Website kidzania.com Founded 1996 | Founder Xavier Lopez Ancona | |
 | ||
Type Family Entertainment Center CEO Xavier Lopez Ancona (Sep 1999–) Profiles | ||
Kidzania mumbai get ready for a better world
KidZania is a privately held Mexican chain of family entertainment centers currently operating in 24 locations worldwide, allowing children to work in adult jobs and earn currency. KidZania has received more than 31 million visitors since its opening, making it one of the fastest growing global edutainment brands in the world.
Contents
- Kidzania mumbai get ready for a better world
- Overview
- History
- KidZania charactersmascots
- Locations
- Awards and recognition
- References
Overview
Every KidZania is themed as a child-sized replica of a real city, including buildings, shops and theaters, as well as vehicles and pedestrians moving along its streets. In this city, children aged 4 through 14, work in branded activities from bottling Coca-Cola, working in a Crest-sponsored dentist office, working at a McDonald's restaurant, painting with Corporação Industrial do Norte, washing hands with P&G's Safeguard soap, and using airline tickets from American Airlines, Emirates and Saudia.
The children earn kidZos (KidZania's currency) while performing the tasks, and the money is kept in the KidZania bank for children to spend at the gift shop and on KidZania's activities. Inside every KidZania facility around the world, children wear electronic bracelets that allow parents to keep track of their kids remotely.
The blending of marketing has led The Morning News to dub KidZania as "advertainment", stating "there is little that's pretend, and the play revolves around following instructions from the adult Zupervisors." Children also make up the governance of KidZania, with a 14-member group.
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan owns a 26% share in KidZania India and helps promote the brand in India.
History
KidZania was created and developed by the Mexican entrepreneur Xavier López Ancona, the current KidZania CEO. The first KidZania opened in September 1999 in Santa Fe Shopping Mall in Mexico City, and was named La Ciudad de los Niños ("The City of the Children").
Corporate sponsors funded 55% of the initial investment.
In 2007, KidZania hired entertainment strategist Andrew Darrow as executive vice president to expand the operation. Cammie Dunaway joined in late 2010 as the chief marketing officer.
KidZania at Westfield London, cost £20 million to build. In partnership with British Airways, it is operated by Joel Cadbury and Ollie Vigors through their Longshot Ltd company.
KidZania characters/mascots
The mascots of KidZania are called the Rightz Keepers. They represent the rights that all KidZania patrons have, and together, they share an extra sixth right, the Right to Be.
Locations
Mix
Awards and recognition
KidZania was voted the World's Top Family Entertainment Center by the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) and 2009 Global Leisure Operator of the Year.
From 2011 to 2015, KidZania has been recognized as one of The Best Mexican Companies (Las Mejores Empresas Mexicanas), a recognition promoted by Banamex, Deloitte México and Tecnológico de Monterrey.