THE RIGHT MOVE
Pre-pandemic, the Philippines was among the fastest-growing economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), according to the World Bank Global Economic Prospects report. One of the industries with a large contribution to economic growth was theme and amusement parks.
Every trip abroad, families search for the best theme and amusement parks as part of the itinerary. My family’s first out-of-the country trip after the lockdown was a trip to nearby Singapore, and the first activity a parent of young children like me was to schedule a day at Universal Studios. Despite having been there several times in the past years, and even if there were no new rides or attractions, it was a priority for us to visit a theme park for my children to enjoy.
It was quite surprising to find long queues when I thought there would still be some level of anxiety due to the pandemic. The lines were so long that we purchased express passes on top of the entrance fees. But beneath the seeming anarchy of the throngs of crowds going to theme parks, we saw a carefully calibrated psycho machine. Aside from parks providing environmental, aesthetic, and economic benefits, researchers say that amusement parks contribute to the development of resilience in both children and adults.
Back here at home, Enchanted Kingdom (EK) in Santa Rosa, Laguna leads the country’s list of parks in terms of popularity. With a land area of 25 hectares, EK boasts of seven themed zones teeming with rides and attractions. The zones are Victoria Park (modeled after the Victorian era), Boulderville (a small children's ride area resembling the fictional town of Bedrock from The Flintstones), Midway Boardwalk (based on the 1930s Coney Island), Jungle Outpost (based on South America’s Amazon jungle), and Spaceport (dedicated to the space age), Brooklyn Place (based on 1940s New York during the silent film era) and Portobello (based on the Caribbean/West Indies).
While this was a good marketing strategy especially in its first years, it is commendable how EK integrated, more so, high lit, a Filipino cultural zone recalling its initial design. This zone, which showcases the beautiful tourist destinations and products of the Philippines may be a respite from the thrilling rides offered in other zones, but it has maintained the longest queues in the park ever since its launch. The attraction highlight of the cultural zone is Agila, the first flying theater in the Philippines and proudly the largest of its kind in the world. Named after our national bird, the Philippine Eagle, this 3D ride was created by an all-Filipino team of experts whose mission was to showcase our country’s top destinations, products, and people.
Overall, EK’s attractions and shows are created with the Filipino traits and values in mind. This has given EK its personalized branding unique from other large scale amusement parks. If there are several amusement parks offering similar thrill rides, something as unique as this can give one a leg up against the competition.
The ₱1,800 per person entrance and express pass per person in EK compared to the ₱7,300 in Universal for instance, may seem like an undervalue, but Mario Mamon, founder of EK and first chairman from Asia Pacific to lead the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, plans to keep the current rates as is, in response to continuing efforts to rise above the economic crisis brought by the pandemic.
The most crucial challenge for the Philippines now is ensuring safety standards. While safety standards may differ from place to place, the post pandemic era gives an opportunity for park owners to offer visitors not only a Covid-free, but also a tragic-free experience. Partnerships are paramount, whether it is with the Department of Tourism or Department of Science and Technology. Software and phone applications can be maximized to put customers in control of planning their trips and avoiding large crowds and queues.
While extensive travel is still not ideal, it is important to explore stronger partnerships with nearby merchants, including restaurants and hotel owners. This can provide additional revenue despite the limited number of park visitors.