The European Commission and its president José Manuel Durão Barroso visited Europa-Park in Rust, Germany, on July 5.
“As a family business you have created somewhere people can experience the cultural diversity of Europe in a short time,” Mr Barroso acknowledged in a letter to the Mack family, owners of the park.
As a vice-chairman of IAAPA, the park’s managing director Roland Mack used the visit to raise various industry issues with the EC president, in particular the harmonisation of safety standards and subsidies. Barroso and his colleagues in turn were deeply impressed by the dynamic growth of the sector and the role theme parks play in the field of international tourism and as a driving force for regional development.
The European Commission has a base at Strasbourg in France, about 40km from Europa-Park.
Pictured below: European Commission officials line-up for a photo call with the Mack family.
