Work on capital's ultra-modern theme park resort project accelerates toward 2021 launch

Not just fun elements based on movie characters like Minions, Transformers, Harry Potter, various other thrilling attractions inspired by them will enliven the Universal Beijing Resort (UBR) that is tipped to open in the national capital in the first half of next year.

The multibillion-dollar project in the eastern Tongzhou district of Beijing is Universal's largest in the world, and will come amid hopes that the raging COVID-19 pandemic will have waned by the time of the resort's opening, and will deepen the nascent recovery in the tourism industry. Such prospects are in line with the country's recent emphasis on boosting domestic demand, thereby increasing and upgrading consumption.

The nation's top leadership has on various occasions reaffirmed the idea of a dual-cycle development pattern. That is, the country's growth will rely on both domestic and international economic developments, with the domestic cycle being the mainstay－and the development of tourism, and the larger services sector, fits in nicely with this theme.

UBR executives said the plan to open the theme park resort next year remains unchanged, with construction and recruitment as priorities this year.

According to Beijing International Resort Co Ltd, the company that owns the UBR, construction is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Beijing International Resort is a joint venture 70 percent owned by Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment Co Ltd and 30 percent by Universal Parks& Resorts, a business unit of Comcast NBCUniversal.

In June, the UBR unveiled details of the Universal CityWalk Beijing complex, the gateway to the resort and home to ultra-modern retail, dining and entertainment facilities. CityWalk, which will also open next year, is expected to house a multiplex cinema with Beijing's largest commercial IMAX screen taking pride of place. Another CityWalk attraction will be Red Oven Pizza Bakery.

That's not all. The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, retail stores, a reinvented "Grandma's Travel Home" restaurant, Asia's largest Peet's Coffee, and trendy outlets such as Pop Mart will complete the world-class feel of the resort.

CityWalk's strategic location and design are already creating a buzz among theme park aficionados. It will provide the first glimpse of the stunning experiences expected at the resort.

Located at the main entrance of Universal Studios Beijing, CityWalk will connect the theme park, parking facilities and subway entrances, allowing guests easy access to the fun and excitement without even having to enter the theme park.

Tom Mehrmann, president and general manager of the UBR, said: "CityWalk is also designed to stand as a destination in its own right, as a new high-quality recreation and entertainment option for residents and tourists in Beijing.

"We believe CityWalk will drive the formation of a new cultural business center, giving a strong boost to Beijing's economic development. For the capital, it means jobs, housing, development and growth."

The UBR is an umbrella concept encompassing CityWalk, Universal Studios Beijing, the theme park, and two resort hotels－the Universal Studios Grand Hotel and the Nuo Resort Hotel.

The resort is designed to cater to the shifting cultural and tourism preferences of the younger generation of Chinese consumers, allowing them to enjoy and participate in a new and exciting lifestyle.

This year, efforts are on to continue to head toward the finishing line, with preparations for the grand opening receiving priority, UBR executives said.

To date, nearly 70 percent of the resort's overall construction has been completed, with the entire main structure completed. Ride and show equipment is now under installation.

Movie fans are expected to be immersed in the upcoming seven highly themed lands: Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, Transformers: Metrobase, Minion Land, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic World Isla Nublar, Hollywood and WaterWorld.

To make it more relevant and appealing to the local tourists, the resort has specially created experiences designed to reflect China's cultural heritage such as Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness, the first such attraction in Universal Parks& Resorts worldwide.

"The resort is also expected to feed culture and tourism not only for this area but for the entire region and nation. So it is a great statement and a great opportunity to keep growing and building," said Zhao Ping, director of the international trade research department at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Academy.

Zhao underlined the economic benefits of the resort, saying it will prove a strong boost to the national capital's economic growth, which is mainly propelled by spending in the services sector.

"Every time a theme park of such magnitude is set up, it will generate multiplier benefits to the local economy."

Shanghai Disney Resort, which opened in 2016, has brought economic benefits to the metropolis in many aspects, most visible ones being tourism and jobs.

Disney's fixed-asset investment boosted 0.44 percent of gross domestic product of Shanghai annually during its construction years from 2011 to 2016. It also created 62,600 new jobs on average annually.

