When Faheem-ul Hassan left Lahore nearly 15 years ago to pursue a career in medicine in London, UK, he was filled with anticipation of the opportunities that lay ahead. Yet, despite his success abroad, a part of him always yearned for the chaotic energy of his hometown. London offered him a career, but Lahore had his heart.

Cut to 2024. Hassan is back, not only to reconnect with his roots but also to find the city “transformed” (his words).

Hassan’s decision to return to Lahore was not made overnight. “I planned to move back in 2017,” he says. “But I remembered Lahore as lacking the kind of fun places that my son, who was five at the time, craved and had grown accustomed to in London. So, I postponed my return.”

Today’s Lahore is different, he says. “There are now plenty of fun and amusement places for the entire family to enjoy. My son is particularly happy at places like Funco and KhyberPunk [in Gulberg]. Besides, we get to play at Wonder World and Super Space [in Fortress] and Fun Dunya [amusement park in Zoo Safari].”

Over the past decade or so, Lahore has seen an exponential growth in amusement parks, particularly with indoor facilities. In the Lahore of 15 or so years ago, the public’s entertainment options were limited to parks, historical sites and the zoo; the children only had Joyland in Fortress Stadium and Siddiq Trade Centre’s top-floor gaming zone in the heart of Gulberg. Today, it’s a different entertainment-scape we are looking at — the city boasts a variety of modern amusement parks that are more than just places to while away time at; they are “designed for active entertainment,” a concept that Hassan wholeheartedly supports.

“In London, where I practiced medicine, my employer would often give us paid leaves along with free passes to visit amusement parks,” he recalls. “The idea was to encourage active vacations instead of spending holidays indoors in front of our screens.

“Amusement parks should be part of our weekly routine, if we mean to lead a healthy life,” he adds. “Active entertainment encourages people to move their bodies and give up on sedentary lifestyles.”

Every Friday night, Hassan makes it a point to take out his son to one of Lahore’s many amusement parks. Last week, they found themselves at KhyberPunk, playing computer games, throwing balls at a basketball post and racing electric cars.

KhyberPunk, like many of the city’s freshly built indoor amusement parks, offers a variety of activities for people of all ages. The place has three main sections: a soft play area for children, an arcade also for children and a dodging car arena where families can compete against one another.

Open from 2 pm to 10 pm, KhyberPunk offers 70-odd games. It is said to attract more than a hundred visitors on weekends.

External factors such as bad weather, strikes or inflation impact the footfalls. But, despite these challenges, the industry continues to grow, offering more and more options for families looking to spend their leisure time in a fun and active way.

The rise of modern amusement parks in Lahore has not gone unnoticed. Hassan Khan, who has a long work experience at the city’s chief amusement parks, says he is optimistic about the industry’s future. “Lahore has grown tremendously in terms of such attractions. If we see the revenue generated [by such places], the city’s potential revenue from the sector would range from Rs 1.5 billion to Rs 2 billion annually.”

For many Lahoris, the emergence of these fun spaces has filled the gap that had existed for a long time. “Such places have given people options to spend their leisure time in a fun-filled way,” Khan says. “These places are attracting domestic tourists, too.”

Modern amusement parks come in many shapes and sizes, each with a unique theme and character. While Lahore may not yet have sprawling theme parks, such as Disneyland, it offers a variety of options that cater to various tastes. On the one hand, you have popular outdoor spaces such as Sozo Water Park; Joyland, with its merry-go-round and roller coasters; and Racecourse Park; on the other hand, there are new entertainment venues designed especially for families.

Khan says fun spaces and play areas are now especially incorporated in shopping malls, in line with the global market trends. “You know, a mall cannot be called a mall unless it has a food court, an array of superstores and a play land,” he says.

Khan reveals that the hardware for these parks is mostly imported from Italy, considered the global leader in this sector. However, he says, Chinese manufacturers have recently started giving Italian suppliers stiff competition, by offering fancy gaming features at lower prices.

On the local front, Haji Hassan Akhtar, who runs a manufacturing unit at Sheikhupura, has made a name for himself by providing affordable amusement rides and gaming attractions.

“The industry is all about balancing fun with safety,” Khan says. “An accident happens only when the standard operating procedures are violated.”

Operating an amusement park isn’t without its share of challenges. The operators have to bear a variety of costs, including human resource, maintenance, ticket printing, utility bills and government duties.

Fortunately, the revenue streams are equally diverse. Parks earn money not just from their entry fees but also from food sales, tickets on rides, toy stores, school field trips and advertising.

The peak time for business in Lahore is the fortnight following the two Eids; and summer months (from June to August) as well as the annual winter break from schools and universities.

External factors such as bad weather, strikes and inflation can impact the footfalls. But, despite these challenges, the industry continues to grow, offering more and more options for families looking to spend their leisure time in a fun and active way.

Ahsan Malik is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship