MARKET REPORT: LATIN AMERICA It is pertinent to stand out most recent


project as part of the actions that Grupo Xcaret carries out to promote inclusion and accessibility. As of December 10, 2023, a program was incorporated to make the experience more pleasant for people with hearing disabilities through the “Manos Xuaves” (soft hands) program in “Xcaret México Espectacular”, which takes place 365 days a year at the Great Tlachco of Xcaret Park. For this purpose, it incorporated deaf artists who perform the number “México en la Piel” (Mexico on the skin) in Mexican Sign Language, and integrated collaborators trained too in Mexican Sign Language to assist the public. On the other hand, it was established


that the next projects, to be completed in 2024, are: Seeland in Monterrey, Luchatitlán in Quintana Roo, Hasbro City México in Mexico City and the Xcaret Hotel in Quintana Roo. In Mexico, Kidzania has established itself as a company in permanent international expansion, and it continued to demonstrate this in 2023, when it opened a new headquarters in Vietnam, reaching 29 establishments around the world. Hernán Barbieri, Global Vice President of Operations of the company revealed that they propose to incorporate six additional family entertainment centers, located in: Sao Paulo, Toronto, Hong Kong, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and the United States (New York and Chicago). Barbieri assured that, in the case of Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea, Kidzania has had a very good reception due to the high educational component, since they are cultures with a high value for this type of experiences. In terms of expansion outside Mexico, The Dolphin Company also stands out, a Mexican firm with a presence in eight countries, with 33 parks, which is preparing a new purchase in Malta, in the Mediterranean, and will open a new recreational center in the Dominican Republic.


Mexico City (CDMX) has also been the epicenter of good news in 2023. On the one hand, Hasbro City came into operation, where visitors can find experiences related to iconic brands such as Monopoly, Transformers, My Little Ponny, Power Rangers and others. A new amusement park themed around giant rubber ducks was also inaugurated, called ¡Inflalandia Quak!, which was a sensation at the end of 2023 in Mexico City. In the place you can find areas exclusively for inflatables where you can jump and play without the fear of falling and getting hurt by colliding with a hard surface. You can also find a giant slide, which is one of its main attractions. It should be noted that, according to official park information, the place is for the whole family. In CDMX, the inauguration of the Aztlan park, located in the Chapultepec forest, is expected in 2024. As an expectation, the head of government of Mexico City, Martí Batres, carried out the official lighting of the Ferris wheel, which will remain illuminated, as an icon of the urban landscape until the official opening of the park. The attraction, 85 meters high, has 40 closed cabins and 218 dynamic lights.


Colombia The most important milestone for the amusement park sector in Colombia was the certification, by AIMS International, of more than 80 industry specialists, in best practices in maintenance and operations. In this way, the South American country was the first to access the first safety training program in Spanish “AIMS where you are” for amusement parks. This was revealed by the executive


director of the Colombian Association of Attractions and Amusement Parks (ACOLAP), Ángela Díaz, who highlighted that this program, which has the support of the Vice Ministry of Tourism and the National Tourism Fund (FONTUR), makes Colombia is a pioneer of this type of certification in Latin America, to the point


that it is being considered the hub of the initiative for the region. Thanks to training in Spanish, Colombian specialists will not need to travel to the United States to get certified, which will significantly lower the investment costs that amusement parks make in this type of training, thus ensuring the certification of their staff in Spanish. the country, Díaz added. However, for Colombia, the year 2023


was not as positive as 2022, when amusement parks had historic figures, both in income and number of visitors. Although no losses were recorded, and


several companies managed to grow, in general there was a decrease in the two items, especially due to domestic tourism, which registered a severe impact due to the government decision to eliminate the Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption to hotels and airline tickets. Likewise, the contraction in demand


from the entertainment sector was evident due to inflation, the increase in operating costs due to the tax reform - which came into effect on the 1st. January 2023 -, the increase in interest rates and the volatility of the dollar. The executive director of ACOLAP pointed out that the investments made in 2022 will be recovered, but in double the time calculated by the businessmen. Likewise, he said that the economic behavior of the industry has not been different from that of other sectors, such as


Salitre Magico Colombia


14


PARK WORLD Handbook & Buyer’s Guide 2023/24


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