A Brief History
The history of Chessington is extensive, dating back to 1931 when it opened as Chessington Zoo. Under the ownership of Merlin, following its merger with The Tussauds Group in 2007, there has been plentiful investment. To create on-site accommodation and new high-quality animal-themed attractions for families.
The Trend
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business has been significant. With long periods where Chessington was closed and at present, the Theme Park can only operate at reduced capacity. Plans for new attractions have also been delayed. Therefore it is vitally important that as the leisure and tourism industry re-opens Chessington is quick to respond. With new opportunities to improve. It will help to maintain its market position and continue attracting guests.
Pre COVID-19, the development history of Chessington has shown that periods of underinvestment often result in difficult trading periods. With visitors choosing other alternative attractions and leisure opportunities. Now more than ever before Chessington has to respond or it risks losing visitors to competitors.