Royal Burgers' Zoo new owner GaiaZOO
KERKRADE/ARNHEM - In the year that GaiaZOO celebrates its 20th anniversary, a new era is being ushered in. The Kerkrade zoo proudly announces that it will enter into a strategic partnership with Royal Burgers' Zoo on June 1. The Arnhem zoo is a leader at home and abroad and belongs to the world top thanks to its eco-displays (such as Bush, Desert, Ocean and Mangrove). This fits perfectly with the landscape design of GaiaZOO, which has already received dozens of awards for this. Both zoos underline how special and vulnerable our earth is and attach great importance to education and nature conservation. Due to their location along the eastern flank of the Netherlands, their market area outside the Netherlands and Belgium emphatically includes Germany. Through the acquisition, Burgers' Zoo strengthens its position as a family business and GaiaZOO can continue to grow and expand.
Collaborate and strengthen
The acquisition is a logical choice. Each of the two parks occupies a unique position in its own region. GaiaZOO's philosophy, values, standards and ethics are similar to those of Burgers' Zoo. "As the management of Royal Burgers' Zoo, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to take over GaiaZOO," said Alex van Hooff. "Since its inception in 2005, we have been enthusiastic about the quality, design and splendor of the park. In our view, GaiaZOO has been continuously and consistently working responsibly to create a beautiful, future-proof animal park. We would like to retain the current philosophy behind GaiaZOO, not least because that vision is completely in line with that of Burgers' Zoo. We realize that the park occupies a unique position in the region and contributes to its reputation. For this reason, we are therefore committed to maintaining a good relationship with the municipality and underline the importance of being a good employer."
Joining forces
Major shareholder of GaiaZOO, Moraco, announced its intention to sell its shares in the course of 2024 and asked director Rob Huppertz to look for a buyer who could guarantee that GaiaZOO could continue to develop: "In my eyes, only one candidate was conceivable. I have known the Van Hooff family for a long time and have tremendous appreciation for how, as the fourth generation, they continue to develop this wonderful family business, which originated in 1913. Their vision fits seamlessly with ours. Both companies believe in natural animal habitats in which visitors are guests. Both parks are also known for their catering and conference facilities and children's play areas, both outdoor and indoor. Both zoos also have their own conservation foundation with the help of many volunteers. In GaiaZOO there is a lot of attention to South Limburg species like the corn wolf, acorn mouse and fire salamander and Burgers' Zoo protects no less than 400 km2 of wilderness in Central American Belize."
In addition to Moraco, the municipality of Kerkrade is also a shareholder in GaiaZOO, and Alderman Alexander Geers (economy and tourism) looks forward to the future with confidence: "Kerkrade has been a shareholder from the very beginning from our role as a booster to make the realization of the zoo possible. In recent years, GaiaZOO has developed into a very important tourist attraction with now more than 8,250,000 visitors in 20 years and a healthy financial position. We therefore consider this a good time to sell our shares, have great confidence in the new owner and will also remain involved through a seat on the Advisory Board."
Building the future
At GaiaZOO, financial results have been invested for years in strengthening and future-proofing the company. You can only implement such a strategy consistently if the shareholders embrace the so-called Rhineland philosophy. "We have the special situation within GaiaZOO that both the municipality of Kerkrade and also the private investor, the Mourmans family (Moraco), cherish these values," says John Halmans, chairman of the GaiaZOO Supervisory Board, and are therefore very pleased to recognize these same standards and values with the new owner."
On June 1, 2025, it will be exactly 20 years since HRH Princess Margriet officially opened GaiaZOO. Exactly 20 years later, the shares of GaiaZOO will be transferred to Royal Burgers' Zoo. So all the ingredients are present for a very festive weekend centered around subscription holders and guests.