On Our Radar: Family fun at Ferrari Land PortAventura

What’s bright red, goes like the clappers and costs a lot of money? No, it isn’t a Ferrari 458 Spider; it’s the Vertical Accelerator rollercoaster, PortAventura’s latest adrenalin-inducing ride.

At the recent launch party of Ferrari Land in London I spoke with Fernando Aldecoa, general manager, PortAventura World, to glean some insights into what clients can expect from the new theme park.

“We are launching here in London because the UK is our second most important international market. We have around 250,000 British visitors come into the park each year and that number is growing; 18% of our hotel guests come from the UK. We believe that with the opening of Ferrari Land, numbers will grow even more,” said Aldecoa.

Set to open on April 7, 2017, coinciding with the car manufacturer’s 70th anniversary, Ferrari Land will be the third of PortAventura’s offerings. It will be Europe’s only entertainment resort with three theme parks and the first Ferrari Land outside Abu Dhabi.

“Abu Dhabi caters more for hardcore racing fans whereas Ferrari Land PortAventura will appeal to families. We will have the Vertical Accelerator for the teenagers and the adrenalin-seekers; but also circuit rides for younger children too.”

The Vertical Accelerator, touted as the park’s crown jewel and the highest rollercoaster in Europe, will reach a height of 122 metres and speeds of 112mph in just five seconds; all to simulate the feeling of being in a Formula One car. At a slower pace, the circuit will see children taking control of a real Ferrari at low speeds and driving around a race course. There will also be a much smaller indoor electric go kart circuit for children too.

Also in attendance at the London event was former racing driver and Top Gear’s The Stig, Ben Collins, who took on Ferrari test driver, Marc Gene, in a race to showcase the park’s semi-professional simulators, which will also be available to guests.

Furthermore, clients can take in the park’s Italian theme, visiting replicas of Rome’s Colosseum and the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and eating in a recreation of Maranello’s famous La Trattoria restaurant.

Marketing to the trade will remain important, with upcoming UK agent road shows and fam trips planned for next year, said Aldecoa. He explained that tickets will be available to book from December 2016; with prices due to launch shortly.

“We believe that with Ferrari Land we can achieve one million extra visitors a year. This will bring the total international guests to PortAventura from four million to five million. The Ferrari Land concept is hard to explain, you just have to come and experience it.”