Abu Dhabi

Yas Island launches 30% off theme park tickets until 30 September

  Yas Island, the region’s ultimate destination for family fun and entertainment, is offering an incredible deal that thrill-seekers won’t want to miss. For a limited time, starting September 26 to 30, guests can enjoy 30% off single-day, single-park tickets to Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Don’t miss out on this incredible offer—it could be your best chance to enjoy exclusive savings at Yas Theme Parks this year! Guests can anticipate heart-pounding thrills on record-breaking roller coasters, exhilarating water adventures, immersive encounters with beloved Warner Bros. characters, and mesmerizing marine life experiences. This exclusive offer brings these unforgettable moments within easy reach, making Yas Island's world-class attractions more accessible than ever. Tickets must be used by October 13, 2024. Guests are required to select their visit date online at the time of purchase during the offer period. For tickets purchased at the gate, they must be used the same day as purchase. This is a rare chance for families, friends, and adventure-lovers to experience Yas Island's world-class attractions at a fraction of the cost. Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore all that Yas Island has to offer. Book now and secure your place for a day filled with excitement, thrills, and unforgettable memories!    

Airlines and Aviation

Air India Flying Returns members can now earn Reward Points on tickets to LEGOLAND® theme parks 

Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing & Loyalty Air India with Leadership representatives of Merlin Entertainments   Air India and Merlin Entertainments, a global leader in location-based family entertainment, have entered a partnership, whereby members of Air India Flying Returns loyalty programme will earn Reward Points when they buy tickets to LEGOLAND® theme parks.  Air India Flying Returns members can earn up to 10 Reward Points per INR 100 spent across five participating LEGOLAND® locations, namely Windsor (UK), New York and California (U.S.), Dubai (UAE), and Malaysia. Designed specifically for families with children aged 2-12 years old, LEGOLAND® offers a great day out or the ultimate short-break experience. Each LEGOLAND® theme park features interactive family rides, live shows, building workshops, and fun-filled attractions, including Miniland areas reflecting iconic buildings and attractions from the Resort location – all built using the iconic LEGO® brick. Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing, Loyalty & E-commerce, Air India, said: “This partnership enables families to create lasting memories at LEGOLAND® destinations around the world, while also earning valuable Reward Points towards future flights and travel experiences with Air India. Flying Returns is witnessing a rapid evolution into becoming one of the most attractive airline loyalty programmes globally, and this partnership is a yet another reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional value and experiences to our loyal guests.” Dominique Sidley, Global Sales Director Merlin Entertainments, wrote: “I am delighted to announce that Merlin Entertainments, the world's leading attraction operator, has extended its partnership with India's national carrier, Air India, to offer exclusive benefits to the 'Flying Returns' members. This partnership will allow the members to enjoy discounted access to our amazing LEGOLAND® Resorts across the globe, where they can experience the fun of LEGO and the playful thrill of theme parks. We’re delighted to celebrate the partnership becoming official, with the fantastic team here at LEGOLAND® Windsor. India remains a strategic market for us, and we are committed to providing the best entertainment options for the Indian consumers. We look forward to strengthening this partnership with Air India across our other attractions in the future.” This announcement marks the latest step in the airline’s continuing effort to transform Flying Returns and comes as the airline enters a new phase of its ongoing five-year transformation journey. In April this year, Air India overhauled Flying Returns, introducing a simplified new structure, more customer-friendly features, renamed tiers, and an updated identity for the programme. The revamped Flying Returns moves away from the legacy model of miles-based collection of points to a more equitable spend-based approach while offering members instant global status and privileges around the world. Over the last 18 months, Air India has added over 50 partners for Flying Returns to offer greater ease, more rewards, and recognition for its members.      

