The KidZania Manila, an amusement park for children and their families, announced that it would permanently stop operations by August 31 due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After 5 years of providing a learning experience for children, Play Innovations, Inc. has decided to cease the operations of KidZania Manila effective August 31, 2020,” the establishment announced in a statement on Wednesday. Play Innovations, Inc. is a subsidiary of ABS-CBN, which was also shut down a few weeks ago.
“With the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring community quarantine, we have complied and suspended operations to prevent the further spread of the virus, which resulted to a massive impact on our revenues. Even if we are allowed to operate in the future, the “new normal” will prohibit mass gathering and require children to remain at home. These conditions have left us with no choice but to close the play city’s doors permanently,” it added.
KidZania Manila has been closed since March 11 in compliance with quarantines imposed due to the COVID-19 threat.
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“Our hearts go out to our employees. We are doing everything we can to aid them at this time of uncertainty, including paying out severance benefits as mandated by law and providing job placement programs for them. We appreciate all their hard work,” KidZania stated.
KidZania Manila was opened to the general public on August 7, 2015, making it the 11th KidZania in Asia and the 20th in the world.
The park operates like a real city that is built to the scale of children, complete with paved roads and vehicles, buildings and establishments, a functioning economy, and its currency.
“We are also grateful to our industry partners and the schools and families who have trusted us over the years,” it said.
“Lastly, we salute our Kais – the Generation KidZania – who have spent time with us with unrelenting passion and spirit, which we hope they will keep alive as they face the future and build a better world,” it added.
Designed for children aged 4 to 14, KidZania Manila houses more than 55 establishments, most of which are sponsored by real brands with over 70 role-play activities.