The European market for family entertainment centres would benefit from the smaller FECs that are appearing increasingly in Far Eastern locations, said Intercard’s vice-president of international marketing and sales, Alberto Borrero. 

Borrero was speaking at his company’s newly opened technical support office in Subic Bay, in the Philippines, after a tour of several Far Eastern countries, including Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam. 

He said, “I visited a number of malls, and they tended to have one medium-sized location – by Middle East standards – but three or four of what you might call ‘Billy Beez-type’ installations. 

Alberto Borrero (second right) in the Intercard Subic Bay technical support office.  At the rear is Jerry Heinz, general manager and Asia Pacific sales director of Intercard.

Those sites are very profitable as the initial capital investment is very low and the ongoing operating costs are also low, with just two or three employees in each location.  So the return on investment is very fast.  They usually occupy a small space so the leasing contracts with the mall owners are minimal.  This type of location would work well in Europe.”  That demand for smaller locations inside malls was currently being satisfied in the Middle East market by the Snowy’s Forest and MyTown brands, he added.