Fortune News | Jun 15,2019
Sep 28 , 2019
By SELAMAWIT MENGESAHA ( FORTUNE STAFF WRITER )
Atlas Resort, located in Gelan town in Oromia Regional State, added a new amusement park to its premises at a cost of 25 million Br.
The park, which will be inaugurated by the end of November, installed 20 pieces of playground equipment such as a children's train ride, carousels, flying chairs, a roller coaster, a rotary and thrill rides.
Lying on 50,000Sqm of land, Atlas imported the gaming equipment for both adults and children from China with the aim of attracting families.
“The park gives an opportunity for children to play outdoors while providing many entertainments and social benefits,” said Hailemariam Worku, the resort's owner. “Such kinds of parks are not easily available in the country despite having high demand.”
Atlas was first opened in 2003 and also features a hotel, a swimming pool, meeting rooms, a bar, banks and a parking place that can accommodate 200 cars.
Beston Amusement Equipment Factory, the company that supplied the equipment, also installed the gaming machinery and will also provide after-sales technical service, spare parts and a warranty of eight years for the equipment.
A Swedish company, Abacon International AB did the civil work.
Beston mainly produces different types of amusement rides. It was established in 2008 by eight service networks including more than 60 after-sales service engineers for the overseas market.
"The resort planned to build the amusement park 15 years ago, but the government did not extend its cooperation, stating that the equipment were luxury items," said Hailemariam. "Finally, the government gave its approval to import the equipment for the playground in November 2018."
The resort, with an estimated capital of 60 million Br, is owned by Atlas International Hotel located on Bole Road. The Hotel was established in 1987 and has 80 employees and 60 rooms.
Nationwide, there are 600 hotels across Ethiopia, but most of them are located in Addis Abeba, Hawasssa, Bahir Dar, Adama and Meqelle.
Experts believe that the resort is eyeing a new market.
Because the park was constructed to be enjoyed by the whole family rather than only by children, this might give it an edge, according to Yohannes Paulos, a consultant who has 45 years of experience in international hotels.
However, he notes that the visitors of the park will only be nationals.
“Foreign tourists are not attracted by such amusement parks,” said Yohannes. “The park might fail in bringing forex into the country.”
Last month Kuriftu Resort & Spa inaugurated the nation’s first-ever water amusement park built in Bishoftu with a capacity of accommodating 5,000 visitors a day.
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