Santa claus is coming to town(2)

SantaPark in Chengdu, to open in June 2016, will concentrate on guests' personal experiences instead of amusement rides. The park is influenced by the Chinese interest in Western culture. [Photo provided to China Daily]

SantaPark in Chengdu will concentrate on guests' personal experiences instead of amusement rides, according to plans. That means creating Christmas culture awareness and education using interactive technology and experiences that "promote active learning and physical challenges in a magical Christmas environment", Ikaheimo-Lankinen says.

Aside from Santa's office and post office, the park is expected to feature Santa's cavern and elf workshops where visitors can master the skills of the big guy's elfin toymakers and assistants.

The park is influenced by the Chinese interest in Western culture - Christmas is celebrated in different ways in many Chinese cities. Even though most Chinese people are not Christians, churches are crowded on Christmas Eve every year. As the holiday nears this year, Christmas lights lend a festive air along the fancy commercial streets, and trees are decorated with paper flowers and lanterns in public places.

SantaPark in Finland has seen an increasing flow of Chinese customers in the past three years.

"Last year the increase in Chinese visitors was more than 20 percent, and we expect the trend to grow in coming years. We have also recruited Chinese-speaking staff," Ikaheimo-Lankinen says. "We see huge potential in the Chinese market."

Families with children are also looking for the feel of an authentic experience, company officials say. "The demand for active holidays with both physical and emotional experiences is growing in the tourism industry. Particularly in China, parents prefer destinations where children can learn through playful activities," says Tero Ylinenpaa, CEO of Lappset Group.

Chengdu culture also will be integrated into the Christmas theme park. Traditional Finnish Christmas food, for example, will be served along with Sichuanese delicacies, and different Chinese festivities will be represented in Santa's creative workshops.

After the opening of the first SantaPark in Chengdu, Ylinenpaa expects the partners' group to open another five or six Christmas-themed attractions around China.

In 2015 there will be more cultural exchange events between the two nations in China, such as a concert series marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of legendary Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, says Paula Parviainen, minister from the Finnish embassy in Beijing.