Abu Dhabi

SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi crowned the Largest Indoor Marine-Life Theme Park by Guinness World Records™

  SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the region’s first Marine Life Theme Park, has won a coveted place in the Guinness World Records™ as the ‘Largest Indoor Marine-Life Theme Park’ in the world. The certificate was presented to Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, Group CEO of Miral, and the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi leadership. This milestone comes less than one year after the colossal theme park spanning over 183,000 sqm across five indoor levels opened its doors to the public. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, an experience by Miral, offers guests a fascinating glimpse into the world of marine life, combining entertainment, education and conservation in one place. Guests can discover the vast ocean through eight immersive realms including Abu Dhabi Ocean, One Ocean, MicroOcean, Endless Ocean, Tropical Ocean, Rocky Point and Polar Ocean which is divided into the Arctic realm and Antarctica realm. The marine life theme park is committed to providing the highest standard of animal welfare based on best practices and standards set by internationally recognized animal welfare organizations and is the region’s first facility to be certified by Global Humane, the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare. SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi General Manager, Thomas Kaferle, said: “We are very pleased to receive recognition from Guinness World Records™ as the world’s largest Marine-Life Theme Park. This prestigious achievement is a testament to our commitment to providing the best possible entertainment experience, coupled with an interactive educational aspect enabling guests to learn more about marine life in a fun and entertaining setting that engages all ages.” With an incredible variety of aquatic life, over 15 interactive experiences and thrilling rides, in addition to  animal experiences and presentations, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi offers a wealth of educational opportunities allowing guests to gain insights from the park’s experts about the mesmerizing marine life. Additionally, guests can enjoy over 20 live characters and performances, along with more than 10 up-close encounters with animals, guaranteeing delightful entertainment throughout their visit. SeaWorld Abu Dhabi is also home to one of the world’s largest multi-species marine life aquariums, where visitors can witness the majesty of marine life on a grand scale. Additionally, there is plenty of choice for pitstops for guests wanting to take a break and enjoy the refreshments on offer from SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’s 17 dining experiences that present diverse offerings ranging from buffets and fine dining to grab and go. Furthermore, there are 13 shopping experiences that allow visitors to find the perfect souvenir to commemorate their visit, such as a penguin plushie or photo opportunities. With its newfound record-breaking status, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi reaffirms its position as one of the top global attractions, showcasing the wonders of marine life to visitors from around the world.  

Attractions

World’s only Dragon Ball Theme Park launched in Qiddiya City

The world's only Dragon Ball theme park, has been announced by Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC), as it continues to set new standards in the entertainment industry, offering anime fans, families, and entertainment seekers an immersive journey into the iconic Dragon Ball universe. Nestled within Qiddiya City, just 40 minutes from Riyadh, this never-seen-before anime theme park is set to become a jaw-dropping spectacle, spanning more than half a million square metres, bringing to life the most iconic storylines, moments, and characters across all sagas. Inspired by the 7 legendary Dragon Balls, visitors can navigate 7 distinctively themed zones within the park, catapulting guests into the heart of the anime action to experience the historic journey from the first Dragon Ball series to the latest Dragon Ball Super. Park-goers can embark on a journey and immerse themselves in interactive and explorable landmarks from the Dragon Ball sagas, such as “Kame House”, “Capsule Corporation” and “Beerus’ Planet”. The anime theme park offers over 30 rides with five groundbreaking attractions, accessible to everyone, pushing the boundaries of ride experiences. A flagship attraction located at the center of the park has a rollercoaster passing through a massive 70 m Shenron landmark. Visitors will also have the option to stay at themed in-park hotels and build long-lasting memories with family and friends while indulging in exotic cuisines inside towering structures, where one day can never be enough. The announcement comes after Qiddiya entered into a long-term strategic partnership with Toei Animation, Japan‘s leading animation company and original animators of Dragon Ball. The partnership aims to preserve and elevate the franchise, with a shared vision to fulfill visitor’s dreams of bringing Dragon Ball to the real world and will pave the way for Qiddiya and Toei Animation to broaden their existing collaboration. Commenting on the launch, Abdullah Aldawood, Managing Director of Qiddiya Investment Company said: “We are pleased to be partnering with Toei Animation, bringing their rich legacy of pioneering contributions to the anime industry to Qiddiya City. Dragon Ball theme park is a celebration of the diverse and vibrant world of anime, offering a unique blend of thrills, family-friendly attractions, and immersive entertainment for everyone. This announcement only marks the beginning of many promising projects. The theme park embraces the City’s power of play philosophy, and solidifies our commitment to provide world-class entertainment, as a global leader in groundbreaking and diverse attractions." Katsuhiro Takagi, President of Toei Animation, added: "Our collaboration with Qiddiya marks a key milestone, offering fans a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience the epic adventures of Dragon Ball first-hand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The reveal of the world's only Dragon Ball theme park is a testament to the timeless legacy of the Dragon Ball franchise." Dragon Ball theme park will further cement Qiddiya City’s position as the worldwide capital of play. The play concept leverages decades of research showing that play is vital for human cognitive development, emotional expression, social skills, creativity, and physical health. Studies have demonstrated the positive effects of recreational activities on society, their ability to bridge differences between cultures, and enhance levels of empathy and social cohesion. The unveiling of the Dragon Ball theme park follows the launch of Qiddiya City's world-first multi-use Gaming and Esports District, the high-tech Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium and Speed Park Track. More announcements from Qiddiya are due in the coming weeks.      

