China: World’s First Standalone Peppa Pig Resort to be Built in Sichuan

Merlin Entertainments (Merlin) has announced the construction of the world’s first standalone Peppa Pig Resort in southwest China’s Sichuan Province – to mark the occasion, a formal cooperation agreement was signed last week by all parties involved. The project is being developed in collaboration with US toy manufacturer Hasbro, the Meishan Administration Committee of Sichuan Tianfu New Area, Zhongjun Tiaxin (Beijing) Investment Co. Ltd., and Chengdu Excellent City Property, and will see the construction of a Peppa Pig Theme Park, a Peppa Pig Hotel, and a new SEA LIFE aquarium adjacent to the park. Construction is scheduled to begin next month (July), and the resort, which is expected to be developed into a global flagship destination, is scheduled to open in 2024. In 2019, Merlin had already announced the creation of a LEGOLAND Resort in Sichuan (cf. EAP news of 27 Sept 2019).

Thanks to an exclusive partnership with Hasbro, owner of the Peppa Pig brand, Merlin has already implemented two Peppa Pig-themed areas at existing European theme park resorts (Heide Park Soltau in Germany and Gardaland in Italy) in the past three years. This spring, the British operating group also announced the world’s first Peppa Pig™ Theme Park for Florida, scheduled to open in 2022 (cf. EAP news of 26 Feb 2021). (eap)