PW Nov 09 P28-29.qxd 11/4/09 1:13 pm Page 28
Show Review
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EAS AMSTERDAM
Attendance up at IAAPA European expo
Efteling CEO Bart de Boer (left) accepts a gift
from IAAPA chairman Darrell Metzger
A seminar featuring author S Anton Clavé, Bob
The RAI’s Europa Hall
Rogers (BRC) and Michel den Dulk (Europa-Park)
After the bizarre situation in 2008, when Euro after enjoying a successful summer, buoyed rather
Attractions Show took place twice, the event than hindered by the economy. Attendance increases
settled into its new autumn (fall) schedule as it of between 10 and 20% were reported as families
appeared inside the Europa Hall of Amsterdam’s across Europe chose to make the most of attractions
RAI exhibition centre from September 30 to close to home. Against this backdrop, EAS exhibitors
October 2. Owen Ralph reports from IAAPA’s should have been doing brisk business.
biggest and busiest exhibition yet for the
European attractions industry Lack of Innovation?
But how much new product was there for visitors to
L
ast year’s attendance was diluted thanks to the see? A small cluster of exhibits could be inspected
staging of shows in both Nice and Munich, outside the Europa Hall including a 4D cinema,
each of which attracted over 5,000 visitors. So Mondial’s Heart Breaker ride and a lifting bike from
Amsterdam represented IAAPA’s chance to prove Action Innovators (see page 60).
autumn is indeed the best time for attraction Inside the exhibition itself, Clostermann Design’s
The stand of Theming & Animatronic Industries
operators to get-together and, hopefully, make Alien Idol exhibit (also on page 60) stopped several
(TAA) was an eye-catcher
purchasing decisions for next season and beyond. visitors in their tracks, and there were a variety of
More than 8,000 of them did. multimedia offerings, across several price ranges. A
Visitor numbers for this event have been vague lot of the brochures, however, contained rides or
ever since IAAPA took over in 2005, but what we do attractions that were simply variations on a theme.
know is that this year’s Euro Attractions Show (EAS) This was not a vintage year for innovation,
beat the previous record set in Seville back in 2007, although it’s worth noting some companies were
when “more than 7,400” attended. We also know holding back their new ideas for the larger IAAPA
that the around a third of the attendance came from Attractions Expo the following month in Las Vegas.
Holland and the number of exhibitors was also at an Park World’s (unscientific) poll of European park
all time high – 278. owners the week before EAS revealed that several
“We are extremely pleased with the result of the were giving Amsterdam a miss. Maybe they were
show,” remarked IAAPA European director Andreas waiting for Amusement Expo in Europe in Genoa
Veilstrup Andersen as the event was wrapping up. (October 28 to 30) or, just as likely, Las Vegas, where
“Despite a very difficult economical context, we have they could see all the same exhibitors and more,
a solid show with the greatest variety of exhibitors.” benefit from cheaper accommodation than in the The Heineken Experience: scene of Thursday
In fact, most park owners arrived in Amsterdam Dutch capital, and maybe even enjoy some free time.
night’s EAS Party
28
NOVEMBER 2009
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