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IAAPA Global Board Meeting March 2024 Update

March 18, 2024 IAAPA GlobalBy Wuthichai Luangamornlert

Wuthichai Luangamornlert
ICAE Chair, 2024 IAAPA Global Board of Directors
Managing Director, Siam Park Bangkok Co. Ltd.

Greetings from Bangkok! I wanted to provide an update from our recent global board of directors meeting in Las Vegas. The meeting took place on March 3 in conjunction with the new IAAPA Honors awards event and just prior to the IAAPA North America Summit. It was a busy but productive four days.

Here are some highlights from the board meeting:

New Global Safety and EMEA Safety and Security Committee Chairs – The board approved Emmanuel Calderara from Disneyland Paris as the new chair of the global safety and security committee and Isidora Diaz from Parques Reunidos as the chair of the recently combined safety and security committee in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region.
First Quarter Industry Outlook and Board Sentiment – IAAPA Global Head of Research Kelly Repass presented the highlights of the First Quarter 2024 Industry Outlook Survey. Despite mixed economic concerns and on-going challenges with hiring, most operators were optimistic about revenue, attendance (including group sales), per capita spending, and profit growth. More detailed survey highlights, along with some industry updates provided by the board members, are available here in this recap on IAAPA News Hub.

The IAAPA team also provided the following updates on IAAPA’s Strategic Priorities and 2024 Business Plan:

IAAPA Membership – IAAPA ended 2023 with 8,113 members and we anticipate reaching our goal of 8,500 members in 2024.
New Safety Resources – The association is hiring a global safety, security, and health director who will coordinate IAAPA’s key safety initiatives around the world. The EMEA safety committee recently published new safety whitepapers on Ride Restricted Areas and Ride Manufacturer Training. They also hosted a webinar on ride restricted areas and that’s available at no cost to IAAPA members. A webinar on ride manufacturer training is scheduled for March 21. The association will provide “IAAPA Safety Corner” experiences at all three Expos where attendees can meet and discuss safety issues with members of the regional safety and security committees. The association continues to work on global ride safety standards harmonization and working with governments to adopt one of the harmonized standards.
Sustainability – IAAPA will be hiring a sustainability leader to manage and guide the association’s sustainability initiatives. They will work closely with the IAAPA Team, global sustainability committee, and the regional sustainability committees or task forces to develop more sustainable practices for the association and to help members develop their programs. This work will also include working with other groups to develop a sustainability standard for the industry.
IAAPA Foundation – The IAAPA Team is working to raise awareness for the IAAPA Foundation and hosted fundraising activities in 2023 that generated $74K in donations from companies and individuals. IAAPA contributed an additional $72K in matching funds for these donations making the total raised in 2023 $146K. The Foundation board recently approved $60K in 2024 scholarships through eight universities and industry organizations in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico and the foundation team is working to understand industry workforce needs and priorities so they can develop programs and partnerships to address the greatest needs.
Advocacy – The association continues to focus on legislative and regulatory matters important to the industry. In the U.S., IAAPA recently hosted a meeting of public sector leaders and central Florida tourism leaders for a discussion on topics important to the industry. On March 26, IAAPA will host educational tours for 10 U.S. Congressional delegates focused on international travel, safety and security, workforce development, environmental and animal habitat conservation, and the industry’s positive economic impact. Plans are also underway for the IAAPA Public Affairs Conference which will take place in conjunction with an IAAPA North America Meetup the week of Sept. 9 in Washington, D.C. In the EMEA region, the association is working on industry issues related to the European Disability Card, Package Travel Directive, and updates to the International Standards Organization (ISO) Trampoline Norm to hopefully align the new standard with other, existing trampoline standards. The EMEA region is also planning the first-ever IAAPA EMEA advocacy event, to take place later in 2024.
IAAPA Honors Awards – Designed to strengthen IAAPA’s awards program, IAAPA Honors was a consolidated celebration held in Las Vegas on March 3. The sold-out event included inspirational presentations and honored the association’s individual achievement award winners (IAAPA Hall of Fame, Service, and Young Professionals of the Year), the Liseberg Applause Award winner, and the winners of the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards. More than 800 entries were submitted for IAAPA’s 2023-2024 awards, and the winners were from 15 countries around the world. Following this inaugural event, the IAAPA Board, awards committee, and team will evaluate IAAPA Honors and begin to plan IAAPA’s awards program for 2024-2025.
Expansion in the Middle East – IAAPA EMEA is opening a new office in Dubai. In February, IAAPA hosted a very successful Middle East Trade Summit in Abu Dhabi and plans to host a similar event in 2025 in Saudia Arabia. The association is also working to expand its event and program lineup in the region in the years ahead.
IAAPA Latin America Caribbean Summit 2024 and Latin American Amusement Expo - IAAPA LAC is working closely with the Colombian association for the industry (ACOLAP) to host the event in April in Colombia. The four-day event will include a two-day conference program and expo in Medellin and two additional days of EDUTours in Parque Tematico Hacienda Napoles in Doradal.

