Zoo da Maia

What Zoo da Maia does

Zoo da Maia is a small zoological park located in the City of Maia municipality in northern Portugal, operated by the Junta de Freguesia Cidade da Maia (Maia City Parish Council), a local government administrative entity. The zoo maintains a diverse animal collection spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, organized across distinct visitor areas including the main zoo, Arca de Noé (Noah's Ark), Reptilário (Reptile House), and Esqueletolândia (Skeleton Land). Its core offering combines admission-based wildlife viewing with signature educational experiences, most notably a Free Flight Demonstration featuring birds of prey (diurnal raptors and nocturnal owls) and an Incubator Room presentation.

The business operates on a multi-stream visitor revenue model. General admission is priced at €10.00 for adults, €7.50 for seniors and children (3–12), with discounted rates for Maia parish residents (€2.50–€5.00) and a €30.00 family ticket. Supplementary revenue comes from pedagogical activity add-ons (€1.50 each for guided tours, animal feeding, Pedizoopaper, and incubator room visits), birthday party packages at €14.50 per child, holiday camps (Colónias) for children aged 6–14 during Christmas, Easter, and summer breaks, and an animal sponsorship (Apadrinhamentos) program. Group and school bookings (minimum 15 participants) are a significant revenue contributor, typically peaking March through July.

Technically, the zoo operates without proprietary technology infrastructure. Ticketing runs through the third-party See Tickets platform and on-site box office; bookings are processed via online reservation forms. The business has formal partnership protocols with 27+ educational institutions across Portugal — including ISMAI, UPorto, UTAD, Universidade de Coimbra, Universidade de Évora, IPB, IPVC, Lusiada, UFP, multiple school groupings, IEFP, Lipor, and ErasmusEU — supporting internships, vocational training, and school-group visits. The zoo employs between 1 and 10 staff, carries monthly fixed costs of approximately €60,000, and operates under the direct oversight of the parish council president Olga Freire.

Name

Zoo da Maia

Legal name

Zoo da Maia

Website

https://zoodamaia.pt

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Zoo da Maia is a small parish-government-operated zoological park in Maia, Portugal, offering general admission, school group visits, birthday parties, vacation camps, and educational demonstrations. It serves local families, schools, and regional visitors with no proprietary technology and a non-profit operating model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoological Park Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAJADAL

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Museums, Galleries & Cultural Institutions

SECONDARYTHAJAEAE

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Theme Parks, Water Parks & Family Entertainment Centers

Keywords

• Zoological park services
• Animal conservation education
• Wildlife exhibits
• Educational school visits
• Children's recreational activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Maia

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Entry Tickets: One-time admission fees granting access to the zoo, Arca de Noé (Noah's Ark), Reptilário (Reptile House), and Esqueletolândia (Skeleton Land). Online tickets available via See Tickets platform. No promotions or discounts apply to online ticket purchases.
2. Birthday Party Packages: Complete birthday celebration packages at the zoo including guided tour, animal feeding, access to Noah's Ark and Reptile House, free flight demonstration, snacks, and party activities at €14.50 per child. Minimum 10 children, maximum 25 children.
3. Vacation Camps (Colónias): Holiday camps for children aged 6-14 years during Christmas, Easter, and summer breaks. Full-day programs with pedagogical activities, animal education, and supervised exploration. Requires advance registration.
4. Pedagogical Activity Add-ons: Supplementary educational activities for pre-booked school and group visits including guided tours (€1.50), animal feeding sessions (€1.50), Pedizoopaper (€1.50), and incubator room presentations (€1.50).
5. Animal Sponsorship (Apadrinhamentos): Community engagement program allowing individuals, companies, and institutions to sponsor zoo animals. Involves direct participation in conservation efforts and animal welfare support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Zoo da Maia operates a zoological park in Maia, Portugal, housing mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. The zoo sells admission tickets to the park and its on-site attractions (Arca de Noé, Reptilário, Esqueletolândia) and offers ancillary paid programs including guided school/group visits, birthday party packages, holiday camps for children, free-flight bird demonstrations, and pedagogical activity add-ons.

