SPLASHING GOOD TIME: Johor set to become amusement park capital in the Asean region with host of new attractions.
JOHOR is transforming into the biggest theme and amusement park destination in Malaysia and possibly in the Asean region, with a cluster of at least 11 leisure attractions to be based in the state.
Combined with attractions in neighbouring Singapore, industry observers said the southern region of Asia could emulate Orlando in Florida, where Disneyland provides the central attraction.
Government investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd is involved in most of the planned attractions in Johor, with at least five of them being developed by its leisure and tourism unit, Themed Attractions and Resorts (TAR) Malaysia.
In a recent interview, TAR chief executive officer Tunku Ahmad Burhanuddin said Malaysia was not competing with Singapore to promote theme parks and attractions but instead, both countries were supplementing and complementing each other.
“We want to make it the attraction capital and the number one family destination in the Asean region,” said Tunku Ahmad.
“The entire area can become a tourist destination in its own right, just like Orlando,” said TAR chief operating officer Steve Peet.
A study by Bain & Co revealed that there was a need for family-oriented parks in the region.
Ahmad said many families were visiting Malaysia but products catering to them were insufficient.
“TAR was formed (in 2009) to be a catalyst for investments into the tourism sector and to design, build and operate attractions,” he said.
It has been allocated a total of RM2.3 billion till 2015 to develop parks and attractions.
In Puteri Harbour Johor, TAR will launch two indoor attractions in Hello Kitty Town and Little Big Club.
“(But) it is not enough just to have Hello Kitty Town and Little Big Club to promote Malaysia. So, we decided to incorporate Lat, our famous cartoonist,” Ahmad said.
"Lat", which is still a working name, will be based on the kampung scene found in the Last comics. It will consist of an indoor area measuring 6,000 sq ft and offer theatres and restaurants, among others.
TAR is also working on two other theme parks - Ocean Quest and Ocean Splash - in Desaru, Johor.
Apart from TAR, other developers that will be opening theme parks in the state include the Genting Group and Radiant Starfish Bhd, the developer of Mersing Laguna.
Sunway Bhd executive director of group strategy and corporate development Sarena Cheah, meanwhile, said the company might incorporate a theme park into its Sunway Iskandar project.
JOHOR is transforming into the biggest theme and amusement park destination in Malaysia and possibly in the Asean region, with a cluster of at least 11 leisure attractions to be based in the state.
Combined with attractions in neighbouring Singapore, industry observers said the southern region of Asia could emulate Orlando in Florida, where Disneyland provides the central attraction.
In a recent interview, TAR chief executive officer Tunku Ahmad Burhanuddin said Malaysia was not competing with Singapore to promote theme parks and attractions but instead, both countries were supplementing and complementing each other.
“We want to make it the attraction capital and the number one family destination in the Asean region,” said Tunku Ahmad.
“The entire area can become a tourist destination in its own right, just like Orlando,” said TAR chief operating officer Steve Peet.
A study by Bain & Co revealed that there was a need for family-oriented parks in the region.
Ahmad said many families were visiting Malaysia but products catering to them were insufficient.
It has been allocated a total of RM2.3 billion till 2015 to develop parks and attractions.
In Puteri Harbour Johor, TAR will launch two indoor attractions in Hello Kitty Town and Little Big Club.
“(But) it is not enough just to have Hello Kitty Town and Little Big Club to promote Malaysia. So, we decided to incorporate Lat, our famous cartoonist,” Ahmad said.
"Lat", which is still a working name, will be based on the kampung scene found in the Last comics. It will consist of an indoor area measuring 6,000 sq ft and offer theatres and restaurants, among others.
TAR is also working on two other theme parks - Ocean Quest and Ocean Splash - in Desaru, Johor.
Apart from TAR, other developers that will be opening theme parks in the state include the Genting Group and Radiant Starfish Bhd, the developer of Mersing Laguna.
Sunway Bhd executive director of group strategy and corporate development Sarena Cheah, meanwhile, said the company might incorporate a theme park into its Sunway Iskandar project.
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