Discover the top family entertainment centres in India, ranging from kids-only play areas to trampoline parks suitable for all age groups
Bengaluru: The entertainment industry has witnessed significant growth and expansion all over the world. The global family/indoor entertainment centres (FEC) market was valued at $17 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $61 billion by 2027 representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.3%, according to data platform Future Market Insights.
In India, this growth has been powered by a multitude of factors, including the ever-expanding population, evolving preferences of consumers and the rise in disposable incomes.
Let’s explore the top FEC chains, listed below in descending order of their number of outlets.
Timezone
Timezone was founded in in 1978 by Malcolm Steinberg with the launch of its first entertainment centre opened in Perth, Western Australia. It is owned and operated by The Entertainment and Education Group (TEEG).
The brand hosts various family-friendly games such as bowling, bumper cars and variety of arcade games. It also introduced certain multiplayer virtual reality games for the first time in India.
Following its success in Australia, Timezone went international in 1995. Today, Timezone operates more than 315 locations, operating in Australia, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. It entered India in 2004 and established over 72 venues in cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Siliguri, Pune, Goa, Raipur, Noida, Guwahati, Delhi , Gurgaon, and Vadodara.
Apart from Timezone, TEEG also owns brands including Zone Bowling, Kingpin, Timezone Play ‘N’ Learn and Timezone Air.
Funcity
Fun City was founded in 1999 as a flagship brand of Landmark Leisure, the entertainment division of UAE-based multinational conglomerate Landmark Group.
Catering to 1–12-year-olds, Fun City play areas feature a multi-level soft-play structure with more than 100 activities including various small and big rides, video games and skilled games with redemption and rewarding options.
Currently, the brand has over 34 outlets in India across more than 17 cities. The company also has a strong global presence with about 50 locations across UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar, according to the company’s official website.
Today, Landmark Leisure operates divisions such as Fun City, Fun Ville, Fun Block and Fun Works as well as confectionary brands Candelite and POParazzi’s spanning over a total of 1.5 million sq. ft of real estate.
Smaaash
Smaaash was founded in 2012 as a gaming arcade by film director and producer Shripal Morakhia with the launch of its first 80,000 sq. ft. gaming zone in Mumbai.
The virtual reality-led entertainment centre provides multiple digital entertainment options for kids as well as adults.
It hosts proprietary gamification technologies such as Twilight Bowling Zone and also features sports simulation technology based on cricket, football, racing go-karting tracks and other recreational activities. It also offers dining options across selected locations.
Today, the Sachin Tendulkar-backed startup operates 32 centres across 15 cities in India and one flagship centre in the United States, as stated on its official LinkedIn page.
Kool Kidz
Kool Kidz is a play area operator and children’s lifestyle products manufacturer established in 1998 as a part of the Newar Group, a 64-year-old conglomerate based in New Delhi. The company launched its first play area in 2000.
It features soft play areas and toddler zones, primarily catering to children aged from 2 to 7 years old.
Headquartered in Kolkata, the group has offices across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru equipped with complete infrastructure and updated communication systems.
The company operates play areas across schools, malls, hotels, restaurants and residential complexes. Currently, it has over 24 play areas across malls and over 600 in schools across India, according to the company’s website.
SkyJumper Trampoline Park
Skyjumper Trampoline Park was established in 2017 by two IT professionals, Jitender Chhabra and Suneel Dhar. The company started by importing home-use trampolines and exercise rebounders and the success in the trampoline market led them to introduce the trampoline park format in the Indian FEC market.
Every park features a range of activities including over 100 interconnected trampolines, laser tag arenas, foam pits, dodgeball courts, basketball hoops, food courts and party arenas catering to individuals of all ages above 3 years. It has designated play areas for both kids and adults.
At present, the brand has established its presence in more than 10 Indian cities and plans to launch three more facilities in Amritsar, Ludhiana, and Bhopal, as per its official website.
Funtura
Funtura is a family entertainment centre wing of Lulu Malls owned and operated by UAE-based multinational conglomerate Lulu Group International. In 2013, Lulu opened its first shopping mall in India in Kochi, Kerala featuring an entertainment hub initially known as Sparkys, which was later rebranded as Funtura.
Funtura play areas offer a wide range of activities, including roller glider, tag arena, adventure course, ice skating rinks, party halls, bowling alley, billiards, climbing wall, trampoline, virtual reality rides, video and redemption games,9D theatre, and bumper cars.
Currently, it is present in the five Lulu Malls across the country including Kochi Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow and Hyderabad.
