ORLANDO — The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced the launch of IAAPA Expo Middle East, which is set to debut in 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
According to Jakob Wahl, President and CEO of IAAPA, the attractions industry is flourishing in the Middle East and IAAPA members in the region expressed demand for the event.
“We have seen huge growth in Dubai, in Abu Dhabi and now, most recently, we have seen many projects in the attractions industry in Saudi Arabia,” Wahl said. “Where you see growth in the industry, you also see growth in membership with IAAPA and you see a growth in demand for what we offer … people said ‘Hey, this region is growing so quickly. We need products, we need education — why don’t you have a trade show here?’ … We’re excited to do that, because we see sustainable growth in that region.”
Organizing for Success
IAAPA has a regional office in the Middle East and plans to expand it in the future. Wahl believes that IAAPA employees from the region will be key to the event’s progress.
“For us, the success of a trade show is only there when we have team members who speak the language, who are in the same time zone, who understand the market and who are experts in what they do in the markets where they act in,” Wahl explained.
Wahl added that IAAPA’s relationship with the venue’s owner ADNEC Group, which includes experience hosting an event at the organization’s ExCeL London convention center, also gives the show a strong launchpad.
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Meeting and Expanding Demand
Wahl shared that IAAPA members from the Middle East attend its North American and European trade shows, but believes that an event in the region will help the association grow without decreasing attendance at other shows.
“It’s a long journey [from the Middle East to Europe or North America], and our trade shows offer something not only for the senior executives, but also for mid-level management,” Wahl said. “You can’t bring 50 people, most of the time, overseas … this is also why we decided to host something in the region: to make it more accessible for everybody.
“With the growth of the show in Europe, we didn’t see an effect on the Orlando show, because they are still two very different shows. They have different sizes [and] they have a different character … people like to actually go there … to learn the markets, to see what is there and to see what’s new.”
Curated Opportunities
The association is organizing a vast education program, a show floor packed with opportunities for professionals to enhance their parks and/or attractions, and more.
IAAPA Expo 2024 is scheduled for next month in Orlando, with education offered from Nov. 18-21 and the show floor being open for business from Nov. 19-22. The show’s 2023 edition won the Stickiest Show Floor Award at the 2024 TSE Gold 100 Awards & Summit.
“It’s a very high-class, well-executed trade show where we take care of our people … It’s not only ‘Hey, we take your money. Here’s your booth,’ but we build relationships to make sure that they have a successful expo, and that is something which we will also guarantee for the Middle East Expo,” Wahl said.
Learn more about IAAPA here.
