Attendance at IAAPA Expo remains on the uptick. The annual event, which concluded last week at Orange County Convention Center, had 43,840 registered participants for 2025, a new record.
The five days of educational sessions, ride-vehicles reveals and other show floor activities are presented by Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. In June, the group announced plans to expand into the convention center’s West Concourse for the first time in 2026. Previously, it has been staged only within the North and South concourses.
This year the 550,000-square-foot expo floor was sold out, featuring more than 1,100 exhibitors. Next year’s space will increase by almost 50%.
IAAPA CEO Jakob Wahl talked with the Orlando Sentinel about the event and its future, including next year’s event which starts Nov. 16, 2026.
Wahl on the trends for 2025:
When you look around, we see the industry evolve further. We see technology being a stronger, vital part of everything that is done here. Technology in back of house, we see that going stronger, also technology enhancing attractions.
I think accessibility is a huge topic in many different aspects. You see it at the Zamperla booth with that beautiful ride. You see it also in attractions or roller coasters being built, which are accessible from smaller size on. We’re not only talking about special needs, but how do we make sure that the broadest number of people can actually ride with us.
And then we have this collaboration, which we announced today, with Licensing International, about intellectual property, the continued merge of the entertainment and the attractions world. … There’s so much out there from the sports world, from the gaming world. Minecraft is something that was announced here last year, and I think that continues to expand.
Crowds fill the floor at the IAAPA Expo at the Orange County Convention Center. There were more than 43,000 registered participants for the 2025 event. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
On the uptick in attendance:
It is interesting because we see the largest growth actually coming from the U.S., American market. We see a decline from Canada, and we see decline from other regions.
We have added expos across the world. We have the European expo, which was a record show this year. We have the Middle East expo now. So while we spread out in the regions, we might draw less international visitors [to Orlando].
I think you don’t see the full effect this year because everybody wants to see Epic [Universe]. There’s a certain percentage of people who are here this year because of Epic.
On if the record was surprising:
We forecasted it. I think the team has done a fantastic job. .. We work with the exhibition company, which does surveys of trade shows, and we are among the top 1% of trade shows in NPS – net promoter score – which, in marketing language, is the key indicator if you’re successful. So the people who come really, really, really like it here, and they want to come back.
The second thing is, the team is doing an amazing job in innovating, in making sure the show is relevant, to do the Haunting Grounds, to do the live chef station. There’s a station where they do presentations, and the Halloween pavilion now they also have presentations to strengthen that merge between education and credit and vendors. …
I would say it’s fair to say that we got concerned about what happened with the shutdown with flights and what the impact is because our people book late. But ultimately, I’m glad that the politicians could find agreement in some kind of way, and the numbers speak a clear language.
On expanding the expo floor:
We have 200 companies on the waiting list. … It’s hard to turn down a member, saying, “Well, we don’t have space for you.”
Second of all, we want to grow the show. Every exhibitor, I’m not sure if you’re aware, is allowed to invite their customers to this expo. The more companies can exhibit, the more people will come as well. And that is where we see growth in other markets. The amusement parks know us, the water parks know us, the zoos know us. But, you know, we see more and more companies, museums and cruises in all those aspects of technology of running a business which are which want to be part of this.
On the what will happen in the additional space:
We are actually moving certain areas over there. We’re moving rides over there. But the thing is, every exhibitor can decide. We have created pavilions … if they follow it or not, it’s their call.
We have done that to deliver the best experience for our guests, and we’ll see how it works out. … There will be many learnings after year one, but for us, it’s a fantastic opportunity.
On the expo’s entertainment factor
We will continue to see the path which you have seen over the years. I’m not sure if you saw the drone show. … There’s another example where we try to give an experience to our attendees in the same way they give experience to their guests. And it was fantastic because everybody was standing on the North concourse. The big [IAAPA] logo showed up and with fireworks with the drones.
That is a pathway we will continue on. This is a top experience, which, first of all, you can’t miss because you see everything that is happening. Second, you learn everything that is happening. And third, because it’s a good event, where you kind of feel, “Wow, that was worth going.”