Hong Kong Ocean Park launches 'Aqua City'

HONG KONG - Hong Kong Ocean Park launched a new flagship marine-themed zone - "Aqua City" on Wednesday, in the hope that these fresh attractions will bring 15 percent more tourists to the theme park.

Chairman of Hong Kong Ocean Park Allan Zeman said at a ceremony to mark the event that the opening of the "Aqua City" represents the birth of the New Ocean Park as it "gives us a new flagship aquarium and a new iconic entrance."

He expected the Aqua City will lure more tourists from not only the Chinese mainland, but also from the Philippines, India and the Republic of Korea, regions which have provided the largest share of attendance to the park in 2010.

The newly-unveiled "Aqua City" includes three major attractions. Among them, Grand Aquarium features the world's largest aquarium viewing dome, where guests can encounter around 5,000 marine animals of over 400 species.

Ocean Park opened in 1977 and is now among the world's top 15 most visited theme parks.

Visitors stand in front of a giant aquarium at its opening in Aqua City, the new flagship marine-themed zone of the Hong Kong Ocean Park Jan 26, 2011. The aquarium features some 5,000 marine animals of over 400 species. [Photo/Agencies]

An evening view of the giant aquarium of Aqua City, the new flagship marine-themed zone of the Hong Kong Ocean Park, during its opening ceremony Jan 26, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]