This summer, Canada’s WhiteWater West Industries Ltd., and Thailand’s Vana Nava Company Ltd., formed a new joint venture company, WhiteWater West Southeast Asia Co. Ltd., (WW SEA), to provide an integrated approach to the design, build, and operation of future waterparks throughout the region.
“This new venture represents another chapter in our mission to stay at the forefront of innovation, and provide the industry with not only top quality products, but also a turnkey solution, professional expertise, and a suite of services geared toward the success of our client’s business initiatives,” says Paul Chutter, the chief business development officer of WhiteWater West Industries, a Richmond, B.C.-based manufacturer and installer of waterpark attractions.
Vana Nava Company Ltd., is one of the latest additions to Thailand-based developer’s Proud Real Estate’s (PRE) portfolio. The company launched Vana Nava Hua Hin, Asia’s first ‘Water Jungle’ in December 2014, which received the 2015 World Waterpark Association’s (WWA’s) ‘Leading Edge Award,’ and the ‘Top 10 Attractions People’s Choice Awards Thailand’ voted by Chinese tourists two years in a row. Vana Nava Hua Hin is part of a larger mixed-use leisure development that will also consist of a 300-room Holiday Inn Resort and 90 premium residences.
“We aim to create dynamic leisure destinations and unique family entertainment projects that delight and enrich the lives of people of all ages, and contribute to local communities across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),” says Proudputh Liptapanlop, the executive director of Vana Nava Company Ltd., and its parent company, PRE.
“With Southeast Asia’s major growth in the tourism and leisure sectors, a rapidly expanding mid to upper middle-class market, and an increased level of well-travelled discerning consumers, WW SEA will address the region’s demand for leisure experiences with international quality and global safety standards.”
Chris Perry, a waterpark industry veteran, has been appointed CEO of the joint venture company. In this role, he will take on responsibility for the overall strategic direction of the group, developing the brand, and expanding its footprint throughout the region. Perry was the executive vice-president of strategic partnerships with WhiteWater and previously spent 17 years in Dubai, mainly as the general manager of Wild Wadi Waterpark.
