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25 May 2018
New kids addition to Ferrari Land as PortAventura targets 5 million visitors
By Tom Anstey
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Champions Race allows children to ride replica small versions of the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa
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PortAventura has expanded its offering at Ferrari Land, introducing a new children's area for visitors to the popular destination as it attempts to reach 5 million visitors in 2018.
Featuring five new rides manufactured by Italian company the SBF Visa Group, the kids' area is anchored by Junior Red Force – a steel family rollercoaster sitting within the shadow of the record-breaking Red Force launch coaster.
The second addition is the Kids' Tower, a drop ride climbing 9m (29.5ft), that spins as you fall. It sits near the much larger Thrill Towers, which climb 55m (180.4ft) before dropping.
Inspired by the pistons of a Ferrari engine, the Crazy Pistons ride raises and lowers riders in rotating and swinging movements.
The fourth and fifth additions are both rotating attractions. The first – Champions Race – allows children to ride replica small versions of the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, while the second – Red Baron – allows young pilots to ride in small planes in a rotating attraction that goes up and down.
The €100m (US$117m, £87.8m) Ferrari Land opened in April 2017 as part of the Spanish destination resort's €400m (US$468.5m, £351.1m) expansion strategy, which hopes to help boost annual visitor attendance to the 5 million mark.
The new additions will boost Ferrari Land even further, with the theme park going from strength-to-strength since launch. According to PortAventura, visitor numbers have surged since the park opened for the season on 23 March, with 170,000 visits in the first few days of operation and a 60 per cent increase in visitor numbers so far this year. PortAventura's Ferrari addition has had a significant effect on hotel stays for the operator also, with a 27 per cent increase in bookings.
In 2017, PortAventura World reached 4.7 million visits, with a growth of 19 per cent compared to 2016. This season, the forecast is expected to grow and surpass 5 million visits.
“The figures for the year so far demonstrate how the park has already established itself as a dynamic force within PortAventura World’s offering," said Fernando Aldecoa, managing director of PortAventura World.
"The park also strengthens our existing position as a world-class holiday destination which currently offers three theme parks, five themed hotels, a convention centre, three golf courses and a beach club”.
PortAventura has a number of projects in the works for 2019, namely its €25m (US$29.3m, £22m) accommodation expansion – a four-star 150-bedroom hotel. The operator will also be launching a new €15m (US$20m, €17m) Sesame Street attraction, which will be the park's first enclosed ride. |
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