02 Sep 2014
Korea plans coffee-inspired theme park
BY Alice Davis
Popular South Korean coffee shop Tom n Toms has announced plans to build an amusement park in Chuncheon in the country’s northern province of Gangwon.
An agreement was signed between the coffee shop chain, Gangwon’s governor and the mayor of Chuncheon on August 28. The coffee-themed attraction will reportedly be eco-friendly and educational.
"The coffee theme park, the largest one in Korea, is expected to become a new tourist destination, linked with Chuncheon Legoland and Nami Island Park, and attract more than 2 million domestic and foreign visitors a year,” said Gangwon governor Choi Mun-sun. "The effect to the region is expected to be huge, ranging from vitalising the local economy to job creation and population growth.”
Tom n Toms Coffee, founded in 2001, now has more than 400 franchise stores in Korea. Plans for the park chime with a ongoing trend for F&B-branded and F&B-inspired attractions, such as the new Beefeater Visitor Centre in London, a planned Bombay Sapphire attraction, Tayto Park in Ireland and a “foodie theme park” in the Italian city of Bologna.
Although Chuncheon Legoland has been rumoured for some time, it has not been announced by Merlin. The official Merlin line is only that Korea is a potential location and the entertainment company is looking at sites, a spokesperson said.
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