RMCO: MAATFA expects theme parks to thrive after reopening

The Malaysian Association of Amusement Theme Park and Family Attractions (MAATFA) has high hopes that theme parks in Malaysia will be revitalised when they are reopened as there is a great demand from the public to visit such attractions.

MAATFA president Tan Sri Richard Koh cited the reopening of Shanghai's Disneyland Theme Park as an example, saying it succeeded in garnering up to 5,000 visitors daily, as well as the scheduled June 18 reopening of its branch in Hong Kong.

"Seeing how other attractions, like the Penang Hill, have also successfully attracted many visitors since their reopening, it is very encouraging to see (theme parks being just as successful)," he told a press conference at the Escape Penang Theme Park in Teluk Bahang here yesterday.

He said Malaysians would definitely want to go out and enjoy the outdoor nature, especially after staying at home for months in compliance with the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

He hoped that the Federal government would allow the reopening of all theme parks and attractions nationwide soon in compliance with the proper standard operation procedures (SOPs).

Earlier Koh, Penang executive councillor for Tourism, Arts, Culture and Heritage Yeoh Soon Hin and Escape Penang founder and chief executive officer Sim Choo Kheng visited the theme park in Teluk Bahang for its reopening yesterday.

Sim highlighted that only the theme park's nature-themed attraction "AdventurePlay" was open while its "Waterplay", Escape's water-based attraction that includes the world's longest water slide, was still closed to the public.

He said that the reopening of the theme park was on condition that it complied with the SOPs, including handing out gloves to visitors, exercising social distancing and disinfecting all the theme park's facilities.

"We also have to limit the number of visitors to just 1,000 a day (compared to around 3,000 daily before the MCO)," he said.

-- BERNAMA