The resurgence of international tourism has made the owner of Legoland, Merlin Entertainments, obtain profits, returning to place the largest theme park operator in Europe on a trajectory of growth prior to the pandemic.
A total of 56.4 million visitors went to a theme park, hotel or holiday villa in Merlin during the past year, compared to 35.2 million in 2021. poco más de 2.000 milliones de libras esterlinas.
As a result, the group, which operates attractions in 25 countries, has returned to obtaining profits after suffering losses during the pandemic. The profit before taxes was 136 million pounds sterling last year, compared to a loss of 94 million pounds sterling in 2021.
The rebound continued in the first trimester of this year, with a strong demand in London, where the Merlin London Eye and Madame Tussauds operate, and an increase in travel to Asia that boosted revenue and the number of visitors to 30. Period N 2022.
Merlin has three Legoland parks under construction, and the Shanghai park is scheduled to open in 2025. The Peppa Pig park is also scheduled to open next year. Last year, the group opened Legoland in South Korea and the first independent Peppa Pig theme park in the US state of Florida.
The Midway attraction, which includes Madame Tussauds, marine life and dungeons, was the fastest growing segment in the group, generating 83% of revenue by 2021.
El director ejecutivo de Merlin, Scott O’Neill, told the Financial Times that Merlin’s brand associations gave him an advantage during a period of high inflation and economic recession.
“Los huéspedes eligen con más cautela where they spend the money that cost them so much to win, and we are seeing a journey towards quality as consumers focus on big brands like Lego, Peppa Pig and Ferrari,” said O’Neill.
Aggrego que “aunque las cifras de turismo internacional han vulto a los nivels previos la pandemic a varios ritmos”, los viajeros nacionales y viajes de un dia ciguen ciendo and parti clave del mercado objetivo de Merlin.
Merlin went private in 2019 after six years as a company listed on the London Stock Exchange in one of the largest European acquisitions supported by private capital in recent history.
Kirkbi, an investment vehicle directed by the family of founders of Lego, has partnered with the private capital group Blackstone and the Canadian pension fund CPPIB in an acquisition of 6,000 million pounds sterling.
Las Firmas de Capital, Privado Han Invertido Mile de Milleños de Dollares en Parque de Vacaciones and Impresas de Atraciones and Los Ultimos Anos. Blackstone has purchased the vacation operator Haven Parks Bourne Entertainment for around £3 million in 2021. This year, Brookfield has begun the auction process to sell the vacation operator of the United Kingdom Center Parks for between £4 million and 5 million. Atreiendo il interes de varios grupos de main privado.