Features

Top ten best American theme parks to visit in 2024

The research conducted by Westgate Palace Hotel at Universal analysed every amusement park located in the United States based on three key factors: Instagram hashtags, monthly Google search volume and the percentage of ‘excellent’ reviews on TripAdvisor. These factors were then combined in an index to give each amusement park a total score to discover the most popular in the United States. The factors were also weighted in favour of customer experiences, so TripAdvisor reviews were given a higher weighting due to them directly reflecting park-goers satisfaction.               The top 10 best-rated amusement parks in the US            Rank          Amusement park         Location         Final score out of 100           1.          Universal's Islands of Adventure         Orlando, Florida         91.1           2.          Magic Kingdom         Orlando, Florida         90.4           3.          Disney California Adventure         Anaheim, California         84.2           4.          Cedar Point         Sandusky, Ohio         81.7           5.          Silver Dollar City         Stone County, Missouri         81.1           6.          Animal Kingdom         Orlando, Florida         80.7           7.          Universal Studios Hollywood         Los Angeles, California         79.4           8.          Disneyland Park         Anaheim, California         78.1           9.          Dollywood         Pigeon Forge, Tennessee         77.9           10.          Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park         Orlando, Florida         77.7   Universal's Islands of Adventure takes the crown as the most popular theme park in the United States, according to the research. Islands of Adventure is one of the two major parks at Universal Orlando Resort, famous for its thrilling rides and experiences, including the acclaimed The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Universal park claimed the top spot due to its impressive total index score of 91.1 out of 100. Boasting 52,310 reviews from park-goers, 74% fall under the ‘excellent’ rating, the highest rating in not only Florida, but the entire United States. TripAdvisor ratings, alongside 854,821 Instagram hashtags, place Islands of Adventure firmly in the top spot. Disney’s Magic Kingdom narrowly misses out on the top spot, placing second behind Universal, scoring 90.4. Home to the iconic Cinderella’s Castle, Magic Kingdom is the most visited vacation resort in Florida, amassing more than 17 million visitors in 2022 alone, but only the second highest-rated. Magic Kingdom also ranks as the most Instagrammable theme park in the United States, holding the highest number of Instagram hashtags of any theme park worldwide, with a whopping 8,012,859 posts. Disney California Adventure Park places next in the ranking, in third place. Disney California Adventure is one of the two parks at Disneyland Resort, located in Anaheim, California, the other being Disneyland Park, which ranks in eighth place. The park is the third highest-rated park in America on TripAdvisor, with 67% of its reviews labelled ‘excellent’ out of 15,724 total reviews, contributing to its final index score of 84.2 Cedar Point ranks as the fourth most acclaimed theme park in the US, according to the findings. Often referred to as the ‘rollercoaster capital of the world’ due its impressive selection of rollercoasters, Cedar Point receives the third highest number of Google searches in the study, with 355,000 average monthly searches. Located in Sandusky, Ohio, the park opened in 1870, making it one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States. The study revealed that Silver Dollar City is the fifth best-rated amusement park in the US, based on park-goers experience. Located in Stone County, Missouri, Silver Dollar City features a variety of entertainment, including live shows, festivals, and demonstrations of traditional crafts. The park is the fourth highest-rated theme park on TripAdvisor, with 66% of all visitor reviews falling under the ‘excellent’ category. The research revealed that Disney’s Animal Kingdom ranks as the sixth best-rated theme park nationwide. Animal Kingdom is the second most Googled theme park nationwide, receiving 379,000 average monthly searches, and has the third-highest number of hashtags in the ranking, with 4,752,545 hashtags. Opening in 1998, Animal Kingdom is the largest of the four Disney theme parks in terms of land area and features as the second Walt Disney World park to feature on the list, with a total score of 80.7. The top 10 best-rated amusement parks in the US are rounded out by Universal Studios Hollywood, ranking in seventh place, followed by California’s Disneyland Park, Dollywood, and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park in eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively. A spokesperson from Westgate Palace Hotel at Universal commented on the findings: “It comes as no surprise that theme parks operated by Walt Disney and Universal Studios have dominated the list. What may be surprising, however, is that the research crowns Universal as the best-rated theme park, beating all four major Disney parks.” “Universal Studios Orlando stands out as the premier theme park destination in America due to its unrivalled customer experience and unwavering commitment to visitor satisfaction. With a recorded 37.9 million tourists in the first three months of 2023 alone, Florida continues to be a major vacation hotspot in the United States.” “From the enchanting world of Walt Disney World to the exhilarating experiences at Universal Orlando, Florida's theme parks add a touch of magic to any vacation. There’s only so much fun you can fit in during a single day in a park, so naturally guests will extend their stay to visit as many of Florida’s major theme parks as possible. Our family-friendly hotel suites are strategically located on I-Drive for easy access to these attractions and offer a welcoming retreat after a day of park exploration.”    

