“Germany is a key market for Merlin.”
(Photo: dpa)
Munich Good news for families who want to make a stopover on their way south: A new amusement park is being built in Günzburg, Bavaria, not far from the A7 and A8 motorways. In addition to the existing “Legoland”, the operator Merlin Entertainments is building a “Peppa Pig Theme Park”. The British company announced this Friday.
It is the largest expansion since Legoland opened in Günzburg a good 20 years ago. With “Peppa Pig”, which goes back to a British TV series, Merlin tries to attract families with preschool children in particular.
“Germany is a key market for Merlin,” CEO Scott O’Neil told Handelsblatt. In the future, the focus will not only be on the two large German locations, i.e. Günzburg and Heide-Park in Soltau. Rather, he also “identified Berlin as a focus market, as we strive to increasingly build clusters of attractions in the most important cities in the world”.
It is no coincidence that the British are investing right now: after the end of the pandemic, the business of Europe’s largest amusement park operator is running smoothly again. In the first quarter, both sales and the number of visitors increased by 30 percent compared to the previous year, according to a statement.
According to Merlin, it operates around 140 attractions in two dozen countries, which were visited by a good 56 million people last year. The best-known brands include “Legoland”, “Sea Life” and “Madame Tussauds”. The company also offers 5500 rooms in its resorts.
Merlin Entertainments is building new amusement parks based around the TV series Peppa Pig.
(Photo: Bloomberg)
The company is owned by the financial investor Blackstone, the Canadian pension fund CPPIB and the Kristiansen family, owners of the Danish toy company Lego. Last year sales increased by more than half to a good two billion pounds (2.3 billion euros). Before taxes, the British made a profit of 136 million pounds (157 million euros). In the corona year 2021, a loss of 94 million pounds was incurred.
Disneyland is number one in Europe
“In 2022, Merlin returned to its pre-pandemic growth path,” O’Neil said. The American has been running the company with its more than 30,000 employees since last fall.
O’Neil expands business worldwide. In addition to Günzburg, Merlin is also building a “Peppa Pig Theme Park” in Dallas, which is scheduled to open next year. In addition, three new “Legoland” parks are being built in China. Merlin did not provide any information on the amount of the investment.
The park operator Merlin Entertainments is expanding worldwide – also in Günzburg, Bavaria.
(Photo: AP)
In Constance, Merlin recently renewed its Sea Life aquarium for six million euros. In addition, a so-called “Lego Discovery Center” is to open in Hamburg next year. The “Legoland” in Günzburg is the number three among the German amusement parks. At the top is “Europa-Park” in Rust, followed by “Phantasialand” in Brühl. The “Disneyland” in Paris attracts the most visitors in Europe.
More: Interview with Europa-Park boss Roland Mack