Guangzhou, Friday, 21 November 2025.
A recent market forecast cited Chimelong Group among the operators shaping a global amusement parks sector set to climb from roughly USD 66.25 billion in 2024 to about USD 101.9 billion by 2031. For retail and resort professionals, the most striking takeaway is the growing power of vertically integrated operators—those combining parks, F&B, retail and hotels—to drive demand for themed retail, supplier services and higher-throughput attractions. The report highlights accelerating capital deployment across the Asia–Pacific, rising consolidation risk, and a premium on differentiated guest experiences that boost per-capita spend and shorten ROI horizons on large masterplans. Expect intensified pressure on merchandising strategies, partner selection for ride and retail fit-outs, and dynamic pricing and capacity solutions to capture forecasted CAGR. For executives planning expansion or capital allocation, this signals a need to prioritise integrated revenue streams, scalable retail concepts, and operational flexibility to capitalise on regional growth and evolving guest expectations.
Market forecast that puts Chimelong in the frame
A late‑2024 market analysis projects the global amusement‑parks market to grow from USD 66.25 billion in 2024 to USD 101.9 billion by 2031, and explicitly lists Chimelong Group among the major operators shaping that market outlook [1]. The same report highlights a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.10% between 2024 and 2031, framing the expansion that underpins rising investor interest across regions including Asia–Pacific [1]. 53.811 [1].
Why vertical integration matters — Chimelong as an exemplar
The practical significance of Chimelong’s inclusion in the forecast lies in its vertically integrated business model: the company operates large resort clusters combining parks, hotels, F&B and retail, a footprint that the industry report and corporate profiles identify as a driver of demand for higher‑value themed retail and supplier services [1][2]. Chimelong’s resort portfolio and recent industry recognition were highlighted in coverage that notes the operator’s escalation from single‑park beginnings to multi‑resort masterplans, reinforcing the idea that integrated operators set benchmarks for supplier specifications, theming scope and return‑on‑investment horizons for large projects [1][2].
Capital deployment and consolidation pressures in Asia–Pacific
The market analysis warns of accelerating capital deployment in the Asia–Pacific region and elevated consolidation risk as incumbents and new entrants chase scale, IP and ancillary revenue streams — a dynamic that concentrates negotiating power with ride manufacturers, themers and retail partners [1]. For executives, this means procurement windows and partner selection will increasingly be shaped by large master‑plan timetables and by operators who bundle hotel, retail and F&B requirements in single contracts [1].
Operational implications for retail, merchandising and throughput
Operators seeking to capture the forecasted CAGR should prioritise differentiated guest experiences that lift per‑capita spend and reduce payback periods on major investments, the report advises — specifically calling out immersive IP‑led attractions, dynamic pricing and capacity solutions as key levers to increase spend and throughput [1]. That advice translates directly into tougher briefs for retail partners: scalable retail concepts that integrate F&B, licensed merchandise and contactless commerce, plus supply chains able to support seasonal demand spikes and higher throughput attractions, will be favoured by capital allocators [1].
Institutional signals and recent industry validation
Institutional recognition of Chimelong’s leadership reinforces the market narrative: Chimelong’s chairman was inducted into the global attractions industry Hall of Fame at an IAAPA event held last Monday, an accolade that industry commentary ties to the company’s scale, resort development and international influence — factors the market report identifies as emblematic of the vertically integrated operator profile now shaping supplier demand and investment benchmarks [2][1].
Bronnen