Photo courtesy IAAPASeptember 26, 2024 press release from IAAPA:
IAAPA Expo Europe, the premier event for the leisure and attractions industry, ended today at the RAI Amsterdam with the highest number of registered attendees in the region’s history. Approximately 17,370 attendees came to connect with fellow professionals, share best practices and resources, explore the latest innovations, and visit some of the Netherlands most unique facilities during the four-day conference.
IAAPA Expo Europe 2024 also welcomed a total of 13,195 qualified buyers, representing 11,529 buying companies, and more than 680 exhibiting companies. This year’s event surpassed EMEA’s record for the largest trade show floor ever, taking over 18,000 square meters of the venue space.
Peter van der Schans, executive director and vice president for IAAPA Europe, Middle East, and Africa, added, “The attractions market in Amsterdam is one of the things that makes this city an outstanding host. Its rich history of cultural landmarks that blend tradition with cutting-edge experiences, makes Amsterdam the ideal setting for this event. The record-breaking success of IAAPA Expo Europe 2024 is a testament to the unwavering support of our members, partners, and exhibitors, and we deeply appreciate their commitment to our industry.”
The education conference, a hallmark of every IAAPA Expo, showcased an impressive lineup of 60 sessions featuring 200 speakers from 20 countries. These EDUSessions covered a broad spectrum of topics, including workplace culture, emerging trends, guest satisfaction, revenue optimization, safety, sustainability, best practices for small facilities, and more.
“The magnitude of IAAPA Expo Europe continues to demonstrate the positive impact of our industry and how much we can learn from each other,” said Jakob Wahl, president and chief executive officer of IAAPA. “We are thrilled to see our community come together in person time and time again to exchange ideas and showcase the future of the attractions industry.”
The expo event also continued to feature a strong presence of the IAAPA Foundation. More than 15,000 euros were raised through the sale of stroopwafels and a live auction featuring industry-donated items such as exclusive park visits, overnight stays, and a dinner with Andreas Andersen. In support of future talent in the attractions industry, IAAPA matched this amount, bringing the total to 30,528 euros.
Next year’s IAAPA Expo Europe 2025 will take place 22-25 September in Barcelona, Spain. So far, 553 companies have contracted a total of 18,009 square meters of exhibit space.
Thank you to our sponsors for IAAPA Expo Europe 2024:
accesso, Activate, Brogent Technologies, Inc., Capturelife, DOF Robotics, Gateway Ticketing Systems, Inc., Lagotronics Projects, Outdoor Factory, Polin Waterparks, ProSlide Technology, QubicaAMF Bowling Products, Sacoa Cashless System, Semnox Solutions, Storibox, Storyland Studios, Inc., TAIT, Universal Verification Ltd, Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V., Water Technology Inc.