From January to June this year, Kinepolis Group welcomed 10.7 million visitors to its cinema complexes.
On a comparable basis (*), this represents a fall of 7% on the previous year. Kinepolis recorded a fall of 4% in the first quarter and a fall of 14% in the second quarter of the year.
The absolute visitor figure for the first six months (including the visitor figures for Kinepolis Poland and Kinepolis Bruges) fell by 9% compared with last year.
The mediocre range of films on offer until mid-May and the warm weather, particularly in April, were the main factors to take their toll. The successful first quarter at Kinepolis France (Taxi 4, La Môme) and the final spurt in visitor numbers internationally (mid-May - June), thanks to Spiderman 3, Ocean's 13, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Shrek 3, were unable to offset the downturn entirely.
The Kinepolis Top 5 in the first half of the year were Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Spiderman 3, Night at the Museum, Shrek the Third and 300.
Kinepolis' most recent complexes, Kinepolis Bruges (2006), Kinepolis Nancy (2005) and Kinepolis Granada (2004) - unlike the other complexes - recorded remarkable growth.
Meanwhile, the holiday months have got off to a good start. Die Hard 4 made a very good beginning and today, 11 July 2007, sees the release of the fifth Harry Potter film (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix).
Other promising films due for release in July and August include The Simpsons Movie, Transformers, Ratatouille and Fantastic Four 2.
Kinepolis Ostend, the newest cinema complex in the Kinepolis Group, opened on Sunday 8 July 2007.
Enc.: Cinema visitors table, Kinepolis Group S1 2007
(*) Comparable basis: after deduction of the visitors numbers recorded for the Polish complex Cinema City Kinepolis (transfer and hire to cinema group ITIT as of 19 January 2007) and the new complex in Bruges (opened in July 2006)
