Merlin Entertainments has partnered with Trip.com Group, a leading travel service provider, to draw purpose-driven visitors to marine-focused events and activities throughout Asia. The two organisations have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Chang Feng Ocean World Shanghai.
The collaboration marks a significant milestone for Trip.com Group, enabling it to expand its attraction offerings in key markets and provide purposeful and tailored travel experiences to customers worldwide. Merlin Entertainments operates 140 attractions across 20 countries and regions, including Sea Life, Madame Tussauds, and Legoland.
This strategic partnership will combine the authentic, fulfilling experiences sought by contemporary travellers with the thrills of themed attractions.
Unique experiences
Trip.com Group and Merlin Entertainments will collaborate to offer visitors unique marine-focused experiences throughout Asia. These will include attractions such as Chang Feng Ocean World Shanghai, Sea Life Bangkok, Sea Life Busan, and the COEX Aquarium in Seoul.
Merlin Entertainments’ aquariums in Asia will offer various programmes for visitors, including “Science Nights” by moonlight, sessions with experts, workshops on habitat restoration, mangrove planting, and coral proliferation, as well as on-site educational activities and marine-themed festivals. The host aquariums will release additional information in due course.
These initiatives span several markets and seek to engage and educate visitors while promoting greater awareness of the marine environment and emphasising the individuals’ vital role in preserving Earth’s oceans.
This follows Merlin Entertainments and the Sea Life Trust’s announcement earlier this year to increase funding for 16 new global conservation initiatives.
This MoU emphasised exclusive curated experiences in addition to raising marine awareness. These experiences span Merlin Entertainments’ other brands, including Madame Tussauds and Legoland Discovery Centre.
As Asia is positioned as the key driver for travel growth, Trip.com Group announced its plans to significantly extend these experience offerings in the region, expanding the product range for worldwide audiences.
Demand for curated experiences
Curated experiences are growing in popularity in the Asia-Pacific region. Gen Zers are widely reported to place a higher value on experiences than other types of travel expenses.
In Q2 2024, attractions and activities grew by 30% quarter over quarter, and unique experiences like kayaking and scuba diving increased in popularity. During the same period, Trip.com Group experienced double-digit growth in ticket sales at Merlin Entertainments’ aquatic parks in Asia Pacific, highlighting the considerable potential of this collaboration.
At the signing ceremony, Jim Ji, VP of Trip.com Group, CEO of Attractions & Tours, said:
“Chang Feng Ocean World Shanghai is the perfect backdrop to announce Trip.com Group’s new partnership with Merlin Entertainments. Our partnership will explore exciting new avenues and emphasise bespoke products for our customers around the world. Together, we aim to enrich the traveller’s journey and make global exploration more accessible and fun through rich branded entertainment destinations.”
Fiona Eastwood, COO of Merlin Entertainments Gateway and Resort Theme Parks, commented: “We are thrilled to bring our longstanding partnership with Trip.com Group to the next level. We know the needs of travellers today are evolving, they demand greater immersion and purpose when they travel. The partnership is not just about driving business growth; it’s about delivering the exceptional experiences to our guests and our ongoing commitment to conserving marine ecosystem for future generations.”
Merlin Entertainments and the Trip.com Group reaffirmed their dedication to developing cutting-edge technology that will revolutionise products and enrich visitor experiences. This strategy lays the foundations for industry-first prototypes and sets a new standard for travel in the future, characterised by inquiry and discovery.
Sustainability initiatives
Last month, Merlin Entertainments announced that it has partnered with Coca-Cola for a third year to promote recycling using reverse vending machines at its UK attractions.
Merlin’s other sustainability initiatives include introducing edible straws and installing EV charging points at its UK sites.
Dare Ilori, group sustainability director at Merlin, recently took part in the greenloop sustainability conference – his third appearance at the annual event for the attractions industry.
