Six Flags eyes further international expansion with Saudi Arabia plans
by Tom Anstey | 20 Jun 2016
After exiting bankruptcy-court protection in May 2010, Six Flags has shown good growth post-recession as attendance and ticket sales have improved
Six Flags continues to focus its efforts outside of the US, with plans to bring its theme park brand to Saudi Arabia as its global expansion continues.
Operating under a franchise model, Six Flags has seen its global footprint start to rapidly expand in 2016. The operator has already confirmed plans for Six Flags developments in Dubai, Vietnam and China, with park CEO John Duffey exclusively telling Attractions Management earlier this month that those plans were the first step in building “multiple” Six Flags parks across the Middle East and Asia in the next decade.
Speaking on Saudi-owned Arabiya TV today (20 June), Duffey confirmed plans for a Saudi theme park, stating that Six Flags’ parks could “provide the entertainment to which Saudis aspire."
Six Flags chair James-Reid Anderson had previously met with prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is seeking alternative revenues for the Saudi kingdom as most of the Middle East turns its eye to tourism before its oil supplies run dry.
After exiting bankruptcy-court protection in May 2010, Six Flags has shown good growth post-recession as attendance and ticket sales have improved. Last year marked the company’s sixth consecutive year of record performance and during that time more than US$2bn (€1.8bn, £1.4bn) has been returned to shareholders.
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Six Flags continues to focus its efforts outside of the US, with plans to bring its theme park brand to Saudi Arabia as its global expansion continues. Operating under a franchise model, Six Flags has seen its global footprint start to rapidly expand in 2016. The operator has already confirmed plans for Six Flags developments in Dubai, Vietnam and China, with park CEO John Duffey exclusively telling Attractions Management earlier
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