November 26, 2003

By Samantha Enslin

Durban - Ticket prices, a key element of the long-term sustainability of Durban's flagship theme park uShaka Marine World, which is due to open in April next year, will be reviewed next week by the board.

Collin Thaver, the sales and marketing manager at uShaka Island Management, said yesterday the challenge was to ensure that first-time visitors returned.

The R700 million development on a 16ha site near the harbour mouth and facing Bells Beach is expected to attract up to 4.2 million visitors a year. Revenue for the first year is forecast at R130 million, doubling by 2016.

Of these 4.2 million visitors, 1.2 million will be paying guests to the aquarium Sea World and the Dolphin Park and the water park Wet 'n Wild. Over and above this, between 2.5 million and 3 million people a year are expected to visit the 1 200m2 retail component and Bells Beach, where entry will be free.  

Thaver said surveys had shown that charging people at the entrance to a complex generally limited the numbers of visitors because they were not exposed to the full experience.

At uShaka Marine World the retail component overlooked the theme park, which might entice non-paying visitors to return as paying guests, Thaver said.

The ticketing strategy is a combination of a loyalty card programme in which card holders will receive discounts in relation to the season's rates or three- to five-day passes as well as different prices for adults and children.

Thaver said they saw children as a key market for the success of the uShaka Marine World. International visitors were expected to account for about 13 percent of visitors.