Ocean Park Says It's Not Moving Next To Disneyland

Ocean Park said it's against the idea of moving and being located next to Hong Kong Disneyland after the government decided not to to extend an option for Disney for an adjacent plot in Penny's Bay.

While there have been calls to use the 60-hectare site to build homes, some in the tourism trade said having the two theme parks in the same area would create synergy and boost a much-needed boost to the ailing tourism trade.

Both Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland – and the local tourism industry as a whole – are struggling because of a lack of tourists over Covid-19.

"I cannot imagine how expensive it would be to move everything here to over there, so I'm not so sure about that idea for the sheer cost," Ocean Park chairman Lau Ming-wai said on Thursday.

The loss-making theme park in Aberdeen has been in the red for four straight years, most recently posting a deficit of HK$557 million in the 2018-19 fiscal year. It received a HK$5.4 billion government bailout earlier this year to stay open for 12 more months. And it has been forced shut for long periods this year because of the coronavirus outbreak, reopening only last Friday at a reduced capacity.

As for the upcoming National Day holiday, Ocean Park said it will only allow visitors at less than 50 percent capacity as part of its social-distancing measures.

It also said it'll be rolling out new campaigns from next months to attract local visitors, such as allowing people to do yoga at its aquarium and to hike and camp in the park.