Global players add more fizz to theme parks with new offerings
At the age of four, Xiong Zimi has traveled to the Universal Studio in Japan and the Disney resort in Los Angeles in the United States. The globetrotting traveller has many favorite characters and programs gleaned from her visits to various theme parks. Her home in Beijing is filled with toys, costumes and other souvenirs collected during the trips.
Like Xiong, many Chinese children and their families are passionately embracing theme parks, their story telling techniques and exciting rides and programs. And that in turn, is propelling an increasing number of investments in building theme parks and fueling existing theme park operations in China with growing footfalls and ticket revenues.
Last year was a particularly strong year for theme parks and water parks across Asia, with most of the top sites seeing a surge of over 7.5 percent in combined attendance, said Chris Yoshii, vice-president at AECOM (Hong Kong), a US-based consultancy group.
According to Yoshii, a significant outcome of the trend is that the large theme parks are not only becoming bigger in size, but investing and expanding further with new themes, anniversary celebrations and a host of other attractions.
Fantawild Holding Inc, the Shenzhen-based culture and technology company that owns theme parks including Fantawild Adventure, is now among the top global operators in terms of great attendance growth, together with OCT Group－the owner of many brands including Happy Valley Chain.
Guangzhou-based Chimelong Group, which opened their new destination theme park and resort Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai recently, is another Chinese company that enjoys booming business.
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Global players add more fizz to theme parks with new offerings
