Imagicaaworld Entertainment is a premier themed entertainment destination, home to Imagicaa Theme Park, Water Park, and India’s largest themed Snow Park. Located between Mumbai and Pune, Imagicaa offers a world-class blend of immersive rides, live entertainment, international-standard attractions, and family-friendly experiences. Since inception, Imagicaa has welcomed millions of guests from across India and the world, becoming one of the country’s most recognised leisure and holiday destinations.
With a focus on innovation, safety, and curated guest journeys, the parks offer something for every age group. From adrenaline-pumping roller coasters to kids’ zones, themed restaurants, and vibrant events.
The company is led by a renewed strategic vision to expand India’s entertainment landscape and create memorable experiences at global standards. Over the last few years, Imagicaaworld has intensified its guest-first approach, strengthening digital capabilities, improving operational efficiency, and building stronger consumer loyalty. Backed by a leadership team and a growing consumer base, Imagicaaworld aims to continue to evolve as a destination for day outings, short holidays, group travel, and corporate events. With continued investments in infrastructure, technology, and guest engagement, Imagicaaworld aims to shape the future of India’s entertainment tourism.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Jai Malpani, Director, ImagicaaWorld Entertainment Limited
Q. Could you talk about the Malpani Group’s expansion plans for Imagicaa which include aiming to add one theme park every year for the next five years? What will you look for before deciding on a city?
At Imagicaa, our vision is to make world-class entertainment accessible across India, and our goal of adding one new park every year for the next five years is a major step in that direction. When we look at potential cities, we evaluate them very carefully.
The local population base and catchment area of around 150 to 200 kilometres, the ease of connectivity through highways, airports or rail, and the availability of suitable land parcels, typically in the 20-50 acre range, are key factors. We’re also keen on locations with strong tourism ecosystems or growing leisure demand, whether that’s a tier one city or an emerging tier two hub. Another important consideration is the support we can get from local governments.
We’re open to PPP models that make these projects more viable and faster to execute. Each park will see a capital investment in the range of ₹200–500 crore, depending on market potential, but the larger intent remains the same; to build a nationwide portfolio of parks that deliver memorable experiences and strengthen Imagicaa’s position as India’s leading entertainment destination.
Q. Could you talk about how data analytics has helped the company decide that tier-1 will feature large parks, while tier-2 will have smaller parks, combining water and amusement features?
From operational experience and analytics we’ve learned that one size does not fit all. In major metropolitan tier-one) markets, guests expect flagship scale immersive themes, flagship rides, and full-day holiday outings. In tier-two markets the sweet spot lies in value-driven, hybrid parks that mix amusement plus water experiences, with smart scale and cost-effectiveness. Our analytics cover things like travel-time catchment maps, spend per guest, revisit behaviour, and facility utilisation and that has guided our segmentation strategy.
Q. How is Imagicaa creating multi-generational festive experiences?
At Imagicaa, our focus has always been on creating experiences that bring families together across generations and the festive season gives us the perfect opportunity to amplify that. We design every celebration, whether it’s Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas, or New Year- to offer something for everyone.
For kids, it’s about the magic of rides, parades, and festive-themed characters; for parents, it’s immersive entertainment, live performances, and curated dining; and for seniors, it’s comfort, nostalgia, and the joy of watching their family enjoy the day together. Over the years, Imagicaa has evolved from being just a theme park to becoming part of a family’s festive calendar.
A place where traditions meet new-age fun. This year, we’ve also enhanced our offerings with seasonal décor, extended hours, and stay-and-play packages at our hotel to encourage longer visits. Ultimately, our goal is to make Imagicaa the place where families create memories together — generation after generation.
Q. Could you shed light on the large-scale festive campaigns for family audiences?
At Imagicaa, our festive campaigns are all about celebrating togetherness and joy at a scale that truly resonates with families. This Diwali, for instance, we’ve transformed both our Theme Park and Water Park into a vibrant, illuminated wonderland. Complete with dazzling fairy lights, grand parades, live performances, flea markets, and festive food experiences.
The idea is to make every corner of the park come alive with the spirit of Diwali; where kids, parents, and grandparents each find something that delights them. Our programming blends traditional elements like cultural acts and fire performances with the excitement of our signature rides and shows, creating an experience that’s both festive and thrilling.
We’ve also introduced special offers like a flat 15% off on tickets and additional savings for friends and families, to make it easier for larger groups to celebrate together. Ultimately, our goal with these campaigns is to position Imagicaa as the go-to festive destination for families, where lights, laughter, and shared memories define the season.
Q. Does the media mix heavily skew towards digital?
Our media mix is well-balanced and not particularly skewed towards digital.
While digital platforms form an important part of our strategy, we also actively leverage traditional channels such as print, outdoor, and on-ground activations to ensure comprehensive reach and engagement across diverse audience segments, which helps us connect more deeply with the community.
Q. Do satisfied consumers become influencers and brand ambassadors? How important is positive word of mouth?
Absolutely. In our business, satisfied guests don’t just come back, they become ambassadors. Positive word of mouth is one of the strongest growth engines for theme parks, and over the last six months, our performance clearly reflects that.
Our parks have shown a steady and encouraging rise in Net Promoter Score (NPS), which directly measures how likely a guest is to recommend us to friends and family.
Across the group, NPS has improved consistently from 54% in April to 73% in September, marking a 19-point jump. The average NPS for the period stands at 65%, highlighting sustained guest delight and better experience delivery.
● Wet’n Joy, Lonavala and Wet’n Joy, Shirdi continue to lead the group with NPS scores consistently above 75%, demonstrating strong guest engagement and experience consistency.
● Sai Teerth, Shirdi has also maintained high satisfaction levels with an average NPS of 73%.
