How AI pricing is changing results at ZOO Wrocław - from revenue to weather resilience
Huge day-to-day running costs, long-term loan obligations, and a mission in which animal welfare always comes first. That is what a zoo looks like from the CFO's perspective.
At ZOO Wrocław, some of the buildings are historic, and the aging infrastructure requires ever greater investment. The animals need suitable enclosures and living conditions, and education and species conservation also require funding. Even the Afrykarium, which looks modern, is already 12 years old and increasingly needs servicing and replacements.
On top of that, the loan taken out in 2013 to build the Afrykarium is still being repaid. About PLN 74 million remains outstanding, with almost PLN 12 million repaid each year.
Instead of another rigid, cost-driven price increase for everyone, as in previous years, ZOO Wrocław chose a different approach: it wanted to balance its budget while remaining affordable for as many visitors as possible, including families for whom tickets had previously been too expensive.
That is why, in February 2026, the zoo implemented Droplabs Dynamic Pricing. Visitors who plan ahead can now buy tickets for less than before the change. In winter, almost 30% of 2+2 families took advantage of this.
Buying in advance has another benefit: it protects attendance from changes of plans when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
And the budget? After six months, individual attendance is up almost 7%, revenue from individual tickets has grown by about 23% year on year, and average prices are above target. The zoo can use the additional funds for renovations, new enclosures, and education.
In the interview (in Polish), Jacek Birunt, CFO of ZOO Wrocław, talks about how he planned revenue without yet knowing how the algorithm would behave, what worried him before the implementation, and what advice he would give today to the CFO of another major attraction.
We would like to thank him for an insightful conversation and for sharing experiences that can be valuable for the entire tourist attractions industry.
