Diversifying Tourism in The Riviera Maya with Dora The Explorer and Shrek
Is the Riviera Maya ready for the Ninja Turtles and Spongebob Squarepants? They are coming soon. Nickelodeon plans to open a family themed all-inclusive resort in the Riviera Maya by December 2017 or early 2018. The construction of this complex has generated 1,800 jobs, so far.
The beachfront resort will cater to children and their families and will feature swim up suites, slime machines, Nickelodeon characters, a child-friendly spa, zip lines, pools, and a theater.
The Riviera Maya will be Nickelodeon’s second theme park resort; the first is located in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The 440-room hotel offers cartoon themed suites featuring Nickelodeon’s most beloved cartoon characters including Dora The Explorer, Rugrats, and Spongebob Squarepants. Nickelodeon expects to expand their themed hotel in other tourist areas of Mexico.
Meanwhile, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda are set to arrive near Maroma Beach in the Riviera Maya, as two theme parks, Dream Park and Thrill Park created by Dreamworks Animation studios, begin construction. The development will include, more than 30 rides and themed attractions, 7.5 hectares of adventure park including high-speed roller coasters, two cinemas, 4D theater, and many other attractions, including a museum of Anthropology of the Maya World, and of course a shopping plaza. This project is expected to create upwards of 2,000 new jobs, and they anticipate 4.5 million tourists a year.
In the complex, you find three hotels, Grand Gala hotel, Hotel De Adults, and the Maroma hotel.
The project was initially announced in 2014, but it has been on hold until The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT ) assessed the environmental impact studies. Dreamworks has been given the go ahead, and they claim all the mangroves surrounding the area will be protected.
The Riviera Maya is one of the most popular vacation, and expat destinations in the world and with internationally known corporations like DreamWorks and Nickelodeon investing in the area it is sure to increase growth and investment opportunities.