Attractions

Top ten best US theme parks this Halloween

A new ranking has revealed which popular US theme park is really the best to visit this Halloween - with Cedar Point in Ohio crowned top. The ranking, created by JeffBet, assigned each theme park a score out of 10 based on their amenities, attractions, availability of their Halloween event, crowding, price, seasonal popularity, spooky theming, and value for money. Amenities looked at the number of on-site restaurants, food stalls, and gift stops. Attractions relate to the number available, wait times and ratings, while availability is based on the number of days the Halloween event is running and the park’s seasonal opening hours. Crowding considers queue times and footfall, price refers to tickets and parking, seasonal popularity looks at the visitor reviews for each park, while theming refers to the number and variety of Halloween attractions available and how much demand increases in October. Meanwhile, value for money scaled ticket price by the number of attractions and the hours each guest can spend in the park to see where their money will go the furthest. And when all factors are considered, it turns out Cedar Point is the theme park that’s actually worth visiting this fall, as it scored the best with 6.9 out of 10. The 364-acre amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, also scored the best for value for money, with the $46.99 entry fee and $25 parking well worth it when the whopping 72 attractions and time spent in the park (up to 13 hours each day over the spooky season) are accounted for. The park also performed particularly well for theming, as there are a staggering 19 Halloween-specific ‘nighttime frights’ planned over their ‘Halloweekend’ events, including mazes, outdoor scare zones, and ‘sinister’ live shows. Plenty of people will be there to share your enthusiasm with, data shows, as the park was one of the top scorers for popularity, with the second-highest annual search volume (second to Universal Studios Hollywood), and was rated an impressive 4.6 out of five by reviewers. Following Cedar Point as the second-best pick this Halloween is - surprisingly for some - Knott’s Berry Farm, largely due to its manageable crowd levels.  The park reports an average daily footfall of 10,085 and a crowd level score of 37% each October - yet manages to keep ride queues fairly reasonable at a maximum of 73 minutes. Knott’s Berry Farm also manages impressive theming (working around the boysenberry) thanks to its 19 Halloween-specific attractions for ‘Knott’s Scary Farm’, including ten immersive mazes, five scare zones, and four live shows. Rounding out the top three parks is Disneyland Park, which came out as the top-scorer for amenities with a huge 127 eateries and 76 gift shops across the whole Disneyland Resort. The beloved park also offers some of the best value for money, as the $114 online ticket price and $30 parking cost go far, with 58 attractions and up to 16 hours in the park. Top 10 theme parks this Halloween On the other end of the scale, the theme parks that came out as the least desirable picks this Halloween were Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, which scored 3 out of 10, and - shockingly, Universal Studios Florida, which scored 3.9 out of 10. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay was let down by its amenities, with just 11 gift shops and eateries, and also by the availability of its Halloween event - Howl-O-Scream - as it only runs for 27 days for up to 8 hours 0 compared to the 60 days and 16 hours in Disneyland. Despite being renowned for having one of the best live-action scare shows around with their Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios Florida was scuppered by amenities and cost. Right now, adult park admissions cost a sensational $324 for a 3-park ticket - according to their site - and visitors must shell out an additional $89.99 to attend the nighttime events.  However, the park still scored well for theming, with 17 Halloween-specific events, including 10 haunted houses and 5 scare zones - including one based on Stranger Things 4. Speaking on the findings, a JeffBet spokesperson said: “Halloween is one of the most in-demand events at US theme parks, as they take the opportunity to attract visitors with live-action scare shows, pumpkin carving competitions, and fancy dress parties. “However, the big names like Universal Studios and Disneyland Resort tend to overshadow smaller providers like Knott’s Berry Farm and Cedar Point, making it easy for visitors to end up overpaying for an experience that may actually be better elsewhere. “It’s surprising to see Kings Island above Universal Studios in the ranking - and it just goes to show that there’s something for everyone this fall in the smaller parks and the big!”    

