Euro Disney and Pierre Vacances to build ecotourism vacation village
On the back of a 4.5% improvement to its 2006 earnings over 2005 in spite of posting a loss of 73.1m euros on revenues 1.09bn euros. Euro Disney SCA, Europe’s largest theme-park operator released plans of a joint project with Pierre & Vacances SA, the continent’s biggest vacation-apartment company, to build an eco-tourism vacation village near Paris.
Aimed at complimenting Disneyland Resort Paris current offerings, this ‘first-of-its-kind’ resort based on sustainable development has been undergoing market and feasibility studies, with the companies involved in talks since 2003. Each has spent $1.3 million on research, according to the executives and will continue market and technical research until next year before beginning construction. The developers aim to bank on a growing appetite for “green” tourism in addition to….
profiting from the proximity of Paris, the world’s most-visited capital city, according to its official Web site. “We see this project as a strategic addition to our existing activities, Euro Disney CEO Karl Holz said, speaking at a news conference in Paris.”We conducted numerous studies and concluded that there is a lot to be gained” from eco-tourism, he said. This comment further builds on the business worlds increasing awareness of the demand by consumers for ’green’ goods and services including big ticket items such as cars and eco friendly new homes.
Last Tuesday, both Euro Disney SCA and Pierre & Vacances SA signed an accord with the government to build about 5,000 houses and apartments on a 1,300-acre site. The project will be located about 22 miles east of the French capital and less than four miles from Euro Disney’s two theme parks.
Villages Nature is expected to generate up to 9,000 jobs in the region and company executives expect to attract $2.3 billion in private real-estate investment.
The village will be built according to the World Wildlife Fund’s One Planet Living principles, which include offsetting all carbon emissions, recycling waste and water, using sustainable materials, and protecting the natural habitat and wildlife. Cars will be banned from the project, and visitors will be transported by boats on artificial canals.
“The amusing paradox is to do eco-tourism 35 kilometres from Paris,” said Pierre & Vacances Chairman Gerard Bremond. “It might sound a little surreal, but for us it’s a fantastic opportunity.”
Claiming to be Europe’s most popular tourist attraction, Euro Disney attracted 12.8 million visits in 2006. The rural town of Marne-la-Vallée was chosen in 1985 based on its proximity to Paris and its central location within Western Europe with a location estimated to be within 4 hours of driving for 68 million people and within two hours of flight for a further 300 million. Of the 2006 visitors over 42% of whom were French with UK visitors making up just under a 5th of the park’s visitors. It is hoped that the first phase of Villages Nature will open in 2010.
