Fireworks light up the sky above Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Hong Kong Disneyland
© AFP/File Gary Kwok

HONG KONG (AFP) - Andrew Kam said Disney were hoping to resolve the dispute with the Hong Kong government over how to fund future expansion as soon as possible.

"Both shareholders are very much interested in growing the business. They want Hong Kong Disneyland to be a tourist destination in Asia," he told reporters just two days after taking up his job.

"They have an interest in making this park work and expansion is part of the strategy that will make this park work for Hong Kong."

The government owns 57 percent of the theme park and reports have said the expansion plan could see a further one billion US dollars invested.

Kam declined to put a timetable on resolving the dispute, which has been rumbling for about 18 months. The park celebrates its third anniversary next week.

Legislators are reluctant to hand over more public money to the park and have been critical of its performance, saying it has failed to attract enough visitors.

Kam, who moved to Disney after a long career marketing Coca-Cola in China, also said they would be expanding their promotion operation in the mainland.

He said they would be focusing efforts on encouraging Chinese travel agents to include Disney on any tourist visits to Hong Kong.

"By working with the trade more closely... and having their sales people recommending us into their customers' itineraries -- that alone will create tremendous opportunities for us," he said.

The park switched its marketing campaign several months ago to target a more Chinese audience, as many mainlanders were unfamiliar with the Disney brand.

Reports have said visitor numbers were expected to hit 5.6 million when the park reaches the end of its third year of operation, up from 4.2 million the previous year, but Kam said he did not recognise the figure.

©AFP