Danish Minister of Business and Growth Ole Sohn recently discussed the idea of building Han Christian Andersen theme park, based on H.C. Andersen’s world-famous adventures and children’s tales, to attract Chinese and other Asian tourists to Denmark.
“Why don’t we have a H.C. Andersen World in global dimensions, so that it’s not just ten small little mermaids, but a massive park of international size based on some of Andersen’s famous tales? If it were up to me, it should be a huge investment – in the billions,” Sohn told Politiken newspaper.
And while Denmark already has sites such as Tivoli, Legoland and The Little Mermaid, Sohn argues that they’re simply not enough and that on his many travels to Asia it is Andersen who is the most popular. Sohn believes the theme park will give Denmark a massive tourist boost.
“I have found on my trips to China, Korea and Singapore that, unquestionably, Andersen is the biggest, oldest and the most valuable brand Denmark has,” Sohn told Politiken. “His adventures are known throughout the world, including Asia and Russia. It’s odd that Denmark hasn’t utilised this incredible trademark to greater effect.”
Sohn was backed up by Christian Ingemann, the director of the business advocacy group Dansk Erhverv, who called it “one of the best ideas he had heard in ages”, but was also adamant that investment should not come from the state. Sohn stressed that the project should be run as a commercial business.
While Sohn urged the private investors and industry professionals to embrace the project, it was not the first time that the theme park idea has been discussed. In May this year, Chinese billionaire Huang Nubo said he was interested in creating an Andersen theme park on Funen in a bid to attract Chinese tourists.
