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EDITORIAL: The cycle of life, and of IAAPA

Oct 26, 2016 #65 IAAPA 2016, 2016 0

EDITORIAL: The cycle of life, and of IAAPA
Martin Palicki,
IPM publisher

martyLife is a series of cycles. As the annual IAAPA Attractiosn Expo nears each fall, I am reminded that another year has passed: we’ve produced another five issues of InPark and 52 weeks of Top 5 News blasts.

There are other reminders too, of course, that our industry is cyclical in nature. VR is back and better than before, dark rides are experiencing a renaissance, and domes are once again at the core of many immersive media experiences.

Not only are trends cyclical, but our entire business tends to follow cycles also. Particularly with projects opening in Asia, its clear we are currently on a sustained upswing. But leaders like ECA2’s Jean-Christophe Canizares  understand the market is dynamic. Canizares sees a prime window of 5-10 years before Western companies start to lose a competitive edge to regional vendors who will increasingly be able to raise quality and cut costs.

So how do we best prepare for the next cycle?

Many companies featured in this issue offer one solution: innovate. Continuing to develop new concepts and better ways to achieve results ensures one’s services and skills are still needed.

Another answer comes from the investment world: diversify your holdings – both geographically and in various market segments. Making sure one’s products are available and practical for many different settings is critical. At InPark, we try to bridge those different markets and regions in every issue, showing not just where the hot spots are now, but where they are headed next.

Of course, for the month of November, the hot spot is Orlando, Florida for the IAAPA Attractions Expo. Be sure to come visit our entire editorial team (me, Judy and Joe) in our booth: #1764.

ABOVE PHOTO: Brent Young and Doug Barnes visited the InPark campground at the 2014 Attractions Expo.

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