Theming expert

A designer and engineer by profession, Duarte Marques has been involved in the themed attractions industry since 1989. His career started, thanks to a random introduction through a friend, with a South African company called Rock and Water Scapes in the development of The Lost City in South Africa.

"It was by coincidence but perhaps it was my destiny," says Marques.

Hooked on the attractions industry, Marques moved to Dubai in 1993 to work with a Spanish company operating in the country called Amusement Leisure.

The company worked in partnership with Canadian group Whitewater West on all its water related projects in the Middle East, leading to the creation of design and theming company Amusement Whitewater in Dubai, of which Marques is now CEO.

However, despite the combining of the two names and the fact that Amusement Whitewater is responsible for Whitewater West's installations in the Middle East, the companies remain separately owned entities with different management.

Having now been in the industry in Dubai for 15 years, Marques is one of the region's leading experts on theming and the man behind the design and construction of the themed areas in notable attractions such as Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates, UAE; Messila Beach Aquapark in Kuwait; Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain, UAE; Dubai Festival City, Dubai, UAE; and Dreamland Waterpark in Umm Al Quwain, UAE.

Leisure Manager caught up with Marques to find out how the current boom in the attractions, amusements and entertainment industries in the Middle East is impacting one of its biggest suppliers.

What are your views on the attractions industry in the Middle East?

The industry is definitely booming at the moment and its maturing; people are starting to appreciate the value of themed attractions.

Being in the Middle East, people are looking for attractions as there's not much else to do, especially with the climate. There's quite a huge need for indoor attractions and family oriented attractions, but the industry is still in the infancy stage.

Also, there are high expectations here, as clients are aware of what has already been achieved abroad and they want attractions that are bigger and better. It's challenging for us, but it makes it more exciting because we know the projects we are working on are going to be better than what has been done before.

What services does Amusement Whitewater provide?

We develop attractions; specifically we offer the theming to attractions. In certain areas we get involved in designing, in other areas in the execution, that is, the bolting on of the themed works.

Products include: water movement machinery; electromechanical equipment; manufacturing of fibreglass waterslides; interior and exterior decorative products; artificial rocks and water features; construction of themed leisure pools and decorative and plastic renderings.

For example, in the case of Ski Dubai, that is an attraction on its own but we provided the themed parts of it.

We designed quite a few of the attractions there - the toboggan ride, the suspension bridges, the kids play attractions and the Alps mountain recreation.

In terms of execution, we come up with the design and concept with the client, and once they approve it we actually get it engineered and then bolt it to give the client the finished product.

We only make custom-made products; we don't sell off the shelf. That's what makes our job so interesting - designing the concepts.