PLENTY of summer activities, entertainment and fun await guests at the acclaimed and award-winning Ocean Park, Hong Kong’s unique home grown theme park.
Dr Allan Zeman, chairman of Ocean Park says: “We have added 10 animal encounter programmes and Behind-the-Scene tours so that guests can better understand the importance of conservation through close encounters with our animal ambassadors. Not only did nine out of the past 11 months set a new high in attendance, the number of guests for August 2012 reached the one million level, the highest for a single month in our 36-year history.”
Ocean Park’s six-year Master Redevelopment Plan (MRP), which concluded last year with the opening of Polar Adventure, has created a “New Ocean Park” experience that is attracting more local and overseas visitors than ever. In particular, the number of visitors from various Southeast Asian markets, including Korea, the Philippines, India, Taiwan, Indonesia and Malaysia, has risen by 60 per cent over the past five years. In May this year, Ocean Park broke its annual attendance record for the ninth time in a decade by surpassing the 7.1 million mark set last fiscal year.
Dr Zeman adds: “A number of world-class attractions will be launched starting from 2014. They include the new Shark Mystique and Adventures in Australia, featuring koalas and more, which will open in mid-2014 and the fourth quarter of 2014 respectively. With the expected completion of the South Island Line of the MTR in 2015 ahead of the anticipated opening of Ocean Hotel near our main entrance, Ocean Park will offer visitors a highly convenient accommodation option and transform Hong Kong People’s Park into a premier international resort destination.”
Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board says: “Ocean Park is the pride of Hong Kong, as well as a major pillar of local tourism. Its latest plans to transform itself into a world-class tourist destination will help Hong Kong cope with the projected double-digit growth in tourist arrivals over the next 10 years. The efforts will also create new jobs for the local tourism industry.”
Since its opening in January 1977 as a non-profit organisation, Ocean Park has developed itself to be a world-class attraction connecting people with nature, and recognised for its animal husbandry, research and relationship with the community. Over 110 million people have visited Hong Kong’s premier park since its inception, and Ocean Park has remained committed to offering adults and children experiences that blend entertainment with education and conservation. Part of the proceeds from Ocean Park admission tickets and some retail items will go to Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong to support its wildlife conservation projects.