UAE Theme Parks Rival Orlando In Scope, With Giant Potential Market Of 3bn Visitors, LEGOLAND Dubai Boss Says
The UAE is quickly becoming a major global theme park destination, positioning itself as a potential rival to Orlando’s domination as the theme park capital of the world.
From investing in world-class parks to attracting global brands, the UAE is drawing more international visitors seeking premium theme park experiences.
A visit to LEGOLAND Dubai Resort’s “Legopit” reveals this trend in action, where children from over 160 nationalities came together to build memories with LEGO bricks last year.
“We are seeing an emerging trend of middle-class families from regions like CIS, China, and India’s west coast. These middle class families are starting to travel and want to come and experience LEGOLAND but haven’t got LEGOLAND [resorts] in their in their home countries” Tim Harrison-Jones, General Manager of LEGOLAND Dubai Resort told Arabian Business.
LEGOLAND, along with other UAE parks are now seeing strong interest from emerging markets, totaling 3 billion potential visitors across CIS, India and China. These countries have a growing middle class with appetite for travel and are increasingly seeking out unique and immersive experiences.
“The actual product [of theme parks] rivals Orlando,” Harrison-Jones noted emphasizing the fantastic theme park brands the country has developed.
According to Harrison-Jones, Abu Dhabi and Dubai have become the “Golden Triangle” of theme park destinations, similar to what Tampa, Orlando, Busch Gardens and universal have built in North America.
New attractions fuel demand
Just last year, LEGOLAND Dubai saw an 18 percent increase in visitors across the resort compared to the following year. Yas Island and Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi witnessed a surge as well, with a 200 percent increase in visitors during certain holidays in 2023.
“These numbers are a reflection of our commitment to positioning Yas Island as a global destination for entertainment and leisure,” said Mohamed Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, developer of Yas Island.
Miral has spent significant efforts expanding its theme park offerings with several new attractions over the past year.
This includes SeaWorld Yas Island, the region’s first and largest marine life theme park, as well as the world’s most immersive mega-coaster, Mission Ferrari, at Ferrari World. In addition, Miral also announced plans to create the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Warner Bros World.
Dubai also saw its own significant openings. Most recently, Dubai Park and Resorts welcomed football fans to the world’s first Real Madrid theme park. Furthermore, Dubai-based HyperSpace, a digitally immersive experience park with interactive gardens and observatories, announced its second venue, House of Hype in Dubai Mall, opening later this year.
UAE theme parks outpace major destinations
According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the UAE was recognized as the fastest-growing amusement park market within the MENA region in last year. Consumer spending at theme parks and related destinations in the Mena region is projected to grow at an annual rate of 10.9 percent. By the end of this year, it is forecasted to reach $474 million, according to IAAPA.
Such growth is faster than that of the world’s two largest theme park markets – North America, which is set to grow 2.3 percent annually to $29.5 billion by 2024, and Asia Pacific, predicted to grow by 5 percent to $26.3 billion.
This growth is attributed to the government’s efforts in creating a favorable environment for the industry to develop and mature. However, attracting the same level of attendance as Orlando, which sees 70 million visitors annually, remains far more challenging.
“UAE has to be smarter because it doesn’t have the same resident market that Orlando has, within a six hour drive time. You are relying on the international market, which then means you’re relying on partnerships with the airlines to bring those people you are targeting” explained Harrison-Jones.
Dragon Ball Saudi Arabia Qiddiya
Saudi theme parks emerge as a threat
As Saudi Arabia continues to build its entertainment industry to support economic diversification, its upcoming theme parks and attractions pose a rising threat to the UAE’s regional dominance.
Openings such as Six Flags Qiddiya in Riyadh later this year, featuring the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, will be the most heavily themed Six Flags theme park yet.
“Saudi is our second largest market, but as Qiddiya opens up, there is a danger that we start to see a decline in market share go to Saudi” warned Harrison-Jones.
Qiddiya which is planned to become the largest theme park in the Middle East, is described as a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Once fully open it expects to attract 48 million visitors a year over its 360 square kilometer park.
In addition, Saudi Entertainment Ventures (Seven), owned by the Public Investment Fund, has pledged to invest $13 billion to build 21 entertainment destinations across 14 Saudi cities. The investments include partnerships with global brands with strong IP’s including Clip ‘n Climb, Warner Bros Discovery, Mattel’s Hot Wheels, and Hasbro’s Transformers and Play-Doh.
“The region has got world-class IP’s and world-class theme parks, and it’s ambition to be a hub for tourism is definitely evident. That’s what they’re building and will continue to build,” Harrison-Jones said, adding that targeting further markets will become a key strategy going forward.
Balancing nostalgia and new attractions
According to Harrison-Jones, leveraging intellectual property (IP) is increasingly important for theme parks to succeed.
“Intellectual property has become much more relevant in tourism and hospitality than 20 years ago, and safeguarding that IP is an absolute game changer for us,” explained Harrison-Jones.
Merlin Entertainment, who oversees LEGOLAND Dubai, reported record revenues in 2023 across its portfolio, with global revenues for LEGOLAND Parks reaching $1.2 billion, thanks in large part to partnerships with the LEGO Group.
LEGO is the third most recognizable brand in the world, and nostalgia plays a significant role in the park’s appeal. As Harrison-Jones noted “it’s much easier to penetrate the market where parents play with Lego, and they understand them. They understand the correlation.”
According to Harrison-Jones, the GCC itself has more adults engaging with Lego and buying Lego as a percentage than any other country, contributing to the parks appeal.
LEGOLAND Dubai’s early success gives confidence to invest in larger and more daring IP projects in the future. With a whole suite of LEGO IPs to draw from, including Pirates and Galaxy Explorer, the possibilities are endless.
As the UAE aims to boost tourism’s GDP contribution to $122 billion by 2031, theme parks are becoming increasingly vital in achieving this goal and a serious contender for industry dominance.
