THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMIST ASIA PACIFIC (APAC) EDITION 2026 FOCUS ON CHINA
A new decade of expansion
China is now the world’s second-largest theme park market and continues to expand despite short-term softening in visitation.
The Experience Economist is a new series of industry publications from Leisure Development Partners (LDP), the leading firm in visitor attractions economics and strategy.
Macroeconomic Update Attendance growth remained modest across both Asia and China, with Asia up +1.1% and China +0.7%. Underlying performance was more uneven, with like-for-like attendance slightly declining in China, Indonesia and Vietnam, but increasing in India, Hong Kong and Japan. Economic impact outpaced attendance growth, rising +6.3% in Asia and +6.8% in China, primarily driven by increases in ticket pricing and in-park spend, alongside the contribution of new capacity from openings such as Legoland Shanghai and Shanghai Yaoxue Water World.
TOTAL
CHINA
Shanghai Disney Resort
2024
2025
2024
2025
DIFFERENCE
DIFFERENCE
China City Tier System The China city tier system provides a useful framework for understanding the relative stage of development across the country. Based on a combination of GDP, population, infrastructure, and economic influence, it highlights the significant disparity in wealth and consumer behaviour between cities. The city tier system highlights stark regional differences in wealth and consumer behaviour. Tier 1 cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen exceed US$30,000 GDP per capita, while Tier 2 and 3 cities typically sit between US$10,000-18,000. As cities pass the US$12,000-15,000 threshold, discretionary spending accelerates, creating an S-curve of demand. Tier 1 cities are transitioning into maturity with higher expectations and slower growth, while lower tiers are entering a period of strong expansion. Opportunity is therefore distributed across tiers, with distinct demand profiles by location.
In this edition of The Experience Economist: APAC, we update macroeconomic insights from our 2025 report and take a more focused look at China. With IAAPA Asia recently held in Shanghai and Hong Kong, this is a timely moment to assess market performance and identify future opportunities. China is now the world’s second-largest theme park market and continues to expand despite short-term softening in visitation. The long-term growth story remains strong: fewer than 30% of the population has visited a theme park, compared with ~70% in more mature markets. With visitation at c.187 visits per 1,000 people – well below Japan and South Korea – the market retains significant headroom. Crucially, China’s entertainment market is unevenly developed. Tier 1 cities are maturing, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities are entering a phase of rapid leisure consumption growth. The next decade of expansion will be driven by scaling quality offerings into these rising urban markets.
498 million
504 million
261 million
263 million
1.1%
0.7%
Attendance
Visits per 1,000 residents
0.7%
1.1%
135
136
185
187
Total economic interest
6.3%
6.8%
$34.8bn
$37.0bn
$17.3bn
$18.4bn
Total employment impact
0.7%
0.6%
590,600
595,000
319,000
321,000
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Comparing the metrics Key
Macroeconomic update: Compared with last year, the shift is toward stronger value generation alongside mixed volume trends. Theme park and water park visits per 1,000 residents show a relatively uneven picture: growth is concentrated in markets such as India (+7.1%), Singapore (+7.1%), Vietnam (+5.2%) and Hong Kong SAR (+4.7%), while several more mature markets – including Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia and Korea – decline slightly, indicating softer demand in some parts of the market. In contrast, average spend per head has increased across all markets, led by India (+13.0%), the Philippines (+6.1%) and China (+6.0%), pointing to a broad uplift in yield. As a result, economic impact has strengthened overall, supported by India’s rapid expansion (+22.1%), continued scale growth in China (+6.8%), and strong performance in Singapore and Hong Kong SAR – while declines in Taiwan (-5.3%), Malaysia (-3.7%), Australia (-0.9%) and Korea (-0.6%) highlight where weaker visitor intensity is limiting gains. Overall, the shift from last year is clear: growth is being driven less by increases in visits and more by higher spend per visit.
