Hong Kong's Ocean Park breaks attendance record during 2010/11

Ocean Park in Hong Kong has announced that it attracted a record number of visitors during its 2010/11 fiscal year, with nearly 5.9 million guests passing through its gates.

The attendance figure was a 16% increase over the previous year's number, with Ocean Park's $720 million expansion plan starting to deliver results. The park cited the debuts of the new Rainforest and Aqua City lands as a major reason for its improved performance, as well as the success of a number of seasonal events such as the Halloween Bash.

The boost in visitor numbers helped Ocean Park to break the HK$1 billion revenue mark for the first time, with a net profit of HK$105 million. Guests stayed 90 minutes longer at the park on average than in 2009/10, spending 21% more per head.

Ocean Park hailed the success of its community care and conservation programmes over the period, which ended on June 30, 2011. More than 145,000 people visited the park for free on their birthday, while 185,000 senior citizens and 26,000 guests with disabilities also received complimentary entry. The park's conservation arm receive HK$9.3 million during the year, which it used to support 28 projects.

The Rainforest area, which opened in June, features a rapids ride through a jungle setting, along with an aviary and animal exhibits. Covering 500 square meters, it is home to a range of exotic creatures including anacondas and capybaras.

Earlier in 2011, the park also opened the Aqua City area, featuring Southeast Asia's largest aquarium. Due to be completed soon is Thrill Mountain, which will feature a new Bolliger & Mabillard-built rollercoaster. Another new land, Polar Adventure, is due set open in 2012.

Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland both received more than five million visitors last year, although Hong Kong Disneyland has consistently struggled to turn a profit. The Hong Kong government has an interest in both parks, owning Ocean Park outright and having a majority stake in Hong Kong Disneyland.