The influx of international "top stream", how can local theme parks break the game

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  In recent years, international theme park brands such as Shanghai Disneyland and Beijing Universal Studios have flooded into the domestic market, and local theme parks represented by brands such as Chimelong and Huaqiang Fantawild are also growing.

International brand theme parks have become the "top class" in the industry due to their strong volume and long-term accumulated fame. In contrast, local theme parks still have gaps in IP incubation and operation.

  The Beijing Sub-City Center recently announced that it will further advance the construction of the second phase of the Beijing Universal Theme Park this year.

Since the first phase of Beijing Universal Theme Park opened in September last year, it has become one of the most popular scenic spots in the country. Its operating income reached 1.645 billion yuan that year, and it received more than 2.1 million tourists in total, and drove the development of surrounding supporting industries.

  In recent years, theme parks have become a hot word in the cultural tourism industry. Theme parks imported from abroad, such as Shanghai Disneyland and Beijing Universal Studios, have become "top-notch" in the industry due to their strong size and long-term accumulated fame.

In contrast, local theme parks still have gaps in IP incubation and operation. Faced with competitive pressure, how can they break the game?

  The number and quality of theme parks have risen

  Recently, the news that Legoland theme park will officially land in Fangshan District, Beijing spread like wildfire.

At present, there are three Legoland parks under construction in China, located in Meishan, Sichuan, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

In addition, the first Paramount theme park in China will also land in Kunming, Yunnan.

  The "Splendid China" miniature scenic spot in Shenzhen, which opened in 1989, is considered to be the first theme park in my country.

After entering the new century, international theme park brands flooded into the domestic market, and local theme parks represented by brands such as Chimelong and Huaqiang Fangte are also developing and growing.

At present, about 3,000 theme parks have been developed nationwide.

  In addition to the increase in number, the quality of theme parks is also on the rise.

The popularity of Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2016, has remained high, and it has been in the leading position among domestic theme parks for a long time.

Beijing Universal Theme Park took 20 years from preparation to completion and opening, bringing many surprises to tourists.

  Local theme parks are also becoming more and more mature. Theme parks such as Haichang, Chimelong, and Huaqiang Fangte are comparable to world-class theme parks in terms of hardware.

Different from the international brand theme parks that prefer big cities, most of the local theme parks target the market in small and medium-sized cities.

  Entertainment facilities are available, but IP is not enough

  The soul of a theme park lies in the theme, and IP is the core content of the theme.

Industry insiders pointed out that although the scale of local theme parks is growing, compared with internationally renowned theme parks, the IP is not very "playable".

  Wei Xiang, a professor at the Institute of Financial and Economic Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the "Workers Daily" reporter that theme parks have appeared in large numbers in urban areas and suburbs after 2000, but they are mainly comprehensive theme parks that appear in conjunction with the development of tourism and commercial real estate. , The investment in the development of professional theme parks is obviously insufficient, and the emphasis on IP development is also relatively lacking.

  Xiaoxiao, a travel expert who has experienced dozens of theme parks, said that compared with large-scale international theme parks, many local theme parks have roller coasters, Ferris wheels, jumping machines and other entertainment facilities, but ignore the linkage with IP and the creation of immersive scenes. There is also a lack of interactive performing arts programs, "the theme is not obvious enough, and the difference from ordinary playgrounds is not very big."

  In recent years, relying on the IP of "Bear Haunting", Fantawild theme park has achieved high popularity.

A few days ago, Bubble Mart, a well-known domestic trendy play company, will also "test the water" of an offline theme park. Some people questioned that it has IP but lacks stories.

  Need to strengthen content development capabilities

  Wei Xiang believes that there are obvious differences between theme parks and tourism real estate. The development logic of theme parks is mainly based on the industrialization of content products and the intellectualization of content product research and development, that is, IPization, but content research and development requires long-term accumulation and a large number of Investment, local theme parks still have a long way to go.

  "Both Shanghai Disneyland and Beijing Universal Studios have a large number of mature IPs, which are different from most real estate companies operating theme parks in China. products." Wei Xiang said that local theme parks should strengthen the IP of content products, they should find the correct development logic of theme parks, and compete in the right direction.

  International "top stream" theme parks have put pressure on local counterparts, but at the same time have brought learning opportunities, which are conducive to heating up the entire theme park industry.

When talking about competition, the relevant person in charge of Changzhou China Dinosaur Park pointed out that China's market is actually very large, and the tastes and preferences of Chinese consumers are also diverse, and there are still many opportunities for local theme parks.

  Wu Ruoshan, deputy director of the Cultural Tourism Policy Research Center of the China Institute of Labor Relations, believes that in order for local theme parks to stand out, they need to dig deep into the connotation of traditional Chinese culture, combine elements of modern fashion trends, create Chinese brand symbols, and tell Chinese cultural stories well.

In addition, support in the fields of policy, finance, capital, talent, technology, and basic research should be increased, the consumption of IP-authorized derivatives and supporting facilities should be promoted, and the immersive and interactive high-tech amusement experience and the production and production of new performing arts content should be strengthened. means of presentation.

Tao Wen