King’s Park Genting Highlands has teamed up with Cornell Academy in Malaysia to sponsor training opportunities for 1,000 students at its upcoming integrated entertainment hub, set to welcome visitors from 2026 to 2028.
This expansive hub will encompass retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, wellness centres, theme parks, and other attractions.
Cornell Academy is an educational institute certified by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Graduate School of Business. It offers a myriad of professional development and skill enhancement courses in the field of business management, hospitality, with more programmes to be revealed soon.
Cornell Academy’s managing director, Darren Yang, said: “As we look ahead, we envision an expansion into diploma programmes covering Food & Beverage, Retail, Business Management, and Entrepreneurship. This holistic approach will underscore a profound understanding of ESG principles, fortifying our commitment in sustainable education.
“The tourism industry is burgeoning, necessitating elevated training and a profound understanding of comprehensive business management, with a keen focus on the nuances of hospitality and delivering exceptional customer service. We aspire to elevate ambitious young talents to new heights in these domains. Our goal is to provide them not only with academic credentials but also a comprehensive understanding and practical experience in the industry, broadening their horizons.”
Sean Chen, executive vice president, King’s Park Development, shared: “The growing importance of possessing industry-relevant skills from the get-go cannot be overstated, as it kickstarts efficiency and productivity upon entry into the workforce.
“We firmly believe that engaging and supporting local development will empower the region’s youth through enhanced educational and job prospects. This sponsorship’s diverse group of recipients will significantly contribute to promoting workforce diversity, fostering an inclusive culture within the industry. Our aspiration in sponsoring these individuals is to witness their transformation into invaluable assets, not only benefitting King’s Park but also enriching the entire industry.”
Course registration will commence in 2025, and are priced at approximately 36,000 ringgit (US$7,605) for a three-year duration, which integrates five days of hands-on training and one full day of classroom education per week. Students are guaranteed job opportunities upon successful course completion with no post-training bonding requirements.
Japan is seeing the opening of more big-name and glitzy attractions, as companies seek to gain from the country’s tourism recovery.
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter, which opened in June, is the second theme park based on the hit film series after the one in London, which has welcomed 17 million visitors since opening in 2012.
Covering 30,000m2, the Tokyo site is also the world’s largest Harry Potter attraction. Operated by Warner Bros. Studio Japan, it features exclusive sets from the film series, interactive experiences including using a green screen, F&B options and shops, with entry for adults priced at 6,300 yen (US$42).
Attractions based on Japanese characters are also expanding, due to their popularity at home and abroad.
Building on its 60 billion yen (US$403 million) investment to open Super Nintendo World in 2021, Universal Studios Japan, in July, launched attractions based on several animation series including One Piece, Detective Conan and Attack on Titan.
Ghibli Park, which opened in Nagoya Prefecture in 2022, has also expanded this year to add two new areas: Mononoke Village, which unveils Japan as it was in the fifteenth century, and Irontown Village, featuring giant sculptures of creatures from Studio Ghibli films.
Growth in theme park attendance is important to tourism recovery as Japan seeks increased consumption by visitors.
Theme parks and amusement parks across the country are welcoming fewer visitors than pre-pandemic, with recovery at just under 80 per cent, but those visitors are spending more. Consumption per person exceeded 10,000 yen for the first time in 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
There are more products in the pipeline.
Tom’s City Circuit Tokyo Bay will open at the capital’s Odaiba waterfront in November, offering indoor and outdoor electric vehicle go-karting, as well as VR-based entertainment.
The company said the attraction can “help revitalise Tokyo’s night-time economy” as electric vehicles are quiet, allowing smooth operations at night.