ALBAWABA - Haichang Ocean Park, the largest owner and operator of ocean parks in Asia, plans to invest more than $4 billion in Saudi Arabia's first ocean park.
The Chinese company is exploring the use of animal-shaped robots that interact with visitors like real animals as part of its project in the Kingdom, which is expected to cost no less than $400 million.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Investment and Haichang Ocean Park signed an agreement to begin developing the Kingdom's first large-scale entertainment city.
According to Haichang Ocean Park CEO Cho Cheng, the company chose to invest in Saudi Arabia due to the enormous opportunities presented by the Saudi Arabian market, especially in light of a plan for reforms, called the "Vision 2030." The project will target between four to five million visitors annually, primarily families.
The company is looking to start the implementation phase later this year, and the size of the investment and the project area is still under study. These projects require large areas exceeding 300,000 or 400,000 square feet, and the cost will not be less than $400 million.
Regarding the differences between ocean parks and water parks, Cheng explained that ocean parks are more comprehensive and support marine life, providing educational programs for children to support marine life and animal protection.
The CEO said that his firm is also considering to adopt the latest scientific developments in water entertainment, such as developing animal-shaped robots that interact with visitors like real animals, but without any risks. Such projects typically take between three to five years, and there are undoubtedly some challenges, so the first visitors may come in about four years.
