More than 60 attractions industry professionals from 14 countries gathered on the Canary Islands, Spain, Jan 29-30 to take part in the IAAPA EMEA Winter Forum 2019. During the event, organized by IAAPA EMEA, attendees visited globally renowned attractions including Loro Parque and Siam Park.
“IAAPA was thrilled to host the EMEA Winter Forum on the Canary Islands for the first time ever,” said Jakob Wahl, executive director and vice president, IAAPA EMEA. “The event brought together industry professionals to experience the area’s world class attractions and to learn from each other. IAAPA strives to host valuable events for our members, and we hope this year’s participants left with new connections and key learnings to apply to their organizations.”
Attendees heard a keynote presentation on crisis communications and public response from industry leaders. James Crampton, corporate affairs director, Merlin Entertainments; Michael Kreft von Byern, representative of the board, Europa-Park; and Christoph Kiessling, general manager, Siam Park and vice president, Loro Parque, spoke about incidents at their facilities and discussed how each dealt with the aftermath of the crisis, media relations, and resulting public perception.
In addition to enjoying extended hours at Siam Park and Loro Parque, attendees learned about the work of the Loro Parque Foundation, and its commitment to animal welfare and biodiversity conservation efforts around the world. The event post-tour on Jan. 31 included a visit to Grand Canary to explore the newly opened Poema Del Mar aquarium.