Legoland Shanghai Resort, the international IP-based theme park operated by British entertainment group Merlin Entertainments Ltd, will be operational in Shanghai within the next two years, after the main construction for the resort commenced in September, said a senior executive.

Speaking at its booth during the ongoing sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, John Jakobsen, chief operating officer of Legoland Resorts, said that China represents a key pillar of Merlin Entertainments' growth strategy. The group will continually explore investment opportunities in other locations across China.

Under the group's plan, the theme park, located in the southwestern outskirts of Shanghai, will generate more than 1,000 jobs in its initial stage.

"Globally, the tourism industry has recovered significantly. In China, the overall cultural and tourism industry has recovered strongly," said Jakobsen, adding that the Chinese market almost has everything needed for a market for a global company, including a business-friendly government, a growing middle-income group and increasing discretionary expense.

"We believe the Legoland Shanghai Resort, a flagship project in our global business map, will attract more visitors in China's Yangtze River Delta region," said Jakobsen. "I don't think there will be anything quite like a Legoland park in China. We are talking in terms of new technologies, attractions and entertainment."

Operating 13 attractions in China for 18 years, Jakobsen said China will be one of the strategic growth markets to support the growth of Merlin Entertainments over the next decade.

China is the world's second-largest themed park market, but only 27 percent of Chinese have visited theme parks, while the ratio is 68 percent in developed markets, according to a report by market consultancy McKinsey&Co.

The theme park industry, it said, will maintain robust growth in the following years with the market value exceeding 90 billion yuan ($12 billion) in 2025, up from 40 billion yuan in 2019.