Columbia Pictures and local developer Amazon Falls have confirmed that their Aquaverse theme park will open in Pattaya, Thailand on October 12, 2022. This development is the Sony Group’s first water and theme park and has been delayed by nearly a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With Thai authorities already dismantling most pandemic-era measures and preparing to drop COVID soon from the list of notifiable diseases (expected October 1) many big entertainment projects are now rushing to open. Carnival Magic opened in Phuket earlier this week, while another, Bangkok World, is expected to open next to Siam Amazing Park on the outskirts of the Thai capital on November 25, 2022.
Aquaverse Park contains a mix of water features, attractions, themed areas, restaurants, and live shows. Themed areas based on the Sony group films include “Hotel Transylvania”, “Jumanji”, “Surf’s Up” and “Ghostbusters”.
The first phase of the development covers 56,000 square meters (5.6 hectares or 13.8 acres) at Bangsaray, near Pattaya. Lyakat Dangi, CEO and Chairman of Amazon Falls, told Thai media that Pattaya was chosen because of its proximity to U-Tapao Airport, high-speed trains, and ease of transportation.
However, the primary method of access is almost certainly by road – Bangsaray is about a two-hour drive from central Bangkok – as the high-speed train lines are not yet complete, and U-Tapao Airport, although modern, has Few or local or international connections.
The park is expected to play a role in the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor of Thailand and give visitors a reason to stay longer in Pattaya. The city received 20 million tourists in the pre-pandemic period of 2019.
Local media reports have stated that park operators aim to receive 1 million visitors annually. If the goals are achieved, they aim to develop a second phase that could open up in ten years.
For Sony, Aquaverse represents a step toward the location-based entertainment operations of the Hollywood studio conglomerates Disney and Universal. “Aquaverse Park is the next step in Sony Pictures’ larger global strategy to expand location-based entertainment by leveraging its globally recognized film and television brands,” said Jeffrey Godsick, Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships and Brand Management and President of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Location based entertainment.
Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures recently announced plans to open one of the region’s largest theme parks on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. The 57-hectare park is tentatively scheduled to open in 2025.
The boom in park development underscores the projected growth of the middle class in Southeast Asia and the return of mainland Chinese tourists.
[ad_2]
