Amusement park operator Wonderla recently launched a resort attached to the Bengaluru park, thus foraying into the Integrated Resorts space in India
Wonderla Holidays, claimed to be India’s largest amusement park operator, launched its first accommodation unit, the 84-room Wonderla Resort, as an extension of its Bengaluru amusement park property earlier this year. According to Arun Chittilappilly, Managing Director, Wonderla Holidays, this addition was part of a natural extension strategy to encourage overnight visitors and cater to corporate client demands. The move, he added, successfully turns the company’s business model into that of an integrated resort. The Bengaluru resort was built on an investment of Rs 30 crores, and a further Rs 500-550 crores will be invested for further expansion, including two new amusement parks, he said.
Having witnessed 35 per cent occupancy in the four months since the launch of the Bengaluru resort, the company is confident of making the same move and adding an 80-85 room resort to its existing Cochin park in the next three years. In addition, Wonderla plans to add budget and premium priced rooms to its Bengaluru establishment, as well as increase its available meeting space, in the next two years. There are also plans to build amusement parks, and subsequently, resorts, in Hyderabad and Chennai, though the details are not yet chalked out.
“Launching the resort has opened a new spectrum of visitors for us – corporate clients and repeat leisure visitors. We do not want to enter only the hospitality segment. Our focus is the Integrated Resorts segment, which, so far, has low penetration, and shows a lot of promise. We are creating a niche for ourselves in this space,” stated Chittilappilly.
He further added that the company will look at other big cities like Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata at a later stage as well, though these are a long term plan, and their focus is still the south region as of now. “We have a five year plan in place for now and will only think of moving further to the west and north in our expansion plans that follow the success of the current one,” he concluded. The company currently sells the property through OTAs and travel agents, and is looking to tie up with bigger agents in the south to sell tailor made packages.
