Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region

A new era begins as IAAPA establishes its presence in the Middle East, marking an important milestone as MENALAC and IAAPA officially come together under the MENA region. Building on IAAPA’s century long legacy of delivering world class Expos and member benefits that unite the global attractions community, this moment represents both growth and evolution. As the newest addition to IAAPA’s international Expo portfolio, the region’s debut underscores a continued commitment to connecting members, advancing knowledge, and shaping the future of the attractions industry worldwide.

IAAPA and MENALAC to join forces to launch IAAPA MENA

Orlando, Florida — IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, today announced plans to strengthen its support and deepen its commitment to members and the rapidly growing attractions industry across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with the establishment of a new regional office. The official launch will be celebrated during IAAPA Expo Middle East and be officially in place July 1st, 2026. 

The announcement reflects IAAPA’s continued investment in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for tourism, leisure, and entertainment. 

As part of this expansion, IAAPA and the Middle East and North Africa Leisure and Attractions Council (MENALAC) will join forces to launch IAAPA MENA, aligning activities and merging efforts to best serve members and advance the industry. A respected voice for the region since its establishment in 2016, MENALAC was founded by leading entertainment companies with a shared commitment to ensuring the MENA leisure and attractions sector is represented, supported, and positioned for long-term growth in an increasingly dynamic global marketplace. 

Through this collaboration, IAAPA builds upon the strong foundation MENALAC has established over the past decade—championing the region’s interests, elevating industry standards, and fostering collaboration among theme parks operators, amusement parks, visitor attractions, family entertainment centers, manufacturers and suppliers. Together, IAAPA and MENALAC will provide localized education, advocacy, research, resources, and expanded networking opportunities while connecting professionals in the region to IAAPA’s global community. The collaboration also recognizes MENALAC’s leadership and the Middle East’s growing expertise in the regional indoor amusement and family entertainment sector, ensuring that operators of all sizes — from large-scale destinations to indoor entertainment venues — receive dedicated support, industry insights, and representation. 

“By establishing IAAPA MENA, we’re ensuring that members in this dynamic region receive even stronger dedicated representation and resources while remaining fully connected to our worldwide network,” said Jakob Wahl, IAAPA President and CEO. “MENALAC has been a passionate and effective advocate for the region’s attractions industry, and together we are combining the strengths of two respected organizations to empower innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth.” 

Over the past decade, billions of dollars have been invested across the region, fueling the rise of world-class attractions—from large-scale branded theme parks to innovative, locally inspired experiences. Countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are leading this transformation, positioning the Middle East as a new global hub for tourism and leisure. 

As part of this initiative, IAAPA will take several key steps to establish a strong foundation for its presence in the region through its regional office. The association will form an IAAPA MENA Regional Advisory Board composed of IAAPA and MENALAC members representing the region’s diverse attractions community to guide priorities and strategy. The chair of the Regional Advisory Board will also have a regular seat on IAAPA’s Global Board of Directors. There will also be dedicated committees for Safety, Education, and Manufacturer & Suppliers. In addition, IAAPA has secured a vice president and executive director to lead the IAAPA MENA professional team, which will be based in Dubai and oversee the local IAAPA team. 

The creation of IAAPA MENA marks a major milestone in IAAPA’s mission to support safe, sustainable operations and professional development on a global scale, while honoring and building upon MENALAC’s legacy of leadership and advocacy in the region. It adds to the existing regions IAAPA APAC, IAAPA Latin America Caribbean, and IAAPA North America. The existing IAAPA EMEA office will become IAAPA Europe & Sub-Saharan Africa and oversee all European countries as well as the Sub-Saharan region. 

The announcement takes place as industry leaders, media, and attendees prepare to gather to learn more about IAAPA’s expanding presence in the region and its future plans to foster collaboration and innovation.

About MENALAC

Middle East and North Africa Leisure & Attractions Council (MENALAC) is a non-for-profit Trade Council representing the Leisure and Attractions companies in the Middles East and North Africa. It has been set up under the aegis of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Dubai Association Centre in 2016 when leading companies within the region’s entertainment industry, including Theme Parks, Visitor Attractions, Water Park and Family Entertainment Centers companies joined forces and established the Council as a platform to promote safe operations, regional development, professional growth and commercial success of the amusement industry and to be an indispensable resource for the Council’s members and an international authority for the attraction industry.