RCI takes Sky Trail® ropes course to Dubai

ALLEGAN – Michigan-based RCI Adventure Products enjoyed a spring break of sorts, as it attended a week-long tradeshow in the beautiful city of Dubai.

RCI co-founders Jim and Michelle Liggett, along with its Director of International Sales, CK Foo, were in the UAE from March 5-7 for the Dubai Entertainment Amusement and Leisure Exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Adventure courses in the Middle East

DEAL 2024, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary, brings in visitors from more than 100 countries, according to event organizers. For RCI, it’s a perfect opportunity to connect with its rapidly growing customer base in the region. The Middle East has experienced growth in the amusement and family entertainment center markets, an ideal landing spot for RCI’s portfolio of adventure products. 

“Nearly half of our installations over the past couple years have been overseas and the Middle East continues to be one of the strongest markets for us,” said RCI Marketing Manager Zack Loeprich. “Not only is this a perfect opportunity to connect with those customers, but to also engagement and better understand some of the opportunities ahead for them in the region.”

RCI has customers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, to name a few, and continues to work with companies across the region on various adventure products including high and low ropes courses, human mazes and climbing walls.

Modernized Ropes Course

RCI’s signature Sky Trail® high ropes course continues to be one of the most popular products for FECs in the market. The Sky Trail® course is a modern version of the traditional tree- or timber-based ropes courses that often included cable zip lines. 

RCI pioneered the modern adventure course market with its free-standing, custom-designed metal Sky Trail® product. The Sky Trail® course can be designed with RCI’s patented Sky Rail®, a modern take on the traditional zip line. 

“FECs love our Sky Trail® product because is solves several problems for them,” Loeprich said. “First, it can be integrated into an facility’s existing footprint. Second, it takes advantage of a building’s unused, vertical spaces. Finally, it requires minimal staffing.”

Demand for a Sky Trail® course by FECs is further driven by the fact that it can be installed over existing attractions such as arcades, mini-golf courses and go-kart tracks. 

Introducing Adventure Trail®

One of RCI’s newest products has already found a home a multiple destinations in the Middle East. The Adventure Trail® is a net-play, unharnessed course.

“One of the things we continue to hear while at various shows is the need for new attractions that won’t increase the demand for staffing,” Loeprich said. “Our Adventure Trail® has been meeting that demand.”

Like the Sky Trail®, the Adventure Trail® can be custom-designed to fit into an existing footprint and built above other attractions. 

“When we sit down with customers and prospects at shows like DEAL, it gives us the opportunity to really understand the unique challenges they face,” Loeprich said. “Without shows like DEAL, it would be hard to effectively and efficiently do that. We’ll be back in 2025!”