Show Reviews
parkworld-online.com
Singapore success AAE unites Asian attractions industry
& Resorts’ first attractions in Malaysia, namely Legoland and Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park (including Hello Kitty Town and Little Big Club). Like the early morning trip to Universal Studios, it was a sell out. A party of 35 AAE attendees and IAAPA representatives embarked on a post-show tour to Bali. Attendance at the education conference totalled nearly 1,500, with large turnouts for sessions including (among others) What’s New in Asia, Social Media and a presentation from Wanda Cultural Tourism chairman Yuan Wang outlining the group’s impressive portfolio of parks, resorts and hotels across China. Almost 300 people bought tickets for Thursday’s Leadership Breakfast with Ocean Park chief executive, Tom Mehrmann.
From the floor
So how was AAE 2013 on the show floor for the exhibitors? “Phenomenal,” smiled DymoRides’ David Vatcher, adding that he was currently in advanced talks on two projects in Asia, and will be opening another soon in Australia. “The show’s been pretty good for Mack Rides,” Maximillian Roeser informed Park World. “If you look around it does not seem so busy, but people are stopping by. Asia is an important market for us and next year we will expand our booth.” A large and slick-looking booth was contributed near the front of the hall by Kingsmen, but as a Singapore company specialising in exhibition design you’d expect no less. The firm diversified into the attractions industry after working theming for the local Universal Studios and is now involved with high profile upcoming Chinese projects including Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai and Shanghai Disney Resort. New Austrian media-based experience specialist Attraktion! stopped plenty of visitors in their tracks with the Playoke Dance game on its booth. “The first reactions have been good,” Markus Beyr informed us. “The product could be operated either on a pay-to-play basis or perhaps as a pre-show to another attraction.”
“I think this the best IAAPA show of all three,” remarked Enrico from Rides & Fun. “Asia is the best market for is, followed by Middle East, and a lot of the work we do here is in family entertainment centres.” “The Dubai show [DEAL] was maybe better for attendance, but AAE is of equal importance,” observed Coen Nieuwenstein on the Gerstlauer Amusement Rides booth. “There’s a lot of potential in the Asia Pacific region, and we already projects in Japan and Australia.”
“I think this is better than two years ago at Sentosa,” offered Zierer’s Marina Ernst. “The first day was very good, we were busy all day and we also signed an order at the show. The Asian market is a good market right now, whereas Europe is slowing down. We have not seen many Chinese customers here though.”
“Indonesia is the hot market in South East Asia right now,” added Zamperla’s Andrea Cielo, “it’s booming; everywhere there are new parks. “Singapore is an attractive place to come, and we were maybe expecting to see more people at the show, but we cannot complain.” Among the sales made by the Italian manufacturer was a Hydro Mania ride for an unnamed Asian client. “The show is nice,” concluded David Jia of prolific Chinese ride manufacturer Golden Horse Amusement Equipment, which was exhibiting details of a new product called Fantasy Fly. “We will have a huge booth next year in Beijing. I think there is room for two shows – CAAPA for the domestic market, and AAE for the rest of Asia.”
Things certainly look likely to get interesting in 2014 when AAE is staged in the Chinese capital from 17 to 20 June, just a few months after the annual trade show from the Chinese Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions (CAAPA) at the same venue.
iaapa.org/expos
All woman or all wax? An eye- catching figure from Elephant Sculpture Art. Could you handle her?
IAAPA CEO Paul Nolan tries out a dance game during a tour of the floor
Wanda Cultural Tourism chairman Yuan Wang delivers his presentation
Local exhibitor Kingsmen had a smart booth JULY 2013
Udo and Camelia Weisenburger from TAA
AAE signage 25
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