IAAPA Honors 2025 Concludes with Celebration, Innovation, and Global Recognition at Europa-Park

Rust, Germany (1 May 2025) – IAAPA Honors 2025 concluded on a high note this week, celebrating the people, ideas, and organizations shaping the future of the global attractions industry. Held for the first time at the world-renowned Europa-Park, the industry awards event brought together industry leaders from around the globe for three days of inspiration, recognition, and exclusive experiences.

Timed with Europa-Park’s 50 anniversary, IAAPA Honors offered attendees unmatched access to one of Europe’s most iconic parks, featuring behind-the-scenes tours, keynote sessions with trailblazers in themed entertainment, and the highly anticipated IAAPA Brass Ring and Individual Achievement Awards.

“This year’s IAAPA Honors exceeded expectations,” said Jakob Wahl, president and chief executive officer of IAAPA. “From celebrating decades of excellence to recognizing the next generation of innovators, we brought together the very best of our industry. Europa-Park proved to be the perfect host—providing a backdrop rich in heritage, storytelling, and creativity. I’m incredibly proud of our IAAPA team and partners for creating such a memorable and meaningful program.”

The program kicked off with a fireside chat featuring the Mack family, offering rare insight into Europa-Park’s remarkable journey from a family business to a global benchmark in innovation and guest experience. Throughout the event, attendees also connected with several leading innovators from across the attractions industry, gaining valuable insights and inspiration from the very best in the business.

“We are proud to host the first IAAPA Honors outside of North America,” said Dr. Roland Mack, founder and managing partner of Europa-Park. “Whenever the experts of the leisure industry come together, inspiring impulses and a valuable exchange of ideas arise, which enriches the entire industry. The fact that this special event is now taking place in Europe and at Europa-Park, fills us with pride and once again demonstrates the international significance of our organization. As a former IAAPA Chairman, it is a personal pleasure to welcome the global industry to our park especially in the year of Europa-Park’s 50th anniversary.”

“Innovation, quality and sustainability have been at the heart of our family business for 250 years and are values that still characterize Europa-Park and MACK Rides today,” Mack said. “We are proud to be an internationally respected part of this extraordinary industry. Together, we look to the future with optimism and wish all IAAPA members many satisfied guests, creative ideas, and shared success for the new season.”

The IAAPA Brass Ring Awards, a cornerstone of the event, recognized outstanding achievements in marketing, live entertainment, sustainability, and operations. Winners included standout organizations from around the world including Puy du Fou Asia, Africam Safari in Latin America, and PortAventura World in Europe, among many others.

A major highlight of the final evening IAAPA Honors Gala was the presentation of the prestigious Liseberg Applause Award, presented by Liseberg CEO Andreas Andersen. This year’s recipient, Universal Studios Japan, set a new standard in immersive experiences and operational excellence and was celebrated for its achievement.

The program also included the recognition of individuals who received the previously announced regional IAAPA Inspiration, Service and Young Professional of the Year Awards.

“As the curtain closes on IAAPA Honors 2025, the energy and innovation we witnessed will continue to ripple across our industry,” said Wahl. “Through powerful stories, bold ideas, and shared success, this event reaffirmed that excellence in our industry isn’t just celebrated—it’s continually redefined. Congratulations to each of this year’s outstanding honorees.”

IAAPA extends special thanks to the 2025 IAAPA Honors sponsors: DOF Robotics, MACKRIDES, accesso, PROSLIDE, and TAIT.

Winners of each category are listed below and published on IAAPA.org.

Event photos can be found here.

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About IAAPA
IAAPA is a diverse and dynamic community of global attractions professionals. As the largest international trade association for permanently located attractions, IAAPA unifies the attractions community, connects people to learn and grow together, and strives to promote the highest professional standards for excellence and safety around the world.

Founded in 1918, IAAPA represents leading industry attractions and supplier companies, consultants, and individual members from more than 100 countries. Members include professionals from amusement parks, theme parks, attractions, water parks, resorts, family entertainment centers, zoos, aquariums, science centers, museums, cruise lines, manufacturers, and suppliers.

The association’s global headquarters and North America office are in Orlando, Florida, U.S. IAAPA also maintains offices in Brussels, Belgium; Hong Kong, China; Shanghai, China; and, Mexico City, Mexico.

Visit IAAPA.org or connect through IAAPA’s social media channels: @IAAPAHQ #IAAPA.

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