The IAAPA Attractions Expo, which drew to a close on Friday, welcomed 35,000 industry professionals, the highest number of visitors on record, to the Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida.
The show was the largest in its 98-year history, with 1,136 exhibitors over 578,460 sq ft (53,740sq m) of floor space.
“What an amazing week and year,” said Paul Noland, IAAPA president and CEO. “This record-setting show caps off a record year for IAAPA Expos around the world.”
IAAPA’s 2016 show in Barcelona, Spain, welcomed 12,600 people, the most attendees in EAS history. And the trade show in Shanghai, China, broke records for the number of exhibitors and size of its show floor.
The IAAPA Attractions Expo featured 99 different educational experiences, attracting almost 12,000 participants. The GM and Owners Breakfast, with Plopsa Group CEO Steve Van den Kerhkoff, attracted 670 guests, while more than 450 people attended a lunch event on the process and inspiration behind Disney Springs.
“It's been such an incredible show all week,” said Greg Hale, chief safety officer at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and incoming IAAPA chair. “The weather's been gorgeous, the show floor's been packed, and this is more visitors than we've ever seen before. People seemed thrilled and excited about all the new products being shown. IAAPA Attractions Expo 2016 demonstrated the health of our industry is continuing to grow around the world.”
Finally, US$125,000 (€117,500, £100,200) was raised by IAAPA attendees during golfing, motorcycling and fun run events
for Give Kids The World.
