A spokesman for the Buppa tourist department said the city is discussing safety issues, such whether they could run hot water inside a roller coaster
A spa-themed amusement park, which first started as an internet campaign intended to promote the 2,000 onsens (or hot springs) in the Japanese city of Beppu, became a reality this month.
The existing Rakutenchi theme park in Beppu was “re-purposed” over a single weekend and renamed “Yu-Enchi” – a play on the words fun and spa – with a number of rides being transformed into having an onsen theme.
Riders on the park’s roller coaster were drenched in soapy foam before going out onto the track, a merry-go-round featuring bath tubs was introduced and a number of spa-themed group activities were organised around the park.
The park is a result of a tongue-in-cheek video – showing guests sitting in a roller coaster, waist deep in onsen water – launched by the mayor Beppu last year.
Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano promised to make the ‘spamusement park’ a reality if the video got one million views – which it did in the matter of days.
Beppu is famous for having more than 2,000 onsen – or hot springs – and the video was part of the mayor’s plans to promote the city as a wellness tourism destination.
Once the 1m view milestone had been hit, Nagano kept his promise and the city raised more than ¥33m ($US300,000) through crowdfunding alone in order to bring the park to life.
The park was opened for three days – from 29 July to 31 August – and attracted more than 12,000 visitors.
See the original video of the park below
The media attention created by the park and the viral campaign over the past year has seemingly worked, too.
The ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa will include a public onsen bath, spa and pool, and the 89 bedrooms will each feature their own private onsen with water from a local hot spring.
Intercontinental to open first onsen resort POSTED 23 Jun 2017. BY Jane Kitchen InterContinental Hotels will open its first onsen resort in the Japanese city of Beppu in
2019.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
A spokesman for the Buppa tourist department said the city is discussing safety issues, such whether they could run hot water inside a roller coaster
A spa-themed amusement park, which first started as an internet campaign intended to promote the 2,000 onsens (or hot springs) in the Japanese city of Beppu, became a reality this month.
The existing Rakutenchi theme park in Beppu was “re-purposed” over a single weekend and renamed “Yu-Enchi” – a play on the words fun and spa – with a number of rides being transformed into having an onsen theme.
Riders on the park’s roller coaster were drenched in soapy foam before going out onto the track, a merry-go-round featuring bath tubs was introduced and a number of spa-themed group activities were organised around the park.
The park is a result of a tongue-in-cheek video – showing guests sitting in a roller coaster, waist deep in onsen water – launched by the mayor Beppu last year.
Mayor Yasuhiro Nagano promised to make the ‘spamusement park’ a reality if the video got one million views – which it did in the matter of days.
Beppu is famous for having more than 2,000 onsen – or hot springs – and the video was part of the mayor’s plans to promote the city as a wellness tourism destination.
Once the 1m view milestone had been hit, Nagano kept his promise and the city raised more than ¥33m ($US300,000) through crowdfunding alone in order to bring the park to life.
The park was opened for three days – from 29 July to 31 August – and attracted more than 12,000 visitors.
See the original video of the park below
The media attention created by the park and the viral campaign over the past year has seemingly worked, too.
The ANA InterContinental Beppu Resort & Spa will include a public onsen bath, spa and pool, and the 89 bedrooms will each feature their own private onsen with water from a local hot spring.
Intercontinental to open first onsen resort POSTED 23 Jun 2017. BY Jane Kitchen InterContinental Hotels will open its first onsen resort in the Japanese city of Beppu in
2019.
Abu Dhabi-based investment firm Mubadala Capital has made a binding, fully financed
€1 billion
offer to acquire Pierre and Vacances SA, the European holiday resort operator behind the
continental European Center Parcs business.
Disney has reaffirmed its commitment to investing US$30 billion in its US parks and cruise
business by 2033, using new America250 celebrations to underline the role its attractions play
in supporting jobs, tourism and economic growth.
Expo 2030 Riyadh is being planned as a permanent visitor destination, with organisers
confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
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