Interview with June Ko, Vice President, Asia Pacific Operation, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions

"Asian Attractions Expo is the premier international event in the Asia-Pacific region for the multibillion-dollar leisure and attractions industry. More than 7,000 attractions industry professionals from more than 65 countries will participate in the 2015 event."

  1.           What are the highlights of Asian Attractions Expo 2015?

Asian Attractions Expo is the premier international event in the Asia-Pacific region for the multibillion-dollar leisure and attractions industry. More than 7,000 attractions industry professionals from more than 65 countries will participate in the 2015 event, which features an 8,500-net-square-meter trade show floor, a comprehensive industry education program, networking events, and visits to some of the region’s premier attractions. Additional highlights include:

Leadership Breakfast Keynote Speaker: Jim Reid-Anderson, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Six Flags operates 18 parks—16 in the United States, one in Mexico City, Mexico and one in Montreal, Canada, and hosts approximately 26 million guests each year. Recently the company outlined an international expansion strategy to help build Six Flags-branded theme parks in the Middle East and China.

Opening Night Event at Hong Kong Disneyland: Attendees will mix, mingle, and recap the first day of the Expo while enjoying rides and a new spectacular night parade at Hong Kong Disneyland. Attractions open will include the recently finished Mystic Point area featuring the "Mystic Manor" ride and Grizzly's Gulch featuring the "Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars" steel roller coaster. Guests will also experience Hong Kong Disneyland's "Disney Paint the Night" parade, which debuted in October 2014.

Ocean Park Facility Tour: Driving more than 7.7 million guests a year, Ocean Park is recognized as a world leader in providing excellent guest experiences that connect people with nature. Along the tour, participants will get an insider’s perspective of popular attractions, such as Adventures in Australia, Polar Adventure, Shark Mystique, and more.

Education Conference: Eight diverse education sessions. Topics will cover key focuses in the industry including safety and maintenance, innovation, human resources, marketing, and more led by industry veterans and experts.

IAAPA Safety Institute: During this full-day program industry experts will share best practices on topics affecting your business such as safety, standards, security, and ride operations as they share insight into the best practices in safety operations during this full-day institute program.

IAAPA Institute for Attractions Managers: The two-and-a-half day program is an indepth study of five core subject areas for successful attractions operation: Finance, Operations and Safety, Marketing and Communications, Revenue Operations, and Human Resources and Leadership.

2.           What is the scale of this year’s event? And how many visitors are you expecting this year?

IAAPA anticipates more than 7,000 attractions industry professionals from more than 65 countries, including more than 5,000 buyers and 300 exhibiting companies. These numbers represent a 26 percent increase in total participants over 2012 when Asian Attractions Expo was last in Hong Kong and a 36 percent increase in buyers.

3.           Why Asian Attractions Expo 2015 has chosen to take place in Hong Kong this year? And what location are you considering for the Asian Attractions Expo in 2016?

Hong Kong is known for its sophisticated infrastructure, accessibility, business-friendly environment, professional expertise, and vibrant lifestyle. Located within a five-hour flight of 50 percent of the world’s population, Hong Kong is recognized as one of Asia’s premier destinations for meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions.

The city boasts several world-renowned attractions for Asian Attractions Expo participants to enjoy, including a cruise around the island from the newly built Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, a breathtaking view of the city from Victoria Peak, or new attractions at rapidly expanding theme parks Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park Hong Kong, and Ngong Ping 360.

Asian Attractions Expo rotates throughout the Asia-Pacific region. We have not confirmed plans for the 2016 Expo yet. Asian Attractions Expo has previously taken place in Singapore, Shanghai, Bangkok, Macau, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, and Beijing.  

4.           What do you think about the amusement industry in coming years?

Two big trends we see within the attractions worldwide are interactivity and immersion. Operators and designers are finding new ways for guests to interact with rides or games and they are developing rides or new areas and in some cases entire parks that immerse a guest into a story through theming.

Specific to the Asia-Pacific region, the market is growing. The UN projects that by 2030, more than two thirds of the global middle class will reside in the region. As the middle class continues to grow throughout the entire Asia Pacific region more and more families have an increase amount of money they can spend on leisure activities. As amusement parks and attractions are the ideal location for families to spend time together and create shared memories to last a lifetime, we expect the growth of the industry to continue.

According to the IAAPA Global Theme and Amusement Park Outlook 2014-2018 report, the attractions industry in the Asia-Pacific region is projected to grow at a rapid rate over the next several years. A wide variety of new projects and park expansions in China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia are contributing to the explosive market growth.

5.           What is the role of IAAPA?

Founded in 1918, IAAPA is the largest international trade association for permanently located amusement facilities and attractions, and is dedicated to the preservation and prosperity of the attractions industry. IAAPA represents more than 4,800 facility, supplier, and individual members from more than 90 countries. Member facilities include amusement and theme parks, water parks, attractions, family entertainment centers, arcades, zoos, aquariums, museums, science centers, and resorts.

In 2009, IAAPA opened an office in Hong Kong to service our Asia Pacific members. IAAPA also has offices in Europe, Latin America, and North America. The regional offices are a tremendous value to IAAPA’s members as they allow IAAPA staff to respond to and assist its members in real-time and in their own language.

6.           How do AAE and IAAPA assist the development industry in the Asia Pacific region?

The products and services purchased during Asian Attractions Expo provide the new and fresh experiences guests want and help to drive repeat business at amusement parks and attractions. Also, the relationships developed at Asian Attractions Expo can lead to entirely new amusement parks and resorts being developed. All of this impacts the travel and tourism industry.

Also, the education conference presents session topics in key operational areas, including safety and maintenance, innovation, human resources, marketing, and more led by industry veterans and experts. As the industry continues to grow and new operators enter the industry staying on top of these issues is key to long-term success.

7.           What are the challenges is Asian Attractions Expo facing?

IAAPA works through any challenges to produce a show that provides quality and informative education, a packed and energized trade show floor, and networking events that reconnect industry associates and allow new business relationships to develop.