Most US citizens know the city of Orlando for its cornucopia of amusement parks and other tourist attractions. The city of
Wuhu is building a similar reputation in China, with domestically developed theme parks attracting thrillseekers from all over the country.
"I can't imagine a park like this being in China. I think it rivals the theme parks found abroad," said Wu Mei, a tourist from Shanghai, after watching a film at the Fantawild Adventure Theme Park, located in
Wuhu in east China's Anhui province.
The park is different from many others in the country in that its high-tech rides and attractions were completely designed and built in China. Fantawild Holdings, based in the city of
Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong province, owns two theme parks in Wuhu.
"The company has a research and development team of over 1,000 people, allowing it to update its products with new designs to keep people interested," said Hu Guanghua, marketing director of Fantawild's Anhui branch.
In 2011, the Fantawild Adventure Theme Park received 2.33 million people, up 10 percent year-on-year. More than 10 million people have visited the Fantawild parks in
Wuhu over the last four years, making the city a popular tourist destination.
Before the theme parks opened, large tracts of empty land were a common sight in Wuhu. Large hotels, restaurants and retailers were rarely seen, said Kong Lingcai, an official from Wuhu's Communist Party of China (CPC) committee.
But less than two years after the parks were built, more than 100 hotels and restaurants were opened in the city, Kong said.
The city's job market is also booming. Hu said the Fantawild parks in
Wuhu employ over 2,000 people, while related industries in the city are employing even more.
The city government plans to build more parks over the next five to 10 years, aiming to create a "theme park complex" in the city.
"We hope to build
Wuhu into an 'eastern Orlando'," said Xiong Taixiang, vice director of the
Wuhu government's cultural industry development office
The "eastern Orlando," however, will not be a mere copy of the US city, but will include more Chinese content, as can be seen in the decor at the Fantawild parks.
"We are trying to integrate Chinese culture with our high-tech facilities," Hu said.
The construction of a theme park based on China's intangible cultural heritage is expected to start in
Wuhu this year.