Product overview

Zoo da Maia is a zoological park offering a comprehensive visitor experience centered around its animal collection spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. The core offering is the zoo admission (Zoo + Noah's Ark + Reptilarium + Skeletonland) combined with value-added services including birthday party packages, group/school visits with educational activities, holiday camps for children, free flight demonstrations, animal sponsorship programs, and internship opportunities. The zoo operates an online ticketing system and provides various on-site facilities including picnic areas, event halls, café, auditorium, children's playground, and pedagogical rooms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zoo Admission Tickets Per-visitor admission tickets priced by age and residency: Adults €10.00 (€2.50–€5.00 for Maia residents), seniors/children €7.50 (€2.00–€2.50 for residents); family ticket €30.00 for two adults and two children. Includes access to four on-site attractions.
• Group and School Visits Guided visits for schools (minimum 15 children) and general groups (minimum 15 people) priced at €7.50 per child/adult, with 2 free entries per 15 children for teachers/monitors. Optional pedagogical add-ons available.
• Birthday Party Packages 3-hour birthday celebration at the zoo for children aged 6+ at €14.50 per child (minimum 10, maximum 25 children), including guided tour, animal feeding, access to Noah's Ark and Reptile House, free-flight demonstration, snacks, and party activities.
• Holiday Camps (Colónias de Férias) Full-day supervised holiday camps for children aged 6–14 during Christmas, Easter, and summer breaks, featuring pedagogical activities, animal education, and supervised exploration at the zoo.
• Free Flight Demonstration Interactive educational demonstration featuring birds of prey (diurnal eagles, falcons, scavengers; nocturnal owls, barn owls, eagle owls) in flight, covering feeding, natural behaviors, individual characteristics, and ecosystem importance. Included with birthday party packages.
• Pedagogical Activity Add-ons Supplementary educational add-ons for pre-booked groups at €1.50 each: guided tours, animal feeding sessions, Pedizoopaper activity, and incubator room presentations.
• Animal Sponsorship (Apadrinhamentos) Sponsorship program allowing individuals, companies, and institutions to support specific zoo animals, contributing to animal welfare and conservation efforts.
• Internship and Volunteering Programs Curricular internships and volunteer placements for students in biology, animal sciences, aquatic sciences, and veterinary medicine, delivered in partnership with Portuguese universities, polytechnics, vocational schools, IEFP, and the Erasmus programme.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Auchan GondomarminorOthersCommercial supporter of Zoo da Maia. Image logo displayed on Supporters page of the zoo website.
• AuchanminorOthersCommercial supporter of Zoo da Maia. Image logo displayed on Supporters page of the zoo website.
• CinminorOthersCommercial supporter of Zoo da Maia. Image logo displayed on Supporters page of the zoo website.
• ISMAI (Instituto Superior da Maia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution with formal protocol agreement for student internships and training at the zoo. Part of 27+ institutional protocols with universities and schools.
• UPorto (Universidade do Porto)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university with formal protocol for student placements and educational collaboration at the zoo.
• Universidade CoimbracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university with formal protocol for student placements and educational collaboration.
• Universidade de ÉvoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university with formal protocol for student placements and educational collaboration.
• UTAD (Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university with formal protocol for student placements and educational collaboration.
• IPB (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolytechnic institute with formal protocol for student internships and training programs.
• IPVC (Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolytechnic institute with formal protocol for student internships and training programs.
• Lusiada (Universidade Lusiada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese private university with formal protocol for student placements.
• UFP (Universidade Fernando Pessoa)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese private university with formal protocol for student placements.
• LiporminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional waste management entity with formal protocol, possibly related to environmental education and sustainability programs.
• CinelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational training institution with formal protocol for student training at the zoo.
• Agrupamento de Escolas Camilo Castelo BrancocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool grouping with formal protocol for educational visits and student programs.
• Agrupamento de Escolas Manuel LaranjeiracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool grouping with formal protocol for educational visits and student programs.
• Escola Profissional Agrícola Condes de São BentominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural professional school with formal protocol for student training.
• IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese employment and training institute with formal protocol for vocational training placements.
• ErasmusEU (Erasmus Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean exchange program protocol allowing international students to participate in training at the zoo.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Zoomarine: Algarve-based marine and animal theme park combining aquarium exhibits, dolphin shows, and family entertainment. Comparable as a ticketed Portuguese animal park with education and birthday/event programs targeting families.
• BIOPARC Valencia: Iberian immersive zoo in Valencia emphasizing natural habitat enclosures and conservation education. Comparable business model as an education-first zoological park focused on biodiversity awareness rather than rides or amusement.
• Faunia: Madrid nature park combining zoo and aquarium experiences across ecosystems with a strong educational and family-event focus. Comparable as an Iberian educational wildlife attraction with ticketed admission and themed ecosystems.
• Zoológico de Lisboa: Portugal's flagship zoological park in Lisbon, operating a comparable ticketed zoo model with mammals, birds, reptiles, and educational programming. Most direct national peer given shared country, regulatory environment, and school-visit customer base.
• Oceanário de Lisboa: Lisbon-based aquarium within the Zoo da Maia category of 'Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens.' Comparable as a ticketed aquatic/wildlife attraction in Portugal with school group programming and educational mission.
• Badoca Safari Park: Safari-style park near Setúbal, Portugal, with free-roaming animals, lodging, and educational programming. Comparable as a Portuguese animal park operating ticket-driven wildlife experiences with a conservation and education mission.

Broad incumbents

• Chester Zoo: UK-based conservation-focused zoological park widely regarded as a benchmark for education-driven zoo operations and charity-led governance. Comparable mission orientation around conservation education, but at materially greater scale.
• Oceanogràfic (Valencia): Largest aquarium in Europe, located within the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. Comparable as a Spanish/Iberian ticketed aquatic wildlife attraction with educational programming, though at significantly larger scale and visitor throughput.
• Parc Zoològic de Barcelona: Large, established Barcelona zoo with broad species collection and significant educational programming. Comparable as a municipally-affiliated Iberian zoo, but materially larger and broader in scope than Zoo da Maia.

Regional players

• Parque Biológico de Gaia: Northern Portuguese biological park near Porto focused on native Iberian fauna and environmental education. Comparable as a Portuguese regional zoo/wildlife park with conservation and school-visit programming in the same broader Greater Porto catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/zoodamaia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zoo da Maia