New Hong Kong attractions body to boost industry standards

Nine attractions have launched the Hong Kong Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (HKAAPA) with the mission to promote safety, connect members, develop young professionals and ensure the continued success of the attractions industry, while also drawing more visits to and within the Chinese Special Autonomous Region.

The nine are: AsiaWorld-Expo, Future Leisure, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, Noah's Ark Theme Park, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, Ngong Ping 360, Ocean Park, Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck and The Peak Tram & The Peak Tower.

Revealed at the Asian Attractions Expo in June, and formally launched last week, as the representative body for attractions and amusement parks, HKAAPA aims to help businesses identify opportunities, share expertise and interact. Aside from attractions, members will include businesses related to the industry such as manufacturers, suppliers and vendors.

The Association is also collaborating with higher education institutions to nurture young industry professionals, through internship and recruitment opportunities, in order to ensure a sustainable and skilled workforce.

HKAAPA President and Ocean Park Executive Director of Sales and Marketing Paul Pei explained "over the last decade, Hong Kong has seen a boom in the number and variety of attractions to meet the surge in visitor arrivals.

"With the groundwork laid through the building of tourism infrastructure, it is now the opportune time to establish an association focusing on the betterment of attractions and theme parks in Hong Kong."

HKAAPA's member sites are scattered throughout the bustling city, connected via Hong Kong's convenient network of public transportation.

The founding members of HKAAPA are:

Ocean Park - a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal theme park and amusement park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong.

AsiaWorld-Expo - Asia's leading EXPOtainment venue, offers over 70,000 metres2 of rentable space including 10 state-of-the-art, ground-level and column-free halls. Established in 2005 and located at the centre of an extensive and efficient air, land, and marine transport network which connects Hong Kong to China's Pearl River Delta and the world's business capitals, AsiaWorld-Expo is ideally suited to hosting world-class exhibitions, conventions, concerts, sport and entertainment events.

The Peak Tram - which takes tourists up Victoria Peak on a funicular track to sweeping vistas of the harbor surrounding the highest point on Hong Kong Island.

Madame Tussauds Hong Kong - also situated at the top of Victoria Peak .

DHL Balloon (operated by the company Future Leisure since 2010) - has become a notable icon situated near where construction of the West Kowloon Cultural District is set to transform the peninsula into an international arts hub. The balloon takes tourists on short rides above Kowloon.

The Sky 100 observation deck - provides views from the 100th floor of the International Commerce Centre, Hong Kong's tallest building.

Hong Kong Disneyland its opening in Hong Kong in 2005 signaled a watershed moment in the growth of local tourist attractions. The park is located on Lantau Island (the site of Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok International Airport.

Ngong Ping 360 - also located on Lantau, the attraction offers sightseers an unforgettable cable car ride over water and up the lush mountainside to the Po Lin Monastery and iconic Tian Tan Buddha, the world's largest seated outdoor Buddha.

Noah's Ark Eco-Park and Adventure Area located on the smaller island of Ma Wan near Lantau.

For more information email: general@hkaapa.org, or go to www.hkaapa.org

6th June 2012 - HONG KONG ATTRACTIONS JOIN TOGETHER TO FORM INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION