Viet Nam’s Beta Media JSC has signed an investment agreement with Hong Kong’s Blue HK Investments Ltd to construct low-cost multiplexes in small cities and suburbs in the country.

Prior to this, Beta Media has received investment capital from Viet Nam Investment Group (VIG), the investor of Galaxy Cinemas and Galaxy Studios.

A cinema investment company, Beta Media was established in 2015 with the launch of Beta Cineplex cinemas in the northern province of Thai Nguyen. It follows a low-cost model and focuses on small and outlying provinces.

Currently, the company has four multiplexes in Thai Nguyen, Ha Noi and the southern province of Dong Nai, each with four to five screens. Its ticket prices are 60 to 65 per cent lower than the high-end cinemas in major cities.

The company expects to launch another six multiplexes this year, in the central province of Thanh Hoa, the northern province of Bac Giang, Ha Noi, HCM City, and the southern provinces of Khanh Hoa and An Giang. Its target is to operate 20 theatre complexes in Viet Nam by 2018.

Its cinema complexes in small cities and provinces and in suburban areas without competitors have been more effective than in large cities such as Ha Noi. The investment required in smaller regions is 60-70 per cent of the investment in big cities, Minh said. — VNS