With Tourism Rising, China Opens Its First Legoland in Shanghai

AFP/APP

Shanghai: Thousands of excited visitors flocked to China’s first-ever Legoland as it officially opened its gates in Shanghai on Saturday, marking a major step in the country’s expanding theme park industry.

The Chinese branch of the British-owned franchise is now the largest Legoland in the world, offering a wide range of attractions including a miniature train ride and a dragon-themed rollercoaster.

“I personally love playing with Lego blocks, and we have many sets at home,” said Shi, a 35-year-old tourist from nearby Hangzhou, who was visiting the park with his wife and child. “So I wanted to come to Legoland at the earliest opportunity.”

Despite sluggish economic growth in recent years, China’s domestic tourism sector continues to thrive. Tourist spending surged by 18.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to official statistics.

“Ever since the pandemic, I’ve made very few trips abroad,” Shi added, noting that his family now visits theme parks across China several times a year.

Eager Lego fans entered the 318,000-square-metre (78.5-acre) park wearing themed shirts and waving Lego flags, braving sweltering summer heat to enjoy the grand opening.

To further boost domestic travel, Beijing has rolled out subsidies aimed at making tourism more affordable and is urging local governments to promote attractions through social media campaigns.

Companies are responding to the tourism boom with aggressive expansion plans. A new “Spider-Man” attraction broke ground at Shanghai Disneyland in May, while Warner Bros. is set to launch a Harry Potter experience in the city by 2027. Toy giant Hasbro also announced that its upcoming Peppa Pig theme park in Shanghai is currently in the creative design phase.

Meanwhile, Chinese collectible toy brand Pop Mart recently opened an attraction in Beijing featuring life-sized versions of its popular Labubu characters.

“The various provinces are putting a lot of effort into expanding their tourism industries, and all of them have special attractions,” said Xu, a 34-year-old parent visiting Legoland with his children.

However, profitability remains a challenge—especially for smaller, lesser-known parks. According to state media, around 40 percent of theme parks were still operating at a loss as of late 2024.

Even so, industry analysts remain optimistic. A growing population of retirees and increased job flexibility are pushing more people to explore domestic destinations.

“The labour market is turning more flexible,” said Ernan Cui, a consumer analyst at Gavekal Research. “More people now have the leisure time to travel.”