Tom Mehrmann Open to Question
resort facilities in Asia, with many being introduced in Southern China, South East Asia and Macau, which has required Ocean Park to be especially cognizant and aware of the competitive landscape to ensure we are complementing the offerings with differential products.
IP: Are there any particular challenges facing the industry in Asian countries at the present time? TM: The key to any growing market is to ensure the quality of the experience and the offerings continue to improve and build upon the prior strengths. There is a tendency for many developers to consider bringing western influenced themes to the market, when the market is demanding culturally relevant offerings for the markets being served, which is particularly evident in the food and retail aspects of the parks. Additionally, as the awareness and sophistication for themed products grows, so does the demand on show awareness, service and safety, which are continuing areas of focus for the industry in Asian countries.
IP: What, in your opinion, is the park industry’s main competition for people’s leisure spend? Is it purely other leisure venues, or do other things come into play too? TM: Time may be the single greatest competitive influence for people, as it is more limited than the available money for entertainment. Our opportunity is to create a compelling theme park experience that is able to address both issues of demands on discretionary time and money. One of the things which makes Ocean Park unique among theme parks is its unique blend of entertainment, conservation and education. In other words, Ocean Park is not only a place for having fun but a prominent nurturing ground for conservationists today and tomorrow. This is reflected in the wide variety of education programmes and courses, as well as wildlife conservation projects which all serve to better connect people with nature in an enjoyable setting.
IP: How important do you feel brands are within the theme park industry and do you think all operators should try to create their own strong brand identity? TM: Brand image is very important for theme parks, as it helps to bond the park with its community and prospective guests.
www.InterPark.co.uk 65
For Ocean Park, we have a strong identity as The Hong
Kong
people’s park and we strive to stay culturally relevant to the Hong Kong market to create a sense of belonging for our guests. As we have been in operation since 1977, people who came to the park as children are now able to bring their children. This generational linkage is very powerful in a community and creates a bond with the local market that is as important as our brand. Every year, we organise the seasonal “Big 5” events to encourage guests to come back time and again, to celebrate their favorite festivals such as Chinese New Year, Easter, Summer, Halloween and Christmas at Ocean Park. Featuring real animals in the park is one great quality that distinguishes us from the rest and our positioning has proved highly successfull in attracting guests of all ages to the park.
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