Cinemark to close last Taiwan location at end of March

Taipei, Feb. 17 (CNA) Cinema chain Cinemark announced on Saturday that it will be closing its last location in Taiwan at the end of March.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, the company said its location in Taipei's Ximending shopping district will cease operations on March 31 and thanked its customers for their support over the last 20 years.

The company also announced refund programs in the post, saying that members with NT$5,000 (US$159.50) or less of credit in their accounts can apply for refunds at the 11th floor of the company's office in Ximending. Refunds of group tickets for 25 people or fewer can also be processed at the location.

The office will process the refunds from Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Members with more than NT$5,000 of credit and customers with group tickets for more than 25 people can apply for refunds online, it said.

The closing of Cinemark's location in Ximending follows the shutting of its cinemas in Taipei's decommissioned Core Pacific City mega mall in 2019 and in Kaohsiung's Dream Mall in 2020.

In a subsequent press release, Cinemark explained that it had decided to close its final location in Taiwan due to changing consumer habits after an internal evaluation.

However, the company also noted that its absence in Taiwan will only be temporary, as it plans to open a brand-new location in Taipei in 2026.

The company has previously said it will open a branch in the old Core Pacific City which is being rebuilt into a new shopping and business site.