IAAPA Expo Europe has officially opened at the Messe Wien Exhibition & Congress Center in Vienna, Austria.
The show began with a glamourous opening ceremony with a string quartet and operatic performance in a traditional Austrian style.
It is the largest ever show floor for an IAAPA Expo Europe, taking up 17,500sq.m of space, with more than 600 exhibitors showing the latest amusement products, while over 15,000 people are expected to pour through the doors of the exhibition centre over the next three days from all corners of the globe.
Amanda Thompson from the UK's Blackpool Pleasure Beach received an award for 100 years' of membership while Andreas Andersen, the CEO and president of the Liseberg Group, was given an award for 100 years of operation of the Liseburg Amusement Park in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Austria’s state secretary for tourism, Susanne Kraus-Winkler, said: “As the best meeting destination in the world, it’s a great pleasure to welcome this year’s IAAPA Expo Europe in Vienna. It’s the ideal venue because it is where tradition and culture meet future-oriented thinking.
“Prospects for the coming years show that people's willingness to spend a substantial amount of their income on leisure activities is increasing. The attraction industry continues to grow and has a big impact on local economies.
“To maintain this success, it is important to learn from each other – IAAPA Expo Europe with nearly 640 exhibitors is, therefore, the best opportunity to get inspired by the newest trends and innovations in the industry.”
