Hong Kong Disneyland Reports Record Attendance

Hong Kong Disneyland hosted a record 5.2 million people in the financial year ending 2nd October 2010, a 13% increase over the previous fiscal year.

The performance reduced losses at the five-year-old theme to HK$718 million ($92 million).

Although Hong Kong Disneyland opened no new attractions during the year, Park executives attribute the strong performance to an increase in visitors to Hong Kong and its marketing and sales efforts.

Managing Director Andrew Kam Min-ho explained that with the completion of new attractions, "we foresee that the park (will) turn into profitability fairly soon."

Besides effective marketing and sales efforts, Kam said, the attendance lift came with an overall increase of visitors to Hong Kong. Disneyland now has representatives in 80 cities across Asia, with most in the mainland.

Disney's mainland offices liaise directly with travel agencies - a system that seems to be working well: 42% of last year's visitors were from mainland China, while 33% were locals and the rest from other parts.

The number of Indian visitors, Kam noted, rose by 80% while there were 70% more Taiwanese.

Kam is confident those sort of returns can continue despite potential keener competition from Singapore's Universal Studio and Shanghai's Disneyland- now in the planning stage.

Under a continuing expansion program at Hong Kong Disneyland, three new themed areas will be completed in phases by mid-2014.

The first, Toy Story Land, is scheduled to open this November.

15th Septmeber 2010 - HONG KONG DISNEYLAND CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF OPERATION 

2nd July 2009 - FIVE-YEAR EXPANSION PLAN FOR DISNEYLAND HONG KONG