A staple of shopping malls: Are Madame Tussauds and Legoland closing?

Another name has been added to the list of global companies withdrawing from the Turkish market, a trend that has gained momentum in recent years.

According to a report by Özlem Ermiş Beyhan from Patronlar Dünyası, the British entertainment company Merlin Entertainments announced in a statement published on its website that it will cease its operations in Turkey as of January 1.

DISCOUNTS DID NOT HELP

The company, which operates Madame Tussauds Istanbul, Sea Life Aquarium, and Legoland Istanbul—attractions visited by millions of people in Turkey each year—had implemented significant price discounts in recent years due to profitability issues it faced in Turkey.

Despite reducing the price of dual tickets, which provide entry to both Legoland and Madame Tussauds Istanbul, to as low as 644 TL, the company struggled to cover rising costs in the face of high inflation and posted a farewell message to Turkey on its social media account.

ENTERED TURKEY IN 2013

Merlin Entertainments entered the Turkish market in 2013.

The company holds a significant place in the entertainment world in the UK. It was reported that 1 out of every 4 people who visited London last year went to one of Merlin's entertainment centers.

Entering the Turkish market with ambitious goals, Merlin opened Madame Tussauds Istanbul in 2016 within the Grand Pera building, covering an area of 2,000 square meters. Madame Tussauds Istanbul features wax figures of over 70 famous names.

FISH IN THE AQUARIUM WILL BE RELOCATED

The UK-based company stated that the decision was very difficult and expressed the following in its farewell message:

“This was a very difficult decision and was made after extremely careful consideration.

We are proud of the positive impact Madame Tussauds Istanbul has had on the thousands of children and families who have visited us over the years, and we thank them and our wonderful teams for making it unforgettable.”

On the other hand, another entertainment center that will close with Merlin's withdrawal from Turkey is the Sea Life Aquarium. The aquarium, which features an Ocean Tunnel, a 270-degree panoramic Ocean Room, 21 themed zones with 47 exhibition tanks, and over 15,000 sea creatures, was opened by Merlin Entertainments in 2015.