Legacy Entertainment, a leading theme park and resort design company, is the designer behind the new Lotte World Busan, which has now reported that it saw 1.4 million visitors during its first year of operation. The regional attraction, which is the second theme park under the Lotte World brand, has proved very popular with guests since it first opened on 31 March 2022.
“The entire Legacy team is thrilled for the success of our friends and partners at Lotte World,” says Yaeli Chung, Legacy’s managing director of South Korea. “Outside of Disney and Universal, many new theme parks which have opened in the last decade have struggled to find their footing initially, so this makes such a healthy debut year such welcome news.”
Future looks bright
The attendance figure is particularly significant because, until recently, visitors from China, Busan’s main source of international tourism, were not able to visit due to travel restrictions put in place following the global pandemic. As a result, the park relied mainly on local markets. Lotte World Busan’s first-anniversary attendance figure equates to one in three people who live in Busan having visited the park during the first year.
Park officials believe that its second season and beyond will be even more successful, now that international travel is on the up again. Early 2023 saw the easing of the last COVID restrictions for international travellers, and all signs point to the recovery of the region’s tourism sector. Up to three out of five foreign visitors to South Korea in recent years came from China, with average spending of $3,000 for each traveller, so the return of this market sector will be crucial for Lotte World’s success.
Spring in the Fairy Tale Kingdom, a seasonal festival with unique picture ops, live performances, new menu items, and temporary retail specials, was introduced to coincide with the park’s one-year anniversary celebration. Longer term, Lotte officials have stated that park extensions are now being planned, in an effort to keep up with attendance that is exceeding expectations.
In February, Legacy Entertainment announced that it will be developing new parks and attractions in Macau.
