Polar Ocean Park to join Disneyland at centre of Shanghai's effort to become global tourism hub
First it was Mickey Mouse. Then Kung Fu Panda. Now, penguins and polar bears are being recruited in Shanghai's efforts to attract tourists.
First it was Mickey Mouse. Then Kung Fu Panda. Now, penguins and polar bears are being recruited in Shanghai's efforts to attract tourists.
As the theme park developer and operator Haichang broke ground on its 3 billion yuan (HK$3.8 billion) Polar Ocean Park on Sunday, city officials pledged to create synergy between the marine complex and Shanghai Disneyland to draw tourists from across the world.
"We hope to achieve a mutually beneficial development," Chen Mingbo, the deputy governor of Pudong district, said.
Shanghai's Disneyland is scheduled to open next spring, while the ocean park is likely to be operational by the end of 2017.
The city planned to expand the expressway that already linked the two theme parks with a drive of less than half an hour, said Wang Xuguang, chief executive of Haichang.
The company, based in Dalian, Liaoning province, expects to draw 6 million tourists a year to its Shanghai resort, which Wang says will house more marine species than any other park in the world.
"Shanghai has every reason to become the largest tourist destination in East Asia," Wang said. "A world-class ocean park will be a good addition to the development of the tourism hub."
The marine park will cover more than 190,000 square metres and feature 12 exhibition halls, four interactive experience zones and three cinemas.
It is being built at Nanhui New City, near to the Yangshan deep-water port, part of the city's free-trade zone.
Elsewhere in the city, the 33 billion yuan Disney resort and a 20 billion yuan theme park by Oriental DreamWorks are also under construction. In addition to the theme park, Oriental DreamWorks - a film production company created by the US' DreamWorks Animation and Chinese investment companies - has the task of producing by 2016.
Officials see the mega projects as symbols of Shanghai's status as a global city and hope they will help it vie with Hong Kong and Tokyo for regional tourists.
Haichang is particularly targeting wealthy households in the Yangtze River Delta, and hopes to attract some of the tourist hordes that the nearby Disneyland is expected to bring in.
Wang said spending per customer at the ocean park was expected to be about 250 yuan, including the entrance fee and souvenir purchases.
Haichang is also working with Hong Kong's Ocean Park in research on breeding, conservation and medical care.
Matthias Li Sing-chung, deputy chief executive of Hong Kong's Ocean Park, said Haichang's project and Shanghai Disneyland would complement each other's development.
