Hong Kong (February 17, 2014) — Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) today reported for the fourth consecutive year record revenue, attendance, hotel occupancy and guest spending for the 2013 fiscal year1. In total, the HKDL Resort generated HK$4,896 million in revenue, up 15% from the previous year, while net profit more than doubled to HK$242 million.
Combined with the success of the recent expansion, the new hotel plan and other upcoming guest offerings will continue to strengthen HKDL’s positioning as the premier family destination of the region and underpin the growth momentum as seen in the fiscal 2013 results. New initiatives in the pipeline include a brand new nighttime spectacular called “Disney Paint the Night” in 2014, 10th anniversary celebration offerings in 2015 and a new themed area based on Marvel’s Iron Man franchise in late 2016.
The resort broke previous attendance records, reaching an all-time high of 7.4 million guests. The results are attributed to expansion efforts, strong marketing, effective management strategies and positive tourism growth during the fiscal year.
Steady growth was registered across the three main sources of guests from the local community, mainland China and international markets, with the latter two accounting for about two-thirds of total guests. Overall hotel occupancy was at a new high of 94% for fiscal 2013, while guest spending broke records with a 6% year-over-year increase.
The successful opening of Mystic Point in May of 2013 marked the completion of the 2009 expansion, which has increased the Park’s total size by about one-fourth and brought the total number of attractions and entertainment offerings to over 100.
Like Toy Story Land and Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point has proven to be a huge hit among guests. Mystic Manor, a new immersive indoor attraction using an innovative trackless vehicle ride system, was honored in fiscal 2013 by the Themed Entertainment Association with the coveted Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement – Attraction, thanks to its technological and storytelling achievements.
“HKDL is an integral component in supporting Hong Kong’s position as one of the world’s top cities for leisure tourists and business visitors. Expansion plans are in place to sustain the momentum of growth and capture increasing demand especially in the light of growing tourism taking place in the region,” said Kam.
The new hotel’s total investment of $4.263 billion will be funded by a combination of operating cash of HKDL, cash equity injection from The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) along with a partial conversion of the existing Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG) term loan to equity on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and new term loans from TWDC and the HKSARG.
The new hotel development reaffirms TWDC’s confidence in the future of HKDL and Hong Kong.
HKDL will also continue adding to the economic benefits HKDL brings to Hong Kong through resort-based employment positions, construction and other jobs related to its business.
In fiscal 2013, additional spending in Hong Kong by HKDL visitors generated HK$11.6 billion of value added to Hong Kong, which is equivalent to around 0.58% of Hong Kong’s GDP. A total of 33,200 jobs (in terms of man-years) were created, primarily benefiting frontline workers as well as the travel and hospitality industry. Construction of the new hotel will create additional job opportunities and another 600-700 full-time equivalent jobs in HKDL after the new hotel commences operation.
On average, HKDL employed more than 4,800 full-time and 2,600 part-time staff during the 2013 fiscal year, making the Resort one of Hong Kong’s largest employers in the entertainment industry. HKDL is committed to developing a highly skilled and quality workforce, providing over 380,000 hours of professional and technical training during the year as well.
Since opening, HKDL has received 271 awards in recognition of its design, technical achievements, distinctive guest services, commitment to the community and environment and high family appeal. HKDL received a total of 61 awards during the fiscal year, including Best Theme Attraction at the 24th Annual TTG Travel Awards, the Pacific Asia Travel Association Gold Award 2013 in the Marketing Industry category, the Best Theme Park of the Year from China Travel and Meetings Industry Awards, the 4th Asia’s Best Employer Brand Award presented by the Employer Branding Institute, and the 2013 Randstad Award for Best Workplace Culture in Hong Kong.