From Oil to Roller Coasters

TODAY’S STORY

The Middle East is one of the final frontiers for the theme park business.

Disney’s next location in Abu Dhabi means they will join competitors SeaWorld, Legoland, and Six Flags in having a presence in the Middle East.

Middle Eastern countries view tourism as a way to diversify their oil-dependent economies. As such, they are funneling billions of dollars into tourism megaprojects to draw in Western brands as cornerstones.

The United Arab Emirates’ Tourism 2030 plan calls for 39 million visitors by then, up from 24 million in 2023. Amusement parks in the region did $2.8bn in revenue last year, with projections indicating growth to $4.5bn by 2030.

The Middle East is also an attractive location for theme parks due to its proximity to India. Flights from major Indian cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi take less than four hours to reach Abu Dhabi, making it easily accessible for India’s growing middle class. India’s middle class makes up ~450 million people, which is significantly larger than the entire U.S. population of ~340 million.

The region has its challenges, like extreme temperatures in the summer and sand from nearby deserts blowing through, but the overall momentum shows no signs of slowing down.

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To read the web version of previous stories, click here.

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Thanks for reading,
Kieran & Justin Ryan