The Asian edition of IAAPA’s trade show returns to Singapore this June. Here’s what to expect from the show - plus, news from a selection of exhibitors

The 2017 Asian Attractions Expo (AAE) is heading back to Singapore’s stunning Marina Bay Sands this June, and will offer attendees the chance to participate in a variety of educational programs and seminars.

The sessions are designed to help operators and industry professionals share best practices and get up to speed with the latest developments in safety standards, using IPs, revenue generation, and the latest in innovations and technologies.

Since 2013, when Singapore last hosted AAE, the show has increased in size and stature, indicative of the growth of the attractions industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Attendance at attractions in the region has increased from 367 million visitors in 2013 to more than 418 million visitors in 2015, and is predicted to reach 595 million by 2020, according to IAAPA’s Global Theme and Amusement Park Outlook Report.

On the educators conference bill are Mike Barclay, group CEO at Mandai Park Holdings; Jean-Christophe Canizares, CEO at ECA2; Neva Heaston, director of revenue operations at Wild Wadi Waterpark; Thomas Megna, president of TEA Asia-Pacific; Tom Mehrmann, founder and CEO at Themed Advisors Limited, and Ron James, chief theming creative director at Wanda, to name just a few.

The IAAPA Safety Institute and the IAAPA Institute for Attractions Managers will also be taking place. All educational offerings at AAE can be used as credits by those seeking IAAPA Certification.

AAE 2017 expects to welcome 8,000 attendees, and more than 300 global exhibitors across the 10,000sqm of trade show floor. There will be a variety of networking events and the opportunity to visit some of Singapore’s best attractions.

Exhibitor News

LAGOTRONICS Booth #L1321
Lagotronics Projects is showing interactive experiences, including a realistic model of GameChanger, a 3D game ride on a rotating platform. Lagotronics has also added gesture technology to its controller offering, allowing users to play interactive games with swipe control or hand symbol control. The 3D game BeachFun, housed inside a GameCabIN, will be on display.

HUSS Booth #L221
HUSS is highlighting its film-based rides, especially the flying theatre Movie Base XS. The attraction is a next generation Movie Base concept with a new and improved design, including a new seat configuration. The XS concept alludes to the ride being smaller and more compact than the original version. The first Movie Base XS will open in Moscow, Russia, at the new Dream Island theme park in 2018.

IDEATTACK. Booth #L749
IdeAttack is presenting Vertigo Hotel at Yangshuo Resorts World, in Guangxi Province, China. Yangshuo is known for its karst mountains, winding rivers, caves and temples and the Vertigo Hotel is a destination specifically designed for this environment. The exclusive hotel is located on the top of one of karst hills, designed to blend with the natural scenery – and reachable by helicopter.

IPLAYCO Booth #L752
IPLAYCO’s Lil Ninjas courses are an “extreme”-style Ninja attraction with custom challenges, timers, high scores, social media and team building opportunities. Custom monitors provide video of the racers and high score displays facilitate team challenges and individual races. Giant angled climbing walls, slides, ball pools and other obstacles create a unique experience that is different every time.

VEKOMA Booth #L929
Space Warp at Energylandia is the first to debut of a whole new generation of Vekoma sitdown thrill coasters, using the company’s latest track design tools and new track production methods, as well as the new MK1101 trains. Plus, a Firestorm launch coaster is opening in Vietnam this year, and in 2018 in China. The Firestorm model is a high energy design based of the same MK1101 ride system as Space Warp, though the overall scope of Firestorm is of a much greater order.Bermuda Blitz is opening in 2017 in Slaski Wesole, Poland, designed with interaction with the park ride area in mind, with lots of near-miss effects and close fly-bys.

BROGENT Booth #B1728
Brogent Technologies has recently completed work on an i-Ride Flying Theatre inside the Ferrari Experience building at Ferrari Land, PortAventura. Named Flying Dreams – Around the World with Ferrari, it’s a three-level, 70-seat experience that follows Ferraris driven through some of the world’s most exciting scenery. Brogent delivered the full package of ride system, dome screen and AV system, while Mousetrappe created the film content.

