- Title: JAPAN: Tokyo Disneyland celebrates its 25th anniversary
- Date: 20th April 2008
- Summary: MICKEY MOUSE STANDING ON BALCONY OF CINDERELLA'S CASTLE MICKEY MOUSE AND HIS FRIENDS DANCING AND WAVING FLAGS IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE VISITORS WATCHING FIREWORKS AT THE CASTLE
- Embargoed: 5th May 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA8OZZV8IOEOJTQJRVBQI0AW78Q
- Story Text: Tokyo Disneyland celebrates its 25th anniversary, eyes attracting more foreign and elderly visitors as Japan's population declines.
Tokyo Disneyland celebrated its 25-year anniversary on Tuesday (April 15) with singing and dancing Disney characters and thousands of visitors.
Mickey Mouse and hundreds of his Disney friends entertained visitors as fireworks burst over Cinderella's castle.
Until now, the theme park's target audience was young people. But in the next quarter century, Tokyo Disney Resort will need to look at new markets, such as foreign, elderly and male visitors to maintain it's business in the Japan, which has the world's fastest ageing population.
By 2055, 40 percent of Japan's population will be over 65.
The first Walt Disney theme park to open outside of the United States, Tokyo Disney Resort includes Disneyland and DisneySea, a water theme park, two hotels and a shopping mall.
The parks, which generated 3.2 billion U.S. dollars last year, have about 25.8 million annual visitors, over 96 percent of them from Japan. About 84 percent of visitors are aged 39 and under.
Oriental Land Co Ltd, the Japanese company that owns and operates the resort under a license from the Walt Disney Co, says it wants to tap the potential abroad.
The number of foreign visitors has been increasing year by year as Tokyo Disneyland promotes the resort to travel agencies in Asia.
"I think the one in Hong Kong is very small. We have been to Orlando already and this is the other one we have never been before,"
said 55-year-old Thai tourist Sandy Rattanavalee who came to the park with his children during a week-long Japan trip.
"It is just too many people, but we love that," added 54-year-old Thai tourist Chaiyarat Prasertthai, who came with his family.
Tokyo Disney Resort, however, has yet to mount an aggressive campaign to attract tourists from abroad unlike smaller rival Universal Studios Japan, a theme park that opened in 2001 in western Japan.
Foreign tourists to Universal Studios' theme park rose to about 10 percent of the total visitors of 8.6 million in the 2006/2007 financial year, up from around 3 percent in 2004, as the company set up marketing offices in Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
Tokyo Disneyland is also looking to attract the elderly as Japan ages.
It launched a cheaper annual pass for seniors in March and it has begun to host entertainment such as horticulture exhibitions and a circus theatre for those with more sophisticated tastes.
A staggering 73 percent of visitors are female - possibly due to the enormous popularity of Disney characters among Japanese females.
Finding the right mix to attract new customers, such as more men, without making radical changes that might alienate its traditional female customer base will be a challenge for Tokyo Disneyland but one that may pay off as Japan ages.
"I like Disneyland because being here, I can relax and forget everyday stress," said 54-year-old Ryuzo Kawamura, one of male customers who came the park with his wife.
Another looming challenge for Disney is managing competition with other Disney parks in Asia, although the struggling Hong Kong Disneyland is hardly yet a threat. Disney is pondering setting up a park near Shanghai. The plan is on hold due to concern it might undermine Hong Kong Disneyland. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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