Merlin Entertainments Shuts Down Three Sites in Turkey, Including Tussauds

Photo: Instagram/@madametussauds

Merlin Entertainments, a company based in the UK and known for running popular attractions worldwide, announced on Tuesday that it is shutting down three of its sites in Turkey. Among these is the Istanbul branch of the famous Madame Tussauds wax museum.

In addition to Madame Tussauds, the company is closing its Legoland Discovery Centre and a Sea Life aquarium in Istanbul. A spokesperson for the company confirmed that these attractions would permanently shut their doors on Tuesday. The decision to close them was made because the sites were not performing well commercially.

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The company also shared details about the marine animals housed in the aquarium, saying they will be moved to other attractions managed by Merlin Entertainments.
This news comes as Turkey faces high inflation rates, which have been in double digits since late 2019. This economic situation has made it harder for many families to afford leisure activities, including visits to attractions like these.

Merlin Entertainment has also been facing financial difficulties. In 2023, the company reported a net loss of £217 million (around $272 million), a sharp contrast to its profit of £89 million in the previous year. These losses have added pressure on the company, which manages popular attractions in 23 countries and attracts over 60 million visitors annually. Some of its well-known sites include the London Eye, Madame Tussauds museums, Legoland parks, and Peppa Pig-themed parks.

Merlin was bought in 2019 by a group that included the Kristiansen family from Denmark, who also control the Lego company. Despite the challenges, the company is still expanding in other areas. Last month, Merlin announced plans to create attractions based on the popular video game Minecraft, with the first locations set to open in the United States and Britain.

This closure marks a significant change in Merlin's operations in Turkey, where the economic environment and other factors have made it difficult to sustain these attractions.

Jan. 1, 2025 3:50 p.m. 398

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