Members are listed in the directory as a benefit of their annual membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Represents aquatic and recreation industry professionals across NSW with representation on advisory committees at state and national level

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Specialised Engineering Technologies (SET)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025SET joined as Platinum Sponsor in November 2025. SET distributes the AngelEye AI Drowning Detection system (ISO 20380 accredited) throughout Australia and New Zealand, operating globally for more than 17 years with installations in over 400 aquatic venues across 30 countries. Partnership focuses on professional development, industry events, and thought leadership for safety, inclusion, and innovation.
• Xplor RecreationcoreTechnology or Integration · 29 October 2024Three-year technology sponsorship agreement between ARI NSW and Xplor Recreation. Xplor Recreation, a leader in innovative software solutions for the recreation sector, provides expertise and technology to enhance member and partner experience. The partnership launched the inaugural Innovation and Technology Award at the 2024 ARI Awards of Excellence.
• Australian Leisure ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARI NSW has a publication partnership with Australian Leisure Management magazine and website. ARI NSW Members receive the Australasian Leisure Management magazine six times each year plus the bi-weekly e-newsletter. ALM is the only business media in the leisure industry in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, with over 11,500 readers and recording more than 7 million impressions per month on the website.
• Raging Waters SydneyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerARI NSW Members receive $15 off discount on gate pricing for day tickets to Raging Waters Sydney, Sydney's favourite water park. Partnership provides member benefit through promotional code system.
• Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint Spark Conference partnership with ASSA for 2025 event themed 'Spark: Engage, Equip, Evolve' at Sofitel Wentworth Sydney (August 12-14, 2025). The partnership delivers two dedicated streams: Aquatics and Recreation Stream and Swim Schools Stream, combining expertise to provide greater value to stakeholders across aquatics, swim school, and recreation sectors.
• Belgravia FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the 2025 NSW/ACT Diversity & Inclusion in Leisure Forum. Partnership informed by Community Network Forums and sector surveys to address diversity and inclusion priorities.
• AUSactivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for Diversity & Inclusion Forum and joint industry survey. AUSactive provides the annual Fitness Industry Trends Report to inform sector priorities.
• Pride in SportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Diversity & Inclusion Forum focusing on LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport and recreation facilities.
• Royal Life Saving Association AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Diversity & Inclusion Forum addressing drowning prevention and inclusive programming for at-risk communities.
• Women Making WavesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting women in the workplace in the aquatic industry. Co-hosted event with Speedo on 'The Power of Wellbeing in Boosting Performance' held at Andrew Boy Charlton Pool.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Swimming Australia: National sporting organisation governing competitive swimming; a broader incumbent in the aquatic ecosystem that intersects ARI NSW's facility-operator membership.
• World Waterpark Association (WWA): International trade association for waterparks and aquatic leisure venues; broader incumbent whose event and safety standards inform ARI NSW's aquatic facility members.
• International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA): Global association for the attractions industry; broader incumbent offering comparable membership, trade show, and safety education programming relevant to ARI NSW's leisure venue members.

Others

• AUSTSWIM: National swim teaching and water safety credentialing body that is an ARI NSW Gold Sponsor and overlapping industry stakeholder for swim school and aquatics professionals.
• Belgravia Leisure: Major Australian aquatic and recreation facility operator that is both an ARI NSW Gold Sponsor and a key membership customer; representative of ARI NSW's commercial member base.

Regional players

• Leisure Institute of Western Australia Aquatics (LIWA Aquatics): WA-based counterpart to ARI NSW serving the same aquatic and recreation practitioner community with membership and awards programs; offers a model for state-by-state geographic expansion.

Direct peers

• Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA): National swim school industry body that co-hosts the annual Spark Conference with ARI NSW; operates a directly comparable membership and events model across Australia.
• AUSactive: Australia's national peak body for the fitness industry; collaborates with ARI NSW on Diversity & Inclusion Forums and jointly produces industry trends data.
• Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA): National peak body for parks and leisure practitioners with overlapping membership base, advocacy remit, and state-based chapters that intersect ARI NSW's territory.
• Royal Life Saving Society Australia: National water safety and drowning prevention organisation that partners with ARI NSW on diversity and inclusion forums and is an active industry stakeholder across the aquatic sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arinsw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aquatic and Recreation Institute