Image courtesy of Vekoma Rides Manufacturing
area has seen and still is seeing tremendous growth, in particular in China and India. Besides a significant number of new parks, the quality of most of the parks is also increasing and some are already on a very high level.” Czibulka sees the theming and customising of attractions
Singapore and Macau are introducing large scale gambling and integrated resort experiences with theme parks, hotels, waterparks and family entertainment options. “Shanghai has introduced the most ambitious World Expo
ever and it is drawing huge crowds on a daily basis, which may eclipse all previous Expo attendance records. This will be followed by a significant Disney resort, which has been reported widely in the media and should deliver another world- class experience in the region for guest travel and visitation. “I would be remiss if I did not mention that Ocean Park
is undergoing a six year, eight-phase redevelopment of the park with an investment of nearly US$750 million and we are progressing well with major elements scheduled to open in sequential roll-outs over the next three years. We have experienced five record breaking years over the last six years in attendance, revenue and surplus, and this current year is shaping up to be another record year. “Hong Kong Disneyland also has an ambitious expansion
plan underway with three new themed areas being added to the park, supported by a significant investment. These areas will be completed over the coming five years.” So overall, what does Mehrmann think the future holds
for the theme park industry in the region? “I think the future is quite promising for the Asia/
Far East market and will only be slowed by the desires of the intended markets, available cash to finance the developments and impacts on the discretionary time and money of guests. There is a large appetite for branded and world-class experiences and the consumers are demanding/ expecting more by the day with diversity/variety and novelty in the experiences.”
Image courtesy of Enchanted Kingdom
Sascha Czibulka, vice-president, Intamin Transportation Ltd./ Ride Trade Int. Corp. Est. “With the exception of the saturated markets in Asia, such as Japan and to some extent Taiwan for instance, the
as increasingly important trends for operators, while as far as the economic climate is concerned, he notes this has impacted on the region’s industry “very little, since it was (and is) in particular Asia/Far East, which keeps growing at a fast pace. Most of the facilities are not depending on tourism from the western hemisphere and therefore the impact of the global economy is little.” Of the various countries in the region, he reiterates that
China is particularly active, as is India. “As for China, we currently see major investments in all
types of the market. Disney has a new park in Shanghai under development, the OCT Group keeps working on new theme parks and at the same time keeps investing in the existing ones, the Chimelong Group is currently constructing a major resort in South East China and so on. We very recently saw the opening of a major resort in Singapore (Universal Studios), new waterparks in Malaysia, etc.” Looking to the future, he comments: “This is the million
dollar question, since it strongly depends on the economic development in Asia/Far East and at the same time the worldwide development. I personally believe that Asia/Far East will remain the driving force in our industry for the next couple of years.”
Christian Aaen, regional director – Asia, Economics at AECOM “The industry is moving to Asia in a big way – most
major projects are happening in Asia led by China. The US is a mature market, as well as Europe, so developers are increasingly looking to Asia for growth fuelled by demand from a growing middle class.”Trends in the region noted by Aaen are varied and include significant economic growth in GDP and the expansion of an emerging middle class, along with a growth in both domestic and international tourism. “Consumers have more money to spend on leisure and
tourism and travelling and there is a demand for quality family experiences. Developers are focusing on the region with new developments of visitor attractions, theme parks,
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