Inside IAAPA Expo Europe 2025: Global Attractions Industry Converges in BarcelonaInside IAAPA Expo Europe 2025: Global Attractions Industry Converges in Barcelona
More than 15,000 attendees gathered at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via to explore the latest innovations and network with fellow attractions industry professionals.
Many trade show organizers will describe the event experience as a roller coaster ride. At IAAPA Expo Europe 2025, it literally was.
Hosted by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions (IAAPA), the annual event brought together attractions industry professionals for five days of education, networking, and discovery, including trips to area theme parks for a thrilling hands-on experience. The tentpole event designed for leisure and attractions professionals in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region took place Sept. 22-26 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via.
This year’s expo drew 15,877 out of a total of 18,168 registered attendees. The show floor welcomed 11,477 buyers representing 9,370 companies across 121 countries. Industry professionals explored 20,700 square meters (about 222,813 square feet) of exhibition space showcasing innovations from more than 700 exhibitors. Attendees represented a diverse range of attractions, including amusement and theme parks, water parks, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, museums, and resorts.
“While verified attendance was slightly lower compared to last year—which was anticipated—it reflects the differences between markets,” explained an IAAPA spokesperson. “The Netherlands has historically been a stronger region for the attractions industry than Spain, with a larger concentration of operators.” More than 17,000 attendees were at IAAPA Expo Europe 2024 held in Amsterdam. But international participation increased this year, with buyers from 121 countries as compared to 113 countries at last year’s event.
In fact, the European amusement park market reached a market size of $27.09 billion USD in 2025 and is forecast to hit $34.18 billion USD by 2030, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence.
New Programming and Educational Tours
In addition to the trade show floor, the expo also featured more than 60 educational sessions led by industry leaders, offering insights on topics such as sustainability, guest experience, safety, technology, and emerging trends. Attendees could also participate in tours of PortAventura World and Water World, as well as MSC World Europa—the first-ever cruise-themed tour offered at the expo—and Horrorland, another new experience where attendees visited the scream park to get a sneak peek at its newest haunted house and backstage operations. All of the tours allowed participants to gain a behind-the-scenes look at sustainability, operations, and guest engagement strategies.
Programming also included the new Women in the Industry networking lunch and the event’s signature Leadership Breakfast.
The IAAPA spokesperson said that the smaller, more interactive format of the sessions allowed for “richer discussions and peer-to-peer exchanges.”
Engaging Partner Activations
Brand partners matched the energy of the attractions industry booths with several engaging activations including GO! Move!, which collaborated with the association to create two interactive gaming experiences on large digital screens. In one, participants jumped to hit moving blocks featuring the logos of the four IAAPA expos, while in the other, players had to move to avoid falling into virtual lava. And during the opening reception at Tibidabo Amusement Park, Lagotronics Projects surprised attendees with a spectacular laser show.
The association also raised awareness and generated funds for the IAAPA Foundation, which supports careers in the attractions industry through academic, experiential, and industry scholarships, with a unique activation provided by game supplier H.B. Leisure.
The booth featured a lively game activation where attendees could make a small contribution to the foundation in order to play. Participants who won the game received a prize. Attendees could also support the foundation by purchasing chocolate bars from Xócala, donating their phone charging station deposit after use, or making a direct contribution during online registration or in person at the IAAPA Foundation booth.
Attraction News and Awards Announcements
During the expo, some companies introduced new experiences. BoldMove Nation announced two major product developments—the debut of its Rogue Rides brand of trackless vehicle systems at Hunderfossen Family Park in Norway and the unveiling of the Spinfinity Coaster Splash, a new concept blending roller coaster dynamics with a water ride that’s set to debut in France in 2028.
DOF Robotics announced Phantom City, a new racing adventure that blends immersive storytelling with DOF’s flying theater simulators with digital content that includes well-known IPs, such as The Smurfs, Dog Fight, and Guardian Challenge. Outdoor Factory also revealed plans for Isla Aventura, a 110-acre theme park scheduled to open in December 2026 on Isla Margarita, Venezuela.
To close out the expo, IAAPA recognized outstanding achievement in exhibit design and presentation with the Brass Ring Best Exhibit Award winners. The awards honor exhibitors who demonstrate exceptional creativity, innovation, and impact on the show floor; the awards are a nod to the carnival tradition of grabbing the brass ring while riding the carousal. Exhibits are scored based on criteria including design, branding, staff engagement, and overall visual impact. This year’s Image Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding exhibit booth across the entire show floor, went to Proslide Technology Inc., whose “booth design evoked the feeling of being immersed in a waterslide.”
Looking ahead
IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 will take place Sept. 21-25, in London, and the upcoming IAAPA Expo 2025 will take place at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center Nov. 17-21. It’s the largest and most comprehensive event IAAPA hosts and ranked #22 on TSNN’s Top Trade Shows List for 2024. The 2024 iteration drew a crowd of 41,429 and spanned 574,025 square feet with 1,169 exhibitors.
This year’s IAAPA Expo is expected to welcome more than 38,000 registrants and 1,100-plus exhibitors and will feature more than 170 education sessions. Attendees will also be to explore popular returning features, including the Digital Signage Innovation Lab, the Haunting Grounds pavilion, and the IAAPA Street Market where live demonstrations and tastings take place. There are also 33 scheduled press conferences with anticipated major ride reveals, new product launches, and key announcements.
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