Ferrari is possibly the most famous name in the car industry and certainly not many other manufacturers’ branch out into fields as diverse as they do. They have all manner of merchandise available from a fashion range to home furnishings.
However, there is brand marketing and then there is Ferrari brand marketing and yet again they have shown just how big they are. Building on the success of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi – the largest indoor theme park in the world, built in the shape of the iconic Ferrari badge – Ferrari Land will be built within the already enormously popular PortAventura, just outside Barcelona. It is likely to be an enormous draw and petrol-heads will drive there in their thousands – for once, their families will be happy to come along. Car insurance for continental travel is now much easier with insurance being able to be purchased online through sites such as Express Insurance or Confused.  So families can travel with more confidence over larger distances.
Why Spain?
It may strike the observant that the park seems to be being built in the wrong European country but there are sound reasons for this. Spain is big on theme parks, with PortAventura being the 6th largest in Europe. It is also a resort, with hotels and great airport links. With over 4 million visitors a year, it is a natural choice for Ferrari which, although an Italian make in the strictest sense, has a worldwide following. After Abu Dhabi, Spain seems a natural next step. Building Ferrari Land inside the existing envelope is good news for Ferrari and PortAventura – new visitors will come who love Ferrari and Ferrari will benefit from PortAventura fans; it really is win/win.
Success guaranteed
You either love scary roller-coasters or you hate them and if you are in the former camp you will just love Ferrari Land, as it will include Europe’s highest vertical accelerator ride. No more details have been released as yet, but when you bear in mind that Ferrari World has the amazing Formula Rossa ride, the fastest in the world and the ‘duelling’ rollercoaster, featuring a race between two Spyders, it seems clear that Ferrari Land is going to be something pretty special. The telegraph has a few concept photos to see, so it’s worth taking a look.
When can we go?
The projected completion date is 2016 and the whole project is budgeted for €100 million. A new hotel is part of the build, with 250 rooms and restaurants, to take up some of the slack of the extra visitors. Ferrari World opened bang on time and although of course the workforce will be different this time, PortAventura will have a lot of input in the build and it will certainly be in their interests to get things done quickly – no one likes to holiday in a building site, so speed will be of the essence, so that PortAventura doesn’t lose custom. This would be counter-productive to all concerned so who knows – Ferrari Land may well turn out to be one of the few theme parks that sticks to schedule!
Ferrari fans old and new
Ferrari has always been known for pushing the envelope when it comes to marketing and they have a proven track record of success with Ferrari World. Although Abu Dhabi is not that cheap to get to and needs a longish flight, the numbers visiting have been huge – many people who love the brand feel that with a trip there still being a fraction of the cost of an actual Ferrari, it is a good deal! This will apply to the Barcelona site even more, with flights from the UK to Barcelona coming it well under £100 if you shop around. The ‘park within a park’ at PortAventura will immerse the visitors in Ferrari-ness, from the scary rides to the driving simulators and the inevitable shops. Andrea Perrone, CEO of Ferrari Brand has been quoted as saying, ‘We will continue to evaluate other proposals for theme parks outside Europe at our leisure: the brand is our most important asset and we have to enhance its value without diluting it.’  If he is right, we can look forward to a lot more Worlds of Ferrari in other locations. Alton Towers? Disneyland Paris? The Efteling? Ferrari Universe, coming soon to a theme park near you!