The opening year of 2016 alone saw local tourism-related sales rise by 168.9 billion yuan ($24.09 billion), up almost 7 percent year-on-year, exceeding by 4.8 percentage points the average growth rate between 2011 and 2015, according to the Shanghai Information Office.

In 2016, about 305 million personal visits were recorded at tourist sites in Shanghai, up more than 7 percent year-on-year, exceeding by 4.38 percentage points the average of the prior five years. Small wonder, the UBR's opening is highly anticipated by everyone, including Chinese consumers, particularly those who have grown up with famous movie characters like those of the Transformers, Harry Potter and the Minions, said Zhao.

"It is forecast that in the first year, the resort is expected to receive about 8 million visitors, significantly accelerating the local consumption. Not to mention the vast job opportunities the project has brought and is going to create, and the trickle-down effects on related sectors, including tourism, catering and the creative industry," said Zhao.

According to a report from China Securities, revenue from tourism in Beijing is expected to grow 7 to 7.5 percent next year, thanks to the establishment and opening of the UBR, generating direct and indirect annual economic growth of about 100 billion yuan.

Recruitment and training of staff for a resort like the UBR present an immense challenge because it will involve more than 10,000 people during the opening phase.

Recruitment kicked off in May last year. To attract and nurture local professionals in theme park operations, which are still new, the UBR has established cooperation with more than 10 local vocational schools in the areas of entertainment and performing arts, safety and security, hospitality management and cultural tourism.

The move is believed to contribute to the talent reserve of cultural tourism industry in the country.

This year, the resort has been the focus of recruitment for resort and park operations roles, engineering, marketing and sales, other professional positions and frontline service personnel. It has begun providing customized and professional training programs to prepare for the operations of phase one.

Owing to the sheer size of the facilities and the large number of employees who will be involved, the resort has decided to take care of its employees' living conditions by providing on-site housing.

Its Team Member Housing buildings, which are adjacent to the resort, will offer private rooms for more than 8,000 employees, along with living facilities that include laundry rooms, cafes, canteens, courier office and a fully equipped spacious fitness center.

Construction of the main structures of 14 of these on-site employee housing buildings has completed.

For the theme park visitors, the UBR will transform rides, attractions and accommodations with digital tools. This is expected to win over the younger generation of consumers and tourists.

Worldwide, theme parks have developed innovative approaches to enrich visitors' immersive experiences and to improve conveniences. For instance, digital wristbands will serve as tickets, and can also be used to reserve restaurant tables and as hotel room keys.

Last year, the resort joined e-commerce giant Alibaba in a bid to provide memorable experiences through each and every stage of the visitors' journey, with the adoption of facial recognition technologies and the use of big data.

The park will use an Alibaba business operating system for park management and operations.

Visitors are able to enter the park, access express lanes and pay for in-park merchandise and meals using facial recognition technology.

As a pilot platform for 5G infrastructure, the UBR will pioneer and implement full 5G network coverage.

The UBR will be the first international theme park in North China, and comes four years after the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Industry insiders said given the vast physical distance that separates the two projects, market competition may not intensify. But, the presence of two big names will definitely help lift the standards for service and quality in the theme park sector in China.

Zhao Huanyan, an analyst at Huamei Hospitality Consulting, said: "The world's two top-notch resorts are greatly pushing up the local theme park industry by bringing global-leading operational experiences and professional know-how, stimulating the progress of theme parks with Chinese cultural elements."

Tourists' experiences at the two resorts can be different though, he said.

Empowered by various popular characters and beloved brands established movie studios have generated worldwide in years, the Shanghai Disney Resort, which re-opened in May following COVID-19-related closures, is mostly appealing to family tourists while the Universal Beijing Resort could attract a wider range of tourists, said Zhao.

Universal's theme parks are known for immersive experiences featuring "highly thrilling" and "technologically advanced" film－and television-based attractions.

The resort has designed world-leading adventure experiences and immersive scenes such as the fictional school Hogwart from the Harry Potter movies, and will likely become an iconic destination for domestic as well as international visitors. UBR's said.

"The Universal Beijing Resort is dedicated to becoming a theme park and resort destination that provides unique, extraordinary and thrilling experiences," Mehrmann added.