Resident population, 2025
Gross domestic product per Capita, 2025 Total theme park and water park attendance per 1,000 residents
Average total spend per Capita at theme parks and water parks
Estimated theme park and water park economic impact (monetary)
Korea
Estimated theme park and water park employment impact (jobs)
51.7m $34.6k 682 $34.2 $2.4bn 34.6k Japan
123.3m $34.0k 633 $56.8 $8.1bn 68.3k Taiwan
Pakistan
23.4m $34.4k 662 $26.2 $745m 14.2k
Hong Kong SAR
241m
7.6m $56.0k 1,506 $119.5 $2.7bn 10.4k
India
Macao SAR
1.5bn $2.9k
21
$11.7 $648m 79.4k
0.7m $76.3k
Bangladesh
Vietnam
173.7m $2.7k
102.2m $4.8k 143 $21.2 $637m 15.6k
Cambodia
China
17.4m $2.9k
1.4bn $13.7k 187 $41.4 $18.4bn 321.1k
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
114.4m $4.4k 45 $15.8 $142m 5.5k
6.1m $92.9k 963 $49.7 $551m 5.1k
70.3m $7.8k 117 $35.1 $534m 10.3k
Australia
Malaysia
Indonesia
27.4m $64.5k 419 $51.3 $1.2bn 9.5k New Zealand
33.9m $13.1k 288 $28.6 $581m 8.0k
284.4m $5.0k
51
$10.7 $266m 17.0k
5.4m $46.1k 209 $29.4 $63m 1.0k
Sources: 1. IMF WEO April 2025 Edition 2. IMF WEO April 2025 Edition 3. LDP database for park attendance estimates, IMF WEO April 2025 Edition for resident population. Sample relates to parks with attendances greater than 100,000 4. LDP database
5. LDP database for park spend estimates and OECD for respective multipliers 6. LDP database for park employee estimates and OECD for respective multipliers
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Changchun
MONGOLIA
prominent, combining attractions with retail, F&B, hotels and events. Chimelong Tourist Resort illustrates this model, operating as a fully integrated leisure ecosystem designed to maximise dwell time and spend. Conclusion China’s attractions market presents substantial long- term potential, but success depends on understanding its regional dynamics. Tier 1 cities require innovation and reinvention to maintain performance, while Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will drive the next phase of growth. Lower-tier markets demand more carefully scaled approaches. Across all segments, winning propositions will combine strong differentiation, alignment with consumer preferences, and integration within broader destination ecosystems. Despite strong demand, challenges remain. Profitability is a persistent issue, with only around half of existing theme parks achieving long-term success, placing greater emphasis on planning, differentiation and operational efficiency. Content fatigue is another key risk, requiring continual reinvestment to drive repeat visitation. In addition, rapid development raises the potential for localised over-supply, particularly in certain regional markets.
Shenyang
Anshan
Zhangjiakou
Datong
Dandong
About Leisure Development Partners (LDP) Leisure Development Partners is the global leader in visitor attraction economics and strategy, delivering data-driven insights that empower developers, operators, and investors to create successful, sustainable attractions anchored real estate. With a proven track record in 80+ countries and over 1,000 projects, LDP provides trusted, bankable analysis across theme parks, water parks, family entertainment centers, cultural attractions, and mixed-use destinations. Our expertise ensures clients make informed decisions that maximize visitation, revenue, and long-term growth. Our Core Services: • Market & Feasibility Studies - Evaluating demand, competitive positioning, and financial viability • Enhancement strategy - Unlocking the potential of existing business, expanding, finding efficiencies through benchmarking • Economic Impact Assessments - Quantifying how attractions drive local economies and tourism • Strategic Planning & Business Modelling - Optimizing financial forecasts and operational strategies • Consumer & Competitive Insights - Identifying trends, visitor behaviours, and industry benchmarks • Development Advisory - Guiding investment decisions with expert intelligence • Due diligence - Valuation insight, upside identification and business planning for buyers Backed by decades of experience, LDP’s insights shape the future of the global attractions industry - helping clients unlock opportunities, minimize risks, and create unforgettable experiences.
Baotou
NORTH KOREA
Baoding Tianjin Beijing
Tangshan
Dalian
Taiyuan Shijiazhuang
Yantai
Zibo Jinan
Xining
Weifang
Handan
SOUTH KOREA
Lanzhou
Qingdao
Zhengzhou
Xi An
CHINA
Zhumadian
Taizhou
Xiangyang
Hefei Nanjing
Changzhou
Shanghai Ningbo
Nanchong
Yichang
Chengdu
Suzhou
Wuhan
Hangzhou
Chongqing
Nanchang
Changsha
Wenzhou
Lijiang
Guiyang
Fuzhou
Kunming
Taipei
Quanzhou
Liuzhou
Shantou
Guangzhou
TAIWAN
Nanning
Kaohsiung
Shenzen
HONG KONG
MYANMAR (BURMA)
VIETNAM
Zhanjiang
Hanoi
Haiphong
LAOS
Vientiane
Dan Nang
THAILAND
James Kennard shares why China is a resilient market for the future Expert view
Visualising the opportunity: Bubble size represents population and colour intensity indicates GDP per capita. Beyond Tier 1 and New Tier 1 economic centres, there are around 100 Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities offering sizeable resident market bases, rising household incomes and rapidly developing economic opportunities. Source: Yicai City Tier System Index, Yicai Rising Lab & ArcGIS Business Analyst.
Market Evolution and Demand Drivers
highly themed experiences often integrated with local culture. Examples include LEGOLAND developments and the Zootopia land at Shanghai Disneyland, alongside a growing pipeline of domestic IP attractions. Climate-proof mega indoor destinations are also expanding, offering year-round appeal through vertically stacked, high-capacity formats. Projects such as Shanghai L+SNOW and Chimelong Spaceship exemplify this approach. At the same time, immersive “culture + tech” attractions are transforming traditional venues through VR, projection mapping and interactive storytelling. The Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum highlights how museums are evolving into highly engaging, must-visit experiences. In parallel, Mixed Reality (MR) and AR are enabling early “walkable metaverse” districts, where digital content is layered onto real environments. A leading example is the Grand Canal Cultural Tourism Area in Tongzhou, Beijing, where visitors interact with a spatially mapped AR layer that brings historic scenes and characters into the live environment as they move through the district. Finally, “one-stop” destination hybrids are becoming increasingly
At LDP, we maintain a strong conviction that China and its neighbouring markets represent the most significant future growth opportunities for attractions, leisure, and entertainment. While recent economic expansion has slowed when viewed against the extraordinary pace of previous decades – a natural outcome as markets mature – the broader global context still shows a fundamentally robust economic landscape. The transformation of Tier 1 cities is already evident, and the long term potential of the emerging tiers remains substantial. In terms of attractions and entertainment development, we believe the rapid economic boom of earlier years led to some projects being pursued without the rigorous business planning and due diligence that a sustainable market requires. As the sector matures, we are seeing a clear shift: investors, developers, and operators are taking a more disciplined and strategic approach, integrating feasibility analysis more deeply into the master planning and development process. This evolution signals a healthier, more resilient market for the future.
Growth is underpinned by structural trends including rising middle-class incomes, increased demand for family-oriented leisure, and a shift towards short-haul and local tourism. These dynamics are driving both sustained investment and a highly competitive pipeline of new projects. At the same time, the product mix is evolving. Tier 1 markets are shifting from traditional ride-led formats toward immersive, IP-driven experiences supported by technology. Projects targeting families and younger audiences – such as LEGOLAND and Peppa Pig parks – reflect the growing importance of multi- generational leisure. Trends to Watch While underdeveloped submarkets persist in China, Tier 1 cities are leading across several emerging trends. Next-generation branded theme parks and IP-driven lands are growing rapidly, delivering high-density,
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Meet our experts Leadership team
Michael Collins CEO & Senior Partner michael@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
Yael Coifman Senior Partner yael@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
James Kennard Partner james@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
Natalia Bakhlina Partner natalia@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
Kathleen LaClair Partner LDP Americas kathleen@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
Candice Luan Asia Representative candice@leisuredevelopment.co.uk
Unlock your next chapter in visitor attractions At Leisure Development Partners (LDP), we help developers, operators, and investors turn bold ideas into successful destinations. Whether you’re exploring new concepts, optimizing an existing attraction, or looking to drive economic and tourism impact, LDP delivers the strategic insights and data-driven intelligence you need to make informed decisions. Let’s talk about your next project. leisuredevelopment.co.uk
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