SET-listed Asset World Corp (AWC) invested 1.4 billion baht in a new attraction, Jurassic World: The Experience, slated to open in the second quarter next year, part of the first phase of its five-year plan for Asiatique The Riverfront.
Wallapa Traisorat, chief executive and president of AWC, said the project is a collaboration between AWC, NEON and Universal Destinations & Experiences, spanning 10,000 square metres.
Roughly 6,000 sq m is allotted to the Jurassic World immersive experience, with 4,000 sq m for commercial space for food and beverage, retail and sustainability exhibitions.
Mrs Wallapa said this immersive theme park is meant to attract visitors of all ages from both domestic and international markets, as the Jurassic franchise has a large fan base globally.
The attraction is expected to be the largest Jurassic World experience park in the world, and the first one developed outside a theme park, she said.
Highlights include life-like animatronic dinosaurs and film-inspired iconic scenes. Its launch period would also align with the coming of the new Jurassic movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, scheduled to be released in July next year.
Mrs Wallapa said the project should boost Asiatique traffic by 10-20%, as the lack of Chinese visitors resulted in weaker tourism flow of around 80-85% of the 30,000-50,000 daily visitors before the pandemic.
The project is the first of three phases of Asiatique's five-year expansion. A new hotel with a theme park inside is included in this plan.
Within 10 years, AWC wants to develop a new mixed-use 100-storey skyscraper at Asiatique, which includes luxury chain hotels.
She said tourism sentiment in major Thai cities is robust during the year-end period.
For the upcoming New Year celebration, Asiatique is featuring a concert to attract more than 200,000 visitors during the countdown night, said Mrs Wallapa.
Last month, hotels operated by AWC recorded three times higher revenue year-on-year, she said.
The accommodation hosted diverse markets including China, the US, India, Australia and Japan, said Mrs Wallapa.
She said AWC hotels should record an average occupancy rate of 70% in 2024, improving from 60% last year.