INTAMIN Booth #L1221
Celebrating 50 years of innovation, Intamin will present several new products at this year’s AAE in Singapore. The ride maker recently opened Soaring with Dragon at Hefei Wanda, China, a LSM Launch Coaster with a unique “swing launch” element and the world’s highest non-inverted loop. In April 2017, Intamin celebrated the opening of Turbo Track at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, a LSM-driven Reverse Free Fall Coaster, and Red Force at Ferrari Land at PortAventura, Spain, the highest and fastest LSM Launch Coaster in Europe. Visitors can also find out about Intamin’s newest concept, the Multi-Dimension Coaster, which combines the traditional coaster experience with a number of special effects.

TRIOTECH Booth #L937
Triotech has developed a first-of-its-kind ride for the flying experience ride segment. The Flyer’s features include 3D content in both CGI and live footage, a wider motion range, and seat-based motion instead of platform-based motion. The attraction can be scaled to different sizes and throughput, with the corresponding impact on space and investment requirements. Triotech believes this “scalability” fills a void in today’s market. The first Flyers will be in the US and China.

SIMWORX Booth #B1030
Simworx is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of 3D/4D dynamic simulation attractions and 4D effects theatres. At AAE, Simworx is promoting its complete range of attractions, which includes 4D/5D cinemas; the Immersive Tunnel; the new 360° Flying Theatre; a variety of AGV dark rides; a selection of innovative products under the RoboCoaster umbrella; the Cobra Motion Theatre and Cobra Dark Ride; and, last but not least, the Stargazer seven-seat motion theatre.

HOLOVIS Booth #B1302
Holovis is unveiling a high-capacity, real-time robotic arm experience at the Asian Attrations Expo, a new concept for next-generation media and motion-based immersive experiences that combines VR with real-time media, gesture-tracked interactivity and robotic motion technology. Holovis has worked alongside Kuka Robotics and BEC Engineering on the concept.

WALLTOPIA Booth #L238
Walltopia Adventure is introducing its new product, Adventure Hub. Adventure Hub is a massive entertainment station built on several levels that combine adventure, sport and fun. The first Walltopia Adventure Hub opened in early 2017 in Lavina Mall in Kiev, Ukraine, and includes Ropetopia low and high ropes courses with 23 different challenges, a 154-metre (505-foot) Rollglider, interactive Fun Walls climbing challenges and a Rocktopia artificial caving system, as well as a Quick Jump free-fall – which safely mimics for users the experience of base-jumping.

CAVU Booth #L1145
CAVU Designwerks is promoting two new products and a new VR venture. The media-based attractions supplier is unveiling Turbo Racer, a dual-purpose dark ride that can transition from indoor to outdoor track with speeds up to 80kph (50mph). Eagle Force is a 30-metre-tall (98-foot)rotating thrill ride, featuring multiple changing forces. CAVU is also promoting its DreamCraft VR offering to the Asian market.

JORA VISION Booth #L234
Dutch masterplanner and design company Jora Vision is showcasing a range of new projects as examples of the firm’s high-quality environments and attractions for theme parks and family entertainment destinations. Visit the booth to learn how Jora Vision architects, illustrators, graphic designers and art directors work together to create a design that is feasible and realistic – technically as well as budget-wise – at every phase.

INTERLINK Booth #L723
Interlink is planning to unveil details of its first Immersive Flume Ride. The ride – a world-first concept – combines Flume Ride technology from Interlink, with Immersive Tunnel and AV technology from Simworx. Interlink is also showcasing a Superflume rideset to open in June in Europe, as well as details of several other upcoming installations in the Asian attractions market.

SIMEX-IWERKS Booth #L1231
SimEx-Iwerks is launching a 4D theatre experience based on the blockbuster movie The Martian. With state-of-the-art 3D projection and action-heightening special effects, The Martian 4D Experience takes its audience on a journey into space. Matt Damon stars Mark Watney, a brave astronaut who must use his scientific ingenuity, wit and spirit to overcome being stranded alone on Mars. As he battles the extremes of this hostile planet, his crewmates plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission.

JRA Booth #L617
Imaging technology firm Eastman Kodak Company has partnered JRA (Jack Rouse Associates) to plan, design and implement a visitor experience centre at the Kodak offices in Rochester, New York. The attraction will tell the story of the company’s journey through the years and explain modern innovations in imaging, printing and software. To find out more about this and other projects, visit the JRA booth.