A brand new theme park could be opening in Hengqin, according to comments made by Zhang Sheng, the acting deputy head of Hengqin’s Investment Promotion Bureau.
At yesterday’s Macao-Hengqin Investment Promotion Conference, Zhang told reporters that the local government was looking to launch a new theme park project in order to boost tourism on the island.
Currently, the project is still in the screening stage, with Zhang pointing out that there were many parties interested in setting up such a theme park in Hengqin, including international entertainment firms and franchise owners, who have conducted preliminary surveys.
“There are no confirmation details yet because we’re very careful when selecting the project,” Zhang said. He added that the authorities would only consider “the very best” proposals that are aligned with Hengqin’s development and also support Macao’s diversification, as well as its coordinated development with Hengqin.
[See more: Macao and Hengqin join forces to drive innovation in ‘smart tourism’]
Hengqin currently houses a number of theme parks, most notably Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, which was ranked as the sixth most visited theme park in the world, according to the latest global attractions attendance report in 2023. Data from the study shows that Chimelong Ocean Kingdom attracted some 12.52 million people that year, up by 184.5 percent in comparison to 2022.
Other major theme parks in Hengqin include the Hengqin Sumlodol Camping Park, as well the indoor Lionsgate Entertainment World located in the tourism and entertainment complex known as Novotown.
In recent years, the Macao and mainland governments have been taking steps to integrate the two cities across a range of areas. Policies such as multiple-entry Macao-Hengqin tour group visas and the co-hosting of events, from craft markets to camping festivals, have helped to facilitate greater ties in tourism.
