Top 10 Anticipated New Tourism Landmarks Around the World Set to Open in 2015

By Rita

"Tourism" has now become the world's third-largest industry after oil and finance, and to capture an estimated output value of 6.5 trillion, businesses around the globe are gearing up. According to CNN, 2015 will see the opening of many iconic new tourism landmarks worldwide. If you're planning your annual trip, you can't miss these 10 exciting and highly anticipated new attractions!

1. Hello Kitty Park, Zhejiang, China
Opening Time: January 2015

▲ Zhejiang’s first Hello Kitty Park opens on New Year’s Day, Hello Kitty Land, Hello Kitty Theme Park (Photo / Eastday IC)
Jointly developed by Japan’s Sanrio Co., Ltd. and the Zhejiang Tourism Development Bureau, the park features 11 themed highlights, including 11 themed attractions such as performance venues, rides, a luxury resort, and even a massive mahjong hall. This marks Hello Kitty’s first expansion outside Japan into China. The $215 million project aims to attract one million visitors annually.

2. National Videogame Arcade, Nottingham, UK
Opening Time: March 2015

▲ UK gamecity (Photo /nottinghampost.com)
Dubbed "the world’s first center for videogame culture," it is expected to become a hub for gaming culture. The five-story building offers a wide range of activities, including educational programs, archives, themed galleries, and interactive exhibitions. This nearly $40 million multi-purpose facility will host 12,000 different themed exhibits and is dedicated to "creating the stars of tomorrow in the gaming world."

3. Texas Sports & Entertainment District, Texas, USA
Opening Time: Spring 2015

▲ Texas Sports & Entertainment District (Photo /thrillgeek.com)
This entertainment district includes a racetrack, sports stadiums, and a water park. Moreover, the 640-acre site will feature seven themed attractions, including a shopping and entertainment complex, a multi-purpose venue, a concert hall, a wakeboarding lake, an equestrian trail, a resort, and a Texas amusement park.

4. National Blues Museum, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
Opening Time: Late 2015

▲ U.S. Blues Museum (Photo /nationalbluesmuseum.org)
This over $130 million multi-purpose facility includes 16,000 square feet of interactive exhibition space and a theater, along with a rich variety of events.

5. Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow
Opening Time: March 2015

▲ Garage Museum of Contemporary Art (Photo /artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com)
Conceived in 2008 by Dasha Zhukova, girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the building was redesigned by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. It transformed a Soviet-era structure into a 580,000-square-foot complex that will showcase contemporary Russian art.

6. Eternal Tunnel, Beijing
Opening Time: Summer 2015

▲ Beijing Eternal Passage (Photo /blooloop.com)
The Eternal Tunnel is China’s first high-tech theme park, comprising two zones—one indoor and one outdoor. The theme park is currently under construction, located along the stretch from urban Beijing to the Great Wall, and is close to shopping centers, resort hotels, and a convention center.

7. The Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Opening time: Autumn 2015

▲Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo (Photo /e-architect.co.uk)
This museum will become the world’s largest archaeological institution. Located between the Giza Pyramids and Cairo, it will house 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts spanning 7,000 years. The biggest highlight is 3,500 artifacts from King Tutankhamun. The building also includes a conference center, training center, and archaeology seminars.

8. National Gallery Singapore, Singapore
Opening time: November 2015

▲National Gallery Singapore (Photo /nationalgallery.sg)
Spanning 700,000 square feet, the gallery will be the largest visual arts venue in Southeast Asia, showcasing works ranging from 19th-century regional art to contemporary pieces. The gallery will open in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th anniversary of independence (2015), as the country has been gradually expanding its visibility as an international art hub.

9. Fantasy Island, Riau Islands, Indonesia
Opening time: End of 2015

▲Fantasy Island in Indonesia (Photo /lifestyleasia.com)
With a cost of $240 million and covering 740 acres adjacent to Singapore, Fantasy Island will become “the world’s largest eco-themed amusement park.” Its eight key ecological zones include a multi-sensory rainforest, land and water tours, snorkeling, diving, dolphin interactions, and an aquarium featuring whale shark encounters.

10. Louvre Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Opening time: December 2015

▲Louvre Abu Dhabi (Photo /thenewdiplomatswife.com)
Oil-rich Abu Dhabi has invested a staggering $5.2 billion without hesitation to build a Louvre in the Middle East. An additional $7.5 billion was allocated for art loans and management consultancy. The building itself costs around $100 million, making it one of the most expensive cultural institutions in the world. The dome structure was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, and the 90,000-square-foot space will host permanent and thematic exhibitions.

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