The short answer
Europe's premier attractions trade event returns to London (ExCeL) on 21–25 September 2026, with the show floor open 22–24 September. Park and resort operators should prioritize four changes: a record floor of more than 800 exhibitors, a debut food-and-beverage zone, five dedicated education spaces with 175+ speakers and 60+ sessions, and an expanded member networking program that culminates in an opening night at ABBA Voyage.
Key takeaways
- Timing: education runs 21–25 September and the show floor is open 22–24 September 2026 at ExCeL London; always reconfirm the schedule on the organizer's official site, as programs can shift.
- Scale: more than 800 exhibiting companies across roughly 21,000–22,000 sqm make this the largest IAAPA Expo Europe floor ever, about 50% larger than in 2022.
- A dedicated F&B zone debuts with around 20 companies — worth operator attention since IAAPA benchmark research suggests food and beverage can represent 30–35% of total park revenue.
- Education is split across five spaces (a theatre, three conference rooms and an Innovation Stage) covering sustainability, leadership, safety, young professional development, AI and hospitality.
- Many of the highest-value activities (EDUTours, Indoor Entertainment Day, the opening reception) are reserved for IAAPA members — plan your team's registration accordingly.
- The UK is IAAPA's largest European membership base and a trendsetter for indoor entertainment, making London a useful vantage point for comparing formats across neighbouring regions.
Format and what is different this year
The event returns to the ExCeL convention centre in East London for the first time since 2022. The education program fills the full week from Monday 21 to Friday 25 September, while the trade show floor opens on Tuesday 22 September and runs through Thursday 24 September. IAAPA, the organizer, frames this as a return to a host city that remains its largest European membership base.
The organizer expects the largest show floor in the event's history: more than 800 exhibiting companies across roughly 21,000–22,000 square metres, representing growth of about 50% since 2022. Two structural additions matter for operators: a brand-new food-and-beverage zone and education content spread across five spaces for the first time. Figures and dates should be re-verified on iaapa.org close to the event, since venues and schedules can be adjusted.
- Education: 21–25 September 2026
- Show floor: 22–24 September 2026
- Venue: ExCeL London, United Kingdom
- Scale: 800+ exhibitors, 175+ speakers, 60+ sessions
Why the new food-and-beverage zone deserves a fixed slot
The most commercially relevant addition for operators is a dedicated F&B zone where roughly 20 companies will show products and concepts — from snack innovation and ice cream to revