Four leading ride manufacturers – Chance Rides, Great Coasters International, Larson International, and Premier Rides have released a joint letter announcing their decision not to exhibit at this year’s IAAPA Expo in Orlando.
According to the letter, “The companies listed . . . . represent well over 100 years of continuous exhibiting at the IAAPA Expo. We are competitors, yet we work together closely to ensure amusement ride safety. We put our heart and soul into this industry with the like goal of creating lifetime memories for millions of people around the globe. And we all look forward to the opportunity each year to gather in Orlando and to be with colleagues and friends from nearly every country in the globe. There are no better words to describe the show environment than ‘one big family’. With that in mind, we are deeply saddened to share the news with you that we will not be exhibiting at the 2020 IAAPA Expo. We know this news will come as a great disappointment to many of you, and we have made this hard decision with great angst and with significant consideration of several factors.”
The letter shares three key reasons for the decision – a desire to concentrate on current clients in the current business climate, the diminished international and domestic transportation options for those attending the show, and the health risk of employees in attending the show.
In lieu of attending, the companies will be donating to Give Kids the World, Doctors Without Borders, and Heart of Florida United Way.