Abu Dhabi

Yas Theme Parks hosts kids from Emirates Autism Center

Yas Theme Parks hosted students of determination from the Emirates Autism Center (EAC) for three days of exciting entertainment and endless fun to enjoy the summer activities. The visit offered the students a chance to enjoy the parks’ family-friendly rides and attractions where there is no shortage of fun for all. The students enjoyed a variety of summer activities at the parks such as the Italian Summer and the all-new DC Super Hero Season, in addition to splash-tastic adventures to beat the heat and reliving their childhood memories meeting their favorite animation characters and Super Heroes. Guests visiting Yas Theme Parks and attractions, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, CLYMB Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan, are required to present a valid Green Pass via the ALHOSN UAE app upon entry. Emirates Autism Center is a private center specialised in the field of autism, based in Abu Dhabi. The center is specialised in autism spectrum disorders and its doors are open throughout the entire year with state-of-the-art classrooms specifically designed to meet the sensory and environmental needs of its students.  

Cruise

Cruise news: ‘Theme park at sea’ to debut in Barcelona and more

This week on our cruise radar, a 'theme park at sea' sets sail in Barcelona this 2020, Carnival announces new ships for four brands, CMV stands by Kangaroo Island and more. Allure of the Seas, a theme park at sea Amplified Allure of the Seas The newly 'Amplified Allure of the Seas' is soaring to new heights for experiences at sea with exciting thrills on every deck, reimagined spaces and adventures aboard, expected to debut in Barcelona for the Summer 2020 season.

