Experticket will be attending IAAPA Expo Europe 2026, to be held at ExCeL London, to continue connecting with operators, partners, and professionals who are shaping the technological evolution of theme parks, attractions, zoos, aquariums, resorts, and other large leisure venues.
And although IAAPA is a regular event for us, each edition holds a different significance.
In 2025, it was Barcelona, as we mentioned here. In 2026, it’s London.
And the industry is approaching this new edition with an increasingly clear question: how to turn technology into a real driver of growth, efficiency, and the visitor experience.
IAAPA’s history is closely tied to the evolution of our industry.
Its origins date back to 1907, when a group of amusement park owners began meeting to share knowledge and best practices. The association was formally established in 1918 and, since then, has evolved at the same pace as the amusement industry itself.
What’s interesting is that while the challenges have changed, the need remains the same: to share knowledge, anticipate trends, and find new ways to advance the leisure business.
Today, that evolution inevitably involves technology.
Digitalization is no longer limited to selling tickets online. It affects distribution, capacity management, revenue management, access, additional services, visitor relations, and, increasingly, the ability to make real-time decisions.
It is precisely in this context that we want to be present in London.
The 2026 edition arrives with figures that reflect the scale the event is reaching.
IAAPA has announced more than 800 exhibitors, approximately 21,000 m² of exhibition space, more than 175 speakers, and more than 60 educational sessions.
The show floor will be open from September 22 to 24, while the educational and networking program runs from September 21 to 25.
The event’s scale is significant, but perhaps even more so is its diversity.
Theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, entertainment centers, resorts, and technology providers share space and knowledge.
This makes IAAPA more than just a trade show: it’s a place to see where the business models of major leisure operators are headed.
The industry is evolving from models based on ticket sales toward much broader models of visitor experience and business management.
The ticket remains the starting point, but an increasingly complex ecosystem is built around it:
For operators, this poses a clear challenge: the more independent systems involved in the experience, the greater the operational and technological complexity.
The opportunity lies in ensuring that this complexity isn’t passed on to the visitor or limits the operator’s ability to grow.
The sector is evolving toward increasingly broad ecosystems, where ticketing, distribution, operations, and the visitor experience must work in a coordinated manner.
At Experticket, we’re working precisely on that evolution. Our VMS platform is currently the solution of choice for more than 65 theme parks and large leisure venues in 8 countries, connecting different business areas and facilitating centralized management of operations.
Distribution is also a fundamental part of this ecosystem. More than 150 distributors and partners are connected to Experticket, allowing operators to expand their commercial reach without having to manage each technology integration individually.
This connectivity enables the creation of a more flexible model: incorporating new channels, developing new products and services, and adapting the business strategy without having to rebuild the technological ecosystem each time.
Because today’s operators cannot know exactly what new channels, products, services, or business models they will need five years from now.
Technology must allow them to evolve at the same pace as their business.
And that is precisely why, for us, IAAPA is not just an opportunity to showcase technology. It is an opportunity to listen to operators, understand where the industry is heading, and continue building a platform ready to support that growth.
Our presence at IAAPA isn’t just part of an international visibility strategy.
We want to use these days to have conversations with operators and partners about very specific issues:
How are their distribution models evolving?
Where are they finding the greatest opportunities for growth?
Which processes remain unnecessarily complex?
How are they using data to improve revenue and operations?
What do they expect from a technology platform in the coming years?
These conversations are particularly valuable because they allow us to compare our vision with the reality faced by operators who manage millions of visitors each year.
And also because many of the decisions that will shape the future of the industry won’t be made solely by technology departments.
Revenue, operations, sales, distribution, and customer experience are increasingly interconnected.
Next Wednesday, September 23 , our Sales Director, Jorge Mira Uclés, will be on the show floor at IAAPA Expo Europe in London.
If you’ll be at ExCeL London and want to discuss ticketing, distribution, VMS, digital transformation, or the technological challenges facing large leisure venues, we’d love to meet with you.
You can book a 30-minute meeting with our Sales Director, Jorge Mira, directly here.
And you can find all the information about IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 on its official website: IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 – London
See you in London.