With more than 300 exhibitors spread across five halls, this autumn’s Euro Attractions Show (EAS) in Berlin will be the biggest yet.
After a successful event last year in London, EAS is on a roll as it prepares to arrive in the German capital for three days of trade show exhibits, education and networking opportunities.
You already know that the show floor will contain all the key ride manufacturers, suppliers and industry consultants, so we’ll take this opportunity to tell you instead about the conference programme, plus various events scheduled during the week and immediately after the event.
Networking events include Tuesday night’s Opening Reception. Always a great party, the venue this time is the Palais am Funkturm next to the trade show halls. Later the same evening, the young professionals of the the industry (and a few not so young ones) will gather for a special reception. At the time of writing, there was no official party scheduled for Wednesday night.
The education sessions, most of which are free to EAS badge holders, kick off on Tuesday morning, October 9, with a High Tech Seminar where selected exhibitors will showcase their technological products and services prior to the opening of the trade show. Sessions on social media, pricing and yield management (airline-style ticketing), and emerging European markets such as Poland, Russia and Turkey will feature later in the day.
On Wednesday morning, IAAPA chairman and Europa-Park (Germany) managing director Roland Mack will be joined for the Leadership Breakfast by the CEO of PortAventura in Spain, Fernando Aldecoa. The executives from two of the biggest parks in Europe will share their stories about the past, present and future of their operations. A separate ticket is required for this event, which starts at 0930.
A session on safety, meanwhile, kicks off Wednesday’s seminars at 0900, followed by one on human resources. During lunch, attraction operators will learn how to extend their season through holiday events such as Halloween and Christmas, meanwhile global players from the food & beverage industry will share their views on what sold best in summer 2012 and what the customers will be asking for in 2013. Rounding off the day’s education will be a session on going green.
As well as individual seminars, there is also the three-day IAAPA Institute for Attractions Managers (October 7 to 9) for which a separate, paid registration is required. There’s also a full day of seminars on Thursday dedicated to family entertainment centres (FECs) and indoor playgrounds.
EAS participants may also wish to book a place on the pre-event tour to Filmpark Babelsberg (Monday, October 8) or a trip to Tropical Islands waterpark on Thursday afternoon. This former Zeppelin factory is well worth seeing. Those wmaking a weekend of iy may choose to sign up for the EAS Post Tour from October 12 to 14. This three-day fixture will take in some of Northern Germany’s most popular attractions including Heide-Park, Hansa-Park and Hagenbeck’s Tierpark (zoo) in Hamburg.
Produced by IAAPA Europe, Euro Attractions Show takes place at the Messe Berlin exhibition centre from Tuesday to Thursday. October 9 to 11. For more details on the exhibitors, conference programme, travel advice and registration/event fees, visit iaapa.org/eas
Below: Host venue Messe Berlin.