With its myriad offerings, travellers will only feel that they are sailing abroad a theme park. The Amplified Allure of the Seas will double the fun with an aqua park, the Splashaway Bay, which will be loaded with colourful waterslides, water cannons, fountains and whirlpools. Also; deck 16 will be home to the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at sea that stretches over 10 stories. The family-friendly ship will also feature The Perfect Storm, which is a trio of water slides with see-through panels so adventurers can catch a glimpse of the views as they go down. The FlowRider is another corner for some adrenaline-filled experience with over 12 metres long surf stimulator and 30,000 gallons of rushing awesome in the way. Four Carnival brands to launch new ships in 2020 Carnival Corporation has announced it will launch four new cruise ships in 2020 across four of its global cruise line brands – Iona for P&O Cruises UK, Enchanted Princess for Princess Cruises, Mardi Gras for Carnival Cruise Line and Costa Firenze for Italian brand Costa Cruises. Iona marks the first new ship for P&O Cruises since the introduction of Britannia in 2015. Enchanted Princess is designed from the ground up as a Princess MedallionClass ship. Costa Firenze is Costa Cruises' second ship designed and built specifically for the China market. Mardi Gras is named as a tribute to TSS Mardi Gras, Carnival Cruise Line's first-ever ship, which marked a historic turning point in accelerating growth in the popularity of modern-day cruising. "An opportunity to generate excitement and buzz" "Each new ship is an opportunity to generate excitement and buzz among consumers around the world, whether loyal guests or new to cruising, that will continue to inspire more travellers to consider cruising as a vacation option," said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. "We look forward to the delivery of four more spectacular ships, which will offer our guests the latest in onboard features and amenities – and help us continue our reputation for providing great cruise vacations that are significantly less than comparable land-based vacations." CMV offers assistance to Kangaroo Island Vasco da Gama Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ ship the Vasco da Gama cancelled the call at Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island on Saturday 4 January as a result of the escalating Australian bushfires. Cruise & Maritime Voyages immediately contacted the South Australian Country Fire Service and offered to assist with the evacuation of local islanders and tourists from Kangaroo Island. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the Australian bushfires” Vasco da Gama was scheduled to call at Penneshaw, Kangaroo Island on Saturday as part of her 4-night South Australian Icons itinerary but due to the concern over the escalating bushfires this port of call had to be cancelled. The South Australian Country Fire Service advised Cruise & Maritime Voyages that two-thirds of the island were operating with the highest level of warning in place and advised cancelling the port of call. CMV was advised at 08:38 on Saturday morning that the assistance of Vasco da Gama was not necessary, and she continued on her voyage. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the Australian bushfires,” said Dean Brazier, managing director CMV Australia. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines launches Gin Masterclasses New for 2020, as part of its immersive onboard enrichment programme, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is giving guests the chance to create their own bespoke gin during their cruise holidays, with guidance from expert gin-makers, Nigel and Debbie Wright. The first Gin Masterclasses has taken place onboard Fred. Olsen’s flagship, Balmoral, during its 70-night L2001 ‘South American Exploration’ cruise, which departed from Southampton on 6 January 2020. “We are delighted that Nigel and Debbie Wright will be sharing their knowledge and expertise with our guests and giving them the opportunity to develop their own gin. This is a unique experience, which teaches the whole of the gin-making process, from picking the botanicals through to distillation, and we are very excited at the prospect of our guests enjoying this fantastic class.” Follow cruise news for the latest updates in the cruise industry. You may also send press releases via cruise@traveldailymedia.com.

Attractions

Beijing’s Universal theme park to open in 2021

The Universal Beijing Resort has announced the park will open in 2021, bringing China another major international theme park. The park will be the largest Universal theme park in the world after its construction is completed. The park project was announced in 2014 and is the fifth Universal theme park and the third in Asia. The park is expected to host attractions and rides of Universal’s big productions including Harry Potter, Minions, Hollywood and Jurassic Park. Universal Beijing Resort is owned by Beijing International Resort, a joint venture between Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment and Universal Parks & Resorts, a business unit of Comcast NBCUniversal.

Attractions

Bahrain submerges Boeing 747 for upcoming underwater theme park

The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) has officially announced the successful submersion of its 70-metre long decommissioned Boeing 747, the centrepiece to the upcoming world’s largest underwater theme park, set to open in August 2019. Located off the north coast of mainland Bahrain, 30 km from the Amwaj islands, the underwater spectacle sits approximately 20 metres deep. Now in its desired location, the plane will soon play host to an exceptional new diving experience and international attraction in Bahrain, fostering new coral growth and providing a safe haven for marine life. More items are set to be fabricated and submerged alongside the plane, including a 900-square metre traditional Bahraini pearl merchant’s house, a major contender to boosting the Kingdom’s eco-tourism sector. "The new theme park will undoubtedly emerge as a global tourist attraction." Thanks to a specialist team, required procedures and preparations were put in place, ensuring the project’s strict compliance with international environmental and safety standards. Such events included dismantling and reassembling the aircraft’s wings, removing wires, hydraulic, aerial and fuel systems, adhesive, plastic, rubber, chemical materials, and all possibly-toxic substances to preserve the marine environment. Fully decontaminated from toxic substances, every effort has been taken to limit the project’s environmental footprint and to ensure delivery in the most environmentally sound manner, working in favour of wildlife preservation and research into marine ecology. The minister of industry, commerce and tourism and chairman of BTEA board, HE Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, stated, “We are proud to launch this unique eco-friendly project in partnership with local diving companies, the Supreme Council for Environment and the private sector. The new theme park will undoubtedly emerge as a global tourist attraction. The world-class project covers an extensive area and will provide an unforgettable experience for both tourists and diving enthusiasts alike.” The near-to-complete project is in line with BTEA’s long-term tourism strategy, embodying Bahrain’s wider vision to generate future opportunities for tourism and drive full economic growth by 2030.