New rides unveiled at PortAventura's Ferrari Land

The park expects to see around five million visitors by the end of the year, and its general manager Fernando Aldecoa says the Catalunya political crisis has had no negative effects at all on PortAventuraWorld's success.

Opening Ferrari Land this year – the only one of its kind in Europe – has seen the park take off, and the €5 million it has invested in the five new rides for children is likely to be money well spent.

Aldecoa says 80% of visitors are families with young children, and the new rides have been designed with the youngsters in mind.

The Junior Red Force – a children's version of the main Red Force ride (pictured) - along with the Kids' Tower, which has a nine-metre free-fall track and the Crazy Pistons which simulates the movement of engine pistons are among the new attractions.

PortAventura has also launched the Champions' Race, where kids can enjoy all the thrills of driving a Ferrari at high speed around a Grand Prix track – but safely, as it is only a simulator.

After the best Easter, Christmas and Hallowe'en in PortAventura's history, Aldecoa says it is clear that the park has not suffered through the disputed independence referendum in Catalunya.

And this year, extra features will be added to mark the 20^th anniversary of PortAventura's mascot, 'Woody', with characters from Tadeo Jones visiting the complex.

Next year, a themed family hotel in the Far West part of the park will open, and a new 'dark ride', the first on the complex, called 'Sesame Adventure' will be built at a cost of €15m.