The impact of the “booming” development of water parks

Water parks really began to take shape from the large-scale development that started in 2007. The Changlong Group constructed the Guangzhou Panyu Chime-Long Water Park, with the first phase covering an area of 180,000 square metres. By 2013, the older Long Water Park had attracted a population of 2.17 million, making it the water park with the largest number of visitors in the world and the highest average daily attendance. This brilliant performance drew global attention to the Long Long Water Park and sparked investor interest in the market, setting off another wave in the Chinese water recreation industry.

All investors are optimistic about the market and are also challenged to go beyond, hoping to build a water park with a larger area and more complete water park equipment. Correspondingly, it will yield more abundant returns. However, after years of development, no water park has been able to surpass Changlong. Building a water park is not just about competing with Changlong; its geographical location provides significant advantages. It boasts an excellent operations team, and its location ensures very high economic benefits.

Domestic investment in water park development is becoming larger and more intensive, leading to increasing homogeneity and duplication. Many investors are willing to spend big money on imported water rides, but they often neglect preliminary planning and design, as well as the importance of facilities and water processing. This oversight can leave many regrets after construction. The construction of a water park must consider local geographic location, transportation, climate, people’s income, consumption levels, and hobbies. It cannot be simply imitated. Additionally, supporting facilities must be perfect to achieve better economic benefits.

Moreover, safety is a critical concern. Any slight operational mistake in a water park can lead to safety issues. Accidents can result in abrasions or bruises, and in the worst cases, can be fatal. For a water park, this could bring devastating and painful consequences.