UK-headquartered Merlin Entertainments announced Tuesday that it would close three of its attractions in Türkiye, including a branch of the renowned Madame Tussauds wax museum in Istanbul.
The company, which operates various theme parks globally, is also shutting down its Legoland Discovery Centre and a Sea Life aquarium in the same city. The closures, effective immediately, are attributed to poor commercial performance.
In the statement on the website of the Istanbul branch of Madame Tussauds wax museum, it said, “The attraction will be permanently closing, with our final day of operation being December 31, 2024.”
Meanwhile, the other 2 branches that will be closed also displayed the same notice.
Merlin stated that the marine animals housed at the aquarium would be transferred to other locations.
High inflation affects family spendings
Türkiye has faced persistent double-digit inflation since late 2019, which has affected family spending on leisure activities. The company reported a net loss of £217 million ($272 million) in 2023, a sharp contrast to a profit of £89 million the previous year.
In 2019, the company was acquired by a consortium including Denmark’s Kristiansen family, which also controls the Lego Group.
Merlin Entertainments draws 60M visitors annualy
Merlin Entertainments, which draws over 60 million visitors annually across 23 countries, is known for attractions like the London Eye, Madame Tussauds museums, Legoland parks, and Peppa Pig World.
Last month, the company revealed plans to develop attractions based on the popular Minecraft video game, with the first opening in the U.S. and UK.
