At present, more than 2,800 theme park-style tourist attractions have been developed nationwide, which is more than 70 times the number developed in the United States in the past 60 years. It is estimated that by 2020, the retail sales of theme parks in China will reach US$12 billion, an increase of 367% compared with 2010, and the average number of daily tourists will exceed 330 million. It is undeniable that the rapid increase in numbers reflects the development process of China’s theme park industry to a certain extent, but to understand this industry in depth, it is necessary to gain insight into the essence behind it through numbers.
China’s theme parks started in the 1980s of the last world. Overseas Chinese Town in Shenzhen successively developed the Splendid China Miniature Scenic Spot and the China Folk Custom Garden with great success. In the following 10 years, many investors across the country were triggered to build more than a thousand theme parks, but nearly 90% of them were unfinished projects, and the accumulated funds amounted to more than 400 billion. Until 2009, the State Council promulgated the “Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Tourism Industry” and “Cultural Industry Revitalization Plan”, which provided policy guidance for the initial development of theme parks.
China’s theme parks generally adopt the “tourism + real estate” operation model. It can be understood that after obtaining land use rights at low cost, they can improve the surrounding business environment through the development and construction of theme parks, drive the premium of supporting real estate, and then feed back tourism projects. This brings up a problem. Many real estate developers use the name of developing cultural tourism business to enclose land in a disguised form.
“Property” Coat
In 2011, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Land and Resources, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development jointly issued the “Notice on Suspension of New Construction Theme Park Projects”, which became a suspension order for theme parks under the guise of “real estate” and entered a two-year period. During the rectification period of standardized development, it was not until 2013 that 11 departments of the State Council jointly issued “Several Opinions on Regulating the Development of Theme Parks” that the theme parks were “unbanned”.
Since the development of theme parks, in the era of mass tourism and national leisure, theme parks have surpassed landscape scenic spots, and ushered in the “golden age” of theme park development in terms of the number and quality of construction. At this time, the National Development and Reform Commission and other five departments jointly issued the “Guiding Opinions on Regulating the Construction and Development of Theme Parks”, reiterating that it is necessary to reasonably control the scale of supporting industries around the theme park, to prevent deformation and out-of-shape, and to use theme parks to engage in real estate development. occur.
Meng Wei, spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, pointed out that all regions should strictly control the real estate development around the theme park, strictly limit the proportion of residential land around the theme park and the scale of construction, and must not adjust the planning to support real estate development for theme park projects. Real estate development projects such as hotels, catering, shopping, and residences around the theme park must be separately supplied and approved separately, and must not be bundled with the theme park for land supply or bundled approval, nor can they set conditions in the bidding, auction and listing to disguise the theme park. Bundled development with surrounding real estate. For the proposed new theme park projects, it is necessary to scientifically demonstrate and evaluate, strictly check and review, and prevent “fake parks and real estate” projects.
rough development
In addition, in addition to the starting point for the construction of theme parks, the extensive development with speed and quantity as the main goal has caused many shortcomings in the “software” of Chinese theme parks. It is reported that 70% of domestic theme parks are at a loss, 20% are neither profitable nor profitable, and only 10% are profitable. From a certain angle, it reflects the difficulties in operating theme parks.
The number of parks is increasing day by day, but there is a serious problem of homogenization of “emphasis on speed and neglect of creativity”. Lin Huanjie, president of the China Theme Park Research Institute, said in an interview with the media, “In the context of the deep integration of culture and tourism, the creativity of Chinese theme parks should be confident, and they should explore more and more influential Chinese cultural works and create Produce popular themed stories, and use technology to transform them into exciting entertainment projects. For example, Journey to the West, Water Margin, and Butterfly Lovers have become cultural elements of the theme content, entertaining and entertaining, and better differentiated.”
At the same time, in terms of policies, the “Guiding Opinions on Regulating the Construction and Development of Theme Parks” issued this year provides directions for improving the quality and efficiency of theme parks on the basis of both macro and micro aspects. At the cultural level, focus on themes, tell Chinese stories well, and inherit Chinese cultural genes; at the technological level, support the use of digital technology, simulation, the Internet and other high-tech to support the development and utilization of cultural content, equipment, materials, processes, and systems, and accelerate technological transformation pace. Strengthen the level of market entities, actively learn from foreign experience, strengthen independent innovation, focus on brand building, and actively cultivate theme park enterprises with rich cultural connotations and market influence.
Quantitative changes can drive qualitative changes. Now the domestic theme park industry has reached the stage of seeking quality development. During this period, it does not make much sense to blindly pursue digital growth. “Guiding Opinions on Regulating the Construction and Development of Theme Parks” appeared in the historical stage when mass consumption demand and investors’ enthusiasm for construction was the highest, but the development was extremely unbalanced. It clarified the construction red line and pointed out the direction of theme park construction, which will be my country’s development. The development of theme parks provides a detailed guide “behind the numbers”, which ensures the healthy, orderly and sustainable development of theme parks in my country at the national level.
