About IAAPA Expo Europe
For the attractions and leisure industry in Europe, IAAPA Expo Europe is the main annual meeting point. It is organised by IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry, founded in 1918, which represents attraction operators and supplier companies around the world.
Rather than staying in one place, the show moves to a different European city from year to year, which brings it close to operators in different markets. Each edition combines an education programme with a trade show floor. The education sessions usually span the full week, with the exhibition itself open on the middle days.
Exhibitors cover the full range of products and services that attractions depend on: rides and roller coasters, water park equipment, family entertainment centre games, immersive and digital experiences, ticketing and operational technology, food and beverage, retail and merchandise. Visitors are professionals who run or develop theme parks, water parks, family entertainment centres, zoos, aquariums, museums, resorts and other leisure venues, along with designers, consultants and investors. Hosted buyer and VIP programmes help bring in senior decision makers.
The value for exhibitors lies in the concentration of buyers planning new attractions, refurbishments and upgrades. Projects in this sector often take years from concept to opening, so the show is as much about building relationships and following existing conversations as it is about signing orders on the spot.
Next edition
IAAPA Expo Europe 2027: what to expect
IAAPA Expo Europe 2027 heads to Vienna, with education sessions from Monday 20 to Friday 24 September and the trade show floor open from 21 to 23 September. The venue is VIECON, the Vienna Congress & Convention Center at Messeplatz.
Vienna follows a record 2026 show at ExCeL London, where IAAPA reported 16,530 verified attendees, more than 870 exhibitors and over 22,800 square metres of floor space.
A new city means new contractors, regulations and freight routes, so exhibitors with rides or large interactive pieces should check power, floor loading and installation rules with the venue early. Central European operators may be easier to reach this year, so it is worth arranging meetings with buyers from Austria, Germany and neighbouring markets in advance.