IAAPA Expos Update – Exhibit sales are strong for all three 2024 Expos in Bangkok, Amsterdam, and Orlando. The previously sold-out trade show floor in Amsterdam was recently expanded by 864 square meters and the team is also talking with the Orange County Convention Center team to develop an expansion plan for the Expo in Orlando. IAAPA members and the team are working together to develop robust and diverse education programs and impactful networking events for all three Expos. Registration is open for IAAPA Expo Asia 2024 in Bangkok May 27-30, and the event will include 18 EDUSessions, three EDUTours, and six special events including an IAAPA Institute for Attractions Professionals and an IAAPA Safety Institute. IAAPA EMEA is anticipating IAAPA Expo Europe in Amsterdam (Sept. 23-27) will feature the largest trade show floor in the Expo’s history. The event will feature a number of 30-minute EDUSessions, five EDUTours, and new events including a technology forum, science centers and edutainment day, and new constituency-centric receptions. Members submitted a record 427 education program proposals for IAAPA Expo in Orlando. The IAAPA North America Education Committee is reviewing those and will work with a number of other committees and task forces to develop the conference program for the Nov. 18-22 event.

Industry Representation and Driving Member Value – In December, a task force of family entertainment center (FEC) operators met for two days in Orlando to share their experiences and provide feedback for the association on its products, services, events, and trends in the industry. The team will use that feedback to refine a strategic plan designed to address the dynamic needs of our FEC members. Another task force, focused on the needs of manufacturer, supplier, and consultant (MSC) members, will begin similar work in the next three months.
IAAPA’s Employee Experience – The new human resources team at IAAPA is analyzing the employee experience and journey map to refine and enhance employee engagement and retention. In addition, the team is focused on role and responsibility clarity, employer branding, leadership training, and implementing a global HR business model to serve the needs of IAAPA Team members in the association’s offices around the globe.

If you are interested in learning more about IAAPA’s Strategic Priorities and Business Plans, you can view the summary document here.
Financial Update - IAAPA Chief Financial and Commercial Officer Josh Powers provided an overview of the association’s finances and reported 2023 was a solid financial year for the association. He also provided a brief update on the 2023 audit that’s underway and outlined a five-year financial plan for the organization.
Additional Initiatives to Enhance IAAPA’s Technology and Digital Engagement Platforms – Gillian Berry, IAAPA’s head of global technology, and Storm Tussey, IAAPA’s new chief membership officer reviewed the association’s technology upgrades over the last two years and outlined a robust strategy to further accelerate improving IAAPA’s technology and digital experiences over the next two years. The new, member-centric vision will be facilitated by a new vice president of digital strategy and provide the best tools, processes, and training for the team so they can deliver additional member value via a seamless technology experience. This will include an enhanced website, customized experiences based on member data and preferences, and meaningful member-to-member engagement opportunities. All initiatives will be developed and refined following the appropriate data protection and cybersecurity protocols.
A New Vision for IAAPA’s Professional Development Program – IAAPA SVP of People Development Jorge Cabrera is spearheading the development of a new vision for IAAPA’s global education and professional development program. As a part of that process, the IAAPA Board spent time in small discussion groups talking about the workforce, training, and professional development needs for their teams and organizations. The IAAPA Team will use these insights (along with broad-based member research results) to shape our future professional development programs.
IAAPA Safety and Security Committees – The board discussed the ever-expanding need to address safety, security, and health in all aspects of our industry. They also talked about the current structure, scope, and name of the association’s safety and security committees. This is a topic the IAAPA team and board will continue to consider and address in future meetings.
IAAPA Asia Pacific Key Initiatives –The IAAPA APAC Team and several park operators in China have created a working group to share ride-related best practices and challenges with Chinese officials to further enhance industry safety. The team is also working more closely with the other industry associations in India (IAAPI) and China (CAAPA) for the benefit of members of IAAPA, IAAPI, and CAAPA. IAAPA is also developing programs with universities in the region to educate students about the careers in the industry and to support student programming at those institutions.
IAAPA EMEA Key Initiatives –The IAAPA Europe, Middle East, and Africa team is expanding its membership outreach and presence in North and South Africa in partnership with the African Association of Visitor Experiences and Attractions (AAVEA). It will also work with the International Standards Organization (ISO) to develop a safety standard for trampoline attractions that aligns with similar guidelines from ASTM International and EN (European Norm) standards

As we are making great progress in moving a number of important initiatives forward in many areas, I sincerely appreciate the work of the IAAPA Team worldwide and indeed the contribution of the IAAPA Global Board, and IAAPA President and CEO Jakob Wahl. If you have any questions about these initiatives, please do not hesitate to reach out reach out to the IAAPA Team or any member of the global board.

Best wishes,

Wuthichai Luangamornlert, ICAE
Chair, 2024 IAAPA Global Board of Directors
Managing Director, Siam Park Bangkok Co. Ltd.