Dubai: The city that already houses the world’s tallest building and world’s most luxurious hotel is adding a new one to its slate: The world’s largest indoor theme park.
The $1 billion project opened yesterday and it’s the size of 28 football fields. Called IMG Worlds of Adventure, the park features rides with characters from Cartoon Network and Disney’s Marvel universe, including Spider-man and the Hulk.
The UAE’s Vice-President and Prime Minister and Dubai’s ruler Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who toured the attraction, said, “Our goal is to be the economic and tourism capital in an area that includes 2bn people.”
Along with the rides and attractions, the park will offer 28 F&B outlets and 25 retail stores. Tickets prices are set at 300 dirhams for adults and at 250 dirhams for children.
IMG Worlds of Adventure chief executive Lennard Otto said, “We are excited to have launched the world’s largest indoor theme park today, which will be a major tourism attraction for Dubai, the surrounding regions and the rest of the world.”
Governments across the Middle East are eyeing tourism to fight off plunging oil revenues. By the time Dubai hosts The World Expo in 2020, Dubai aims to attract 20 million visitors annually. Last year, it saw 14m visitors, according to its Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
The region has ambitious plans to open a number of parks over the next few years. Saudi Arabia is planning to open a Six Flags, Doha aims to open a park inspired by the game, “Angry Birds,” and Abu Dhabi is planning a Warner Bros themed-park.
Meanwhile, next month, Dubai Parks and Resorts, a state-backed company, is launching a mega-theme resort which includes Lego Land and a Bollywood-inspired park.
According to PwC, the UAE will attract 18m theme park visitors annually by 2021.