Tell us about Worlds of Wonder.
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| Archana Browne |
Worlds of Wonder was set up in 2007 under the corporate identity – IRPPL (International Recreation Parks Pvt. Ltd.). IRPPL is a joint venture between Unitech and International Amusement. The entertainment city is spread over 147 acres of land which includes one of the biggest malls in India — The Great India Place and the amusement park- Worlds Of Wonder. An investment of Rs 1,100 crore has been made for the establishment of the property, making it an epitome of fun and entertainment.
Worlds of Wonder is the biggest amusement park in Delhi NCR with 20 international rides. The park is divided into two different zones catering to people across age groups – The Teen Zone and The Family Zone. In order to ensure the safety and security of its visitors for all the rides, WOW follows the globally accepted safety measures of the TUV NORD- headquartered in Germany. Due to its ample space and exemplar design, Worlds of Wonder also hosts indoor as well as outdoor activities, theme evening parties, corporate parties, social gatherings and award functions in the park. The events are customised depending on the requirement of the client, delivering a good mix of adventure and safety.
What is the average footfall in Worlds of Wonder? What tourist segments do you cater to?
Worlds of Wonder witness an average footfall of 1,500 on a weekday and 3,000 on a weekend. In the past three months we have registered an average footfall of 40,000. Worlds of Wonder has been catering to the travelling segment primarily and also non-travelling segment. With different kinds of international rides available, the amusement park is one of the preferred destinations for the people of Delhi/ NCR. With the growing trend of spending long weekends, Worlds of Wonder is eventually turning out to be an absolute entertainment city.
Also, Worlds Of Wonder has been accredited by the International Convention Promotion Bureau, due to which it would also be promoted as an international destination in the travel and tourism. The ICPB accreditation is a huge achievement as it would now help us target the international market, international conference, travel agencies and different tourists.
How much do you think on an average a person spends coming to these parks?
As the lifestyle and spending behaviour has changed with time drastically, today youngsters and families prefer to spend quality time where one can have fun, shop, eat and relax under one roof. On an average, a person visits five-six times in a month depending upon the facilities and entertainment options available in the park.
Why did you choose Noida as a location? Any new developments or new projects that you are looking forward to in any other city?
Noida was one place which had enough space available for a property like this and the best part about Noida is that the connectivity is better as you can travel easily by public transport. Currently we are not looking at expanding our business in other cities. However, with the increase in its popularity amongst the people of Delhi/ NCR, Worlds of Wonder is now looking forward towards expanding the property with new attractions, here in Noida. The property has introduced its newest attraction, the biggest man-made lake in northern India, spread over 3.5 acres. The lake provides boating facility, with 24 boats imported from USA.
Two more upcoming projects of Worlds of Wonder are The Garden’s Galleria (tentatively scheduled to be launched in November 2013) and Calypso Bay (tentatively scheduled to be launched in March 2013). Apart from these, WOW is also planning for upcoming attractions like ice-skating, go-carting and adding onto more F&B commodities in the park.
Do you think the advent of such parks have helped us to package our tourism products better, especially for a city like Delhi?
The introduction of amusement park industry has definitely helped in the packaging of tourism products better. With the growth and expansion of amusement parks in India, the trend of spending long weekends and quality time with family and friends has been growing swiftly in the last few years. As a result, tourism industry is also eying projects on amusement parks, since it is proving to bring in growth in the flow of tourists.
Worlds of Wonder with its range of different rides and entertainment options, targets a huge section of people from Delhi/ NCR, across different age groups. People from Delhi/NCR region visit Worlds of Wonder with their friends and family members to hang out and spend good quality time. Leading to a huge footfall on both weekdays and weekends, Worlds of Wonder is turning out to be an entertainment destination, a favoured choice of the people.
What are the challenges that you face in the Indian market?
The amusement industry has huge potential and we have seen only increase in the footfalls over last couple of years which indicates that more number of people are looking for wholesome family entertainment destinations and amusement parks provide that opportunity where a family can spend quality time together.
How lucrative is the Indian market for you?
There is a huge untapped potential in this segment for Indian market. There are handfuls of amusements parks in the country and seeing the success of such properties, industry analysts have revealed that in the coming years there would be around 200 more amusement parks coming up. By 2020, the industry will grow by almost 100 per cent. As of now the total industry is worth Rs 4,000 crore which is expected to grow by Rs 15-20,000 crore by 2020. The amusement park industry in India is worth Rs 7,000 crore and has been growing exponentially in the last few years. The associated and participatory entertainment in the amusement industry is one of the major reasons behind the rapid growth of amusement parks. Hence, the industry has a bright future in the coming years.
