HK Disneyland's attendance drops

The theme park in Hong Kong was opened in September 2005

The number of people visiting Hong Kong Disneyland fell 20% in its second year of operation to more than 4 million, the Hong Kong government has said.

In its first year of operation the theme park attracted 5.2 million visitors, 400,000 short of its target.

The park is 57%-owned by the Hong Kong government and 43% by the Walt Disney.

"In the short term we did not achieve the attendance targets for which we had hoped," said the park's spokeswoman Glendy Chu.

"We recognise that we need to bolster our numbers which is our focus today."

Increased competition

The [Hong Kong] government, as the major shareholder... is not satisfied with the performance of the park Report to Hong Kong's Legislative Council

The park has been criticised for being too small, crowded at peak-times and lacking major attractions of its sister parks in the United States, Paris and Tokyo.

Hong Kong Disneyland also faces increased competition from its local rival theme park, Ocean Park, which attracted more visitors for the same period.

The Hong Kong government has refused to provide more money to Hong Kong Disneyland until it turns around its losses.

"While recognising that the Hong Kong Disneyland is in its early start-up operating phases, the government, as the major shareholder... is not satisfied with the performance of the park," the report to Hong Kong's Legislative Council said.

The government said in its annual update on the operation of the park that it had urged the management company "to continue to improve operational efficiency and devise cost-effective marketing strategies".

Disney said in November that its profits had climbed, helped by a rise in the number of people visiting its US theme parks and more advertising on its ESPN sports television network.

Disney said its US theme parks benefited from the weak dollar as it had put off Americans from travelling abroad.