The trend for new theme parks in China has continued with the announcement of the US$1.6bn (€1.2bn, £934m) Poseidon Ocean Kingdom in Harbin, Heilongjiang.

Scheduled to open in July 2016, the park – backed and funded by the Malaysia-based KWZone Group – will be themed around stories of the Greek sea god Poseidon and will cover 1sq km (0.4sq m).

Taylor Jeffs of US-based GGE, which is designing the visual aspects of the project, said that Poseidon will take visitors into the stories, with the park consisting of the lost empire of Atlantis and featuring palaces and sculptures themed around the Greek god.

Song Xibin, mayor of Harbin, said at the park's inauguration ceremony that the project would help boost the city's cultural tourism industry and improve Harbin's competitiveness as a visitor destination.

More than 60 theme parks are now under development in China with IAAPA CEO and president, Paul Nolan, recently calling the region “the fastest growing market in the world.”