● And one of the strongest success stories is Aqua Imagicaa Surat, which has improved from 50% in April to an impressive 83% in September—a direct result of better guest experience, quick service recovery and operational enhancements.
The trend has been upward month-on-month, with especially high peaks in the monsoon season (Jul–Sept). Teams across parks have taken stronger ownership of the NPS program, and it’s showing. The next challenge is to sustain this momentum during the upcoming summer peak, ensuring guests continue to leave with memories worth sharing.
In this industry, every delighted guest becomes a storyteller. When someone recommends our parks to their friends, family, or on social media, that advocacy is far more powerful than any advertisement. That’s why positive word of mouth isn’t just important, it’s central to our growth strategy.
Q. How is the focus on attractions, themes, and innovation helping Imagicaa stay ahead of the curve?
In the theme park industry, if you stand still, you fall behind. Our strategy is rooted in constant innovation. New attractions, refreshed themes, and immersive experiences that keep guests excited to return. Most recently, we launched six brand-new water slides at Imagicaa Water Park, significantly elevating the entertainment value and overall guest experience.
Innovation for us isn’t just about “bigger roller-coasters,” it’s about relevance and emotion. A great example is our iconic Salimgarh attraction, which has been completely reimagined and relaunched as Bhangarh. The new version features an upgraded storyline, modern effects, and a more immersive environment designed to align with contemporary audience tastes and trends.
Every visit should feel different—“there’s something new here” or “this time it was even better.” These enhancements reflect our ongoing commitment to innovation, guest satisfaction, and staying relevant to evolving market expectations. That’s how we stay ahead of the curve and keep our repeat visitors coming back for more.
Q. What role is AI playing in helping the company in various areas from creating attractions like roller coasters, relaxing lazy rivers to marketing initiatives?
AI is an evolving space, and for us, the journey has just begun. We’re currently using it more actively in marketing, particularly in segmentation and personalised digital campaigns. It’s helping us understand guest behaviour better, tailor communication to families and thrill-seekers, and improve retention. We’re only scratching the surface, but the use-case going forward looks strong, and we are excited about its potential.
On the operations and park side, AI adoption is still in early experimentation. We are testing tools that can enhance guest flow, improve safety, and make park experiences smoother, from queue management to service responsiveness. While these applications are at the pilot stage, they reflect a clear commitment to the direction the industry is moving in.
In short, AI for us is not a buzzword, it’s a growing capability. It’s early, but the results so far are encouraging, and we see meaningful opportunities for AI to elevate how we design, operate and personalise the Imagicaa experience in the future.
Q. What role do Bollywood and 18 entertainment IPs play for Imagicaa in helping get repeat visitors?
Leveraging entertainment-IPs, especially from Bollywood and character-driven story-worlds is integral to how we drive repeat visitation at Imagicaa.
For example, our ride Mr. India – The Ride is directly based on the classic Bollywood film Mr. India. Additionally, we partnered with the film Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 to deliver a themed attraction that transports fans into the movie’s universe.
These IP-led attractions serve multiple purposes:
● They tap into familiarity and emotional resonance: when guests recognise a film or character they loved, they are more likely to engage and come back.
● They allow us to refresh content and keep the portfolio dynamic, inviting repeat visits (guests come back because the attraction is anchored in a narrative they like, and we can update or rotate offerings).
● They help us segment and cross-sell across age-groups: parents might recall the film; children might enjoy the ride; the whole family can engage together, enhancing our multi-generational appeal.
● They strengthen our non-ticket revenue (merchandise, snacks, photo-ops) by tying in with familiar IPs and thus increasing wallet-share per guest.
Q. Does Imagicaa draw inspiration from global theme park brands like Disneyworld Florida? If so, what have the learnings been?
Imagicaa definitely draws inspiration from some of the world’s most iconic theme parks, Disney, Universal, and Europa Park, among others. These are global benchmarks when it comes to storytelling, attraction quality, F&B experiences, and overall guest engagement.
We study how these parks seamlessly integrate design, theming, and guest flow to create memorable experiences, and many of those insights influence how we approach our own projects.
At the same time, we recognise that while these parks operate at very high investment levels backed by strong IPs and global audiences, the Indian context is different. One of our key learnings has been to find the right balance between CAPEX and pricing, ensuring that we deliver a world-class experience while keeping it accessible and relevant to the domestic market.
Our aim is to adapt global best practices in design, layout, and guest experience, while developing concepts, attractions, and storytelling that resonate with the Indian audience.
Q. What will the gameplan be to grow strategic partnerships, synergies and brand collaborations?
As we look ahead, our game-plan for growing strategic partnerships, synergies and brand collaborations at Imagicaaworld Entertainment Ltd. is very clear and multi-fold.
First, we intend to forge deep collaborations with state governments and tourism bodies under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, offering long-term land leases or incentives in return for anchoring major entertainment destinations, which helps us de-risk and scale faster.
Second, we will actively seek brand collaborations with leading IP-holders to enrich our experiences and merchandise: we believe that bringing in strong lifestyle brands not only enhances guest engagement but also strengthens our non-ticketing revenue streams.
Third, we’re focussed on operational synergies and cross-park optimisation. By consolidating parks under our umbrella, we gain shared purchasing power, marketing leverage, and backend systems that accelerate growth and cost-efficiency.
Finally, our expansion strategy will turn selective cities into hub markets where we can build cluster-ecosystems partnering with hospitality, retail, amusement and local brands. So each new park becomes not just a standalone venue, but a platform for large-scale brand-ecosystem engagement.
Essentially, strategic partnerships and collaborations are key levers in our growth matrix: enabling faster roll-out, stronger guest differentiation, and enhanced profitability.
