What Ouwehands Dierenpark does

Ouwehands Dierenpark is a privately-held zoological park operating on a 22-hectare site in Rhenen, Netherlands, founded in 1932 and currently under ownership acquired in 2000. The park functions as a year-round leisure, education, and conservation destination, holding exclusive national rights to exhibit giant pandas (since 2017) and koalas, alongside flagship enclosures including the 10-metre Gorilla Adventure (marketed as the largest in Europe), the 2-hectare Bear Forest (Het Berenbos), a 1,000,000-litre polar bear pool with a 12-metre viewing window, and the RavotAapia indoor play jungle. Day-to-day operations span live animal presentations, a Bamboo Bill family show, school educational programmes developed with Wageningen University & Research, and 50+ European breeding programme (EEP) participations coordinated through EAZA, NVD, and IUCN affiliations.

The commercial product surface is multi-stream rather than single-ticket: gated entry is sold via timed online reservations through a Convious-powered ticketing engine or at on-site desks; recurring revenue comes from annual Jaarabonnementen subscriptions (€73.50 child / €80 adult) managed through the Mijn ABO self-serve portal; secondary spend includes parking (€9 day / €4 subscription-holder / €24 annual), food and beverage via horeca outlets, the Zooshop and Pandasia Giftshop on-site plus shop.ouwehand.nl webshop, and Ouwehand Giftcards (3-year validity). A dedicated B2B sales desk handles corporate meetings, conferences, team-building, weddings, and family days, while group bookings service primary, secondary, and BSO school segments. Evening revenue is extended seasonally by Light Nights, an annual autumn-to-spring illuminated light-art festival first launched in 2018.

The business model blends consumer DTC (tickets, subscriptions, retail) with a B2B events layer, education sales, and a conservation-funding layer via the affiliated Stichting Ouwehand Zoo Foundation, which channels 25% of symbolic animal adoption fees and €10.9M of cumulative donations over 16 years into international species protection projects. Commercial partners span brands (Peeze coffee, Pepsi, Remia, Farm Frites, Ola) and conservation NGOs (Jane Goodall Institute, Bears in Mind, GlobeGuards). The park is EAZA- and NVD-credited, ANBI-registered for tax-deductible giving, holds GreenKey sustainable-operations certification, and operates 365 days per year.

Name

Ouwehands Dierenpark

Legal name

Ouwehands Dierenpark B.V.

Website

https://ouwehand.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ouwehands Dierenpark is a privately held Dutch zoological park in Rhenen (22 hectares, est. 1932), offering timed-entry day tickets, annual subscriptions, school programmes, and corporate events. It holds exclusive national rights to giant pandas and koalas and monetises conservation via an affiliated foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoo & Wildlife Park Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Wildlife park admissions
• Annual zoo subscriptions
• School educational programs
• Corporate event venue hire
• Animal conservation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Rhenen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Day Tickets: Individual entry tickets sold online with time slots or at the park entrance. Maximum daily capacity managed through reservation system.
2. Annual Subscriptions: Yearly passes for unlimited visits. Benefits include 10% discount at restaurants and shops, free access to most events and children's activities, and discount on meeting arrangements.
3. Merchandise and Gift Cards: Zooshop and Pandasia Giftshop selling plush animals, keychains, clothing, and Ouwehand gift cards. Gift cards valid 3 years and spendable throughout the park.
4. Parking: Parking fees: €9.00 per car for day visitors, €4.00 for subscription holders, or €24.00 annual parking subscription.
5. Business Events and Celebrations: Corporate events including meetings, conferences, team building, company parties, family days, and weddings. Also Light Nights special evening events.
6. School Trips: Educational group visits for primary and secondary schools with various packages including entrance, guided tours, and educational materials.
7. Animal Adoption: Symbolic animal adoption with 4 tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze) providing contributions to conservation. 25% of adoption fee goes to Ouwehand Zoo Foundation.
8. Dog Tickets: Dogs allowed in park for €5.50 per dog (subscription holders' dogs free). Ticket includes waste bag and treat.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ouwehands Dierenpark operates a 22-hectare zoological park in Rhenen, Netherlands, selling timed-entry day admission tickets, annual subscriptions, school educational packages, corporate and private event venue hire, animal adoption programmes, gift cards and on-site plus online merchandise. The park houses over 1,000 animals including giant pandas, koalas, polar bears, Amur tigers and gorillas, and runs a seasonal Light Nights festival. Tickets are sold direct-to-consumer via ouwehand.nl with mandatory time-slot reservations powered by Convious, while B2B segments are served through a dedicated sales team and school booking system.

Product overview

Ouwehands Dierenpark is a zoological park in Rhenen, Netherlands, offering day admission tickets with timed-entry slots, annual and other subscription plans, and event-based offerings. Its product portfolio includes core park admission (tickets and subscriptions), seasonal events (Light Nights), educational programs for schools (school trips for primary, secondary, and out-of-school care groups), event venue hire for corporate and private functions, and a retail layer comprising gift cards, adoption packages, and merchandise shops. The park also operates a digital subscriber portal (Mijn ABO) for managing reservations and entitlements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ouwehand Zoo Foundation (OZF): Conservation foundation supporting nature conservation, species preservation, and education projects for wild counterparts of animals living in the zoo.
• Light Nights

Products and services

• Day Tickets with Timed Entry

Quantifiable outcome

• €10,908,747 donated to conservation projects over 16 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bears in MindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation foundation dedicated to bear protection. Ouwehands Dierenpark contributes a fixed amount from each ticket sold to Bears in Mind. Famous project is 'Het Berenbos' (Bear Forest) in the park. They support projects in Bulgaria, Serbia, Russia, Slovakia, Georgia, Turkey, Czech Republic, and India.
• Jane Goodall InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on primate conservation and nature education, following Jane Goodall's 60-year study of chimpanzees. Focus on primate species conservation worldwide.
• VriendenLoterijminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch cultural lottery. Minimum 40% of participation fees go directly to cultural partners. Ouwehands Dierenpark is a partner where participants can choose to support the zoo.
• Nederlandse Vereniging voor Dierentuinen (NVD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch Zoo Association. Member zoos collaborate on breeding programs, education, conservation, and research. Also coordinates NVD pass for free entry to member zoos.
• GlobeGuardsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit federation of 24 Dutch organizations focused on global nature conservation, including OZF as a member.
• European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean zoo organization coordinating breeding programs (EEP) and conservation efforts across European zoos.
• IUCNminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Union for Conservation of Nature. Ouwehand Zoo Foundation is a member, joining 1,400 governments, organizations, and 15,000 experts in nature conservation.
• Stichting FonkelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity for children ages 3-12 with limitations. Organized day trips from Fonkelhuis located inside Ouwehands Dierenpark. Children can play, enjoy animals, and make memories.
• RenewiminorOthersWaste management company that sorts all waste from park trash bins behind the scenes.
• QuatraminorOthersFryer fat waste processing. Used fryer fat is recycled into second-generation biodiesel, green energy, or new biomaterials.
• KEAMPminorOthersWood processing company. Leftover wood from animal feeding (e.g., branches given to elephants) is converted to chips for combustion ovens.
• Koffiebranderij PeezecoreOthersCoffee supplier providing Bean Impact coffee - organic, Fairtrade, and climate-positive. Coffee grown in harmony with nature by Yanesha indigenous people in Peru. Joint reforestation project to improve local biodiversity.
• Cepro YaneshaminorOthersPeruvian indigenous organization growing coffee in the Amazon jungle region. Partner in Peeze coffee supply chain with reforestation projects.
• PepsiminorOthersBeverage partner listed on partners page.
• RemiaminorOthersFood partner listed on partners page.
• OlaminorOthersIce cream partner listed on partners page.
• Farm FritesminorOthersFrench fries supplier for horeca locations.
• SligrominorOthersFood wholesaler partner.
• EekominorOthersMobile phone and cartridge recycling program. Revenue supports Western lowland gorilla conservation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Chester Zoo: Large UK not-for-profit zoo with extensive conservation programs, subscription/membership model, and corporate event revenue similar to Ouwehands' diversification.
• Zoo Leipzig: Large European zoo with strong conservation credentials, multi-theme enclosures, and high visitor satisfaction — comparable in scale and immersive habitat design.
• Whipsnade Zoo (ZSL): UK's largest zoo operated by ZSL with large-landscape habitats, school/educational programs, and membership base comparable to Ouwehands' recurring visitor strategy.
• Tiergarten Schönbrunn (Vienna Zoo): World's oldest zoo and a leading European institution with EAZA membership, conservation programs, and premium ticketed wildlife experience.
• Hannover Zoo: German zoo with themed habitats and immersive experiences, EAZA member, comparable event programming and school education focus.

Direct peers

• Artis Amsterdam Zoo: Historic Dutch zoo in Amsterdam and fellow NVD/EAZA member; comparable ticketed wildlife attraction with strong educational programming and subscription offerings.
• Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem): Large Dutch zoo operating large-scale immersive habitats (e.g., Bush, Mangrove, Ocean) with annual subscriptions and school programs — comparable scale and operating model.
• Safaripark Beekse Bergen: Dutch safari/wildlife park with subscription passes and large outdoor footprint; similar family-leisure positioning and pricing tiers to Ouwehands.
• Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam): Major Dutch zoo in Rotterdam with comparable attendance scale, conservation programs, and corporate event offerings, also an NVD member.

Regional players

• Pairi Daiza: Large privately owned Belgian zoo-park offering giant pandas, distinctive themed worlds, and lodging; comparable ticket/subscription model and flagship-species strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Ouwehandsdierenpark
• Instagraminstagram.com/ouwehands_dierenpark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ouwehands-dierenpark-rhenen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Ouwehands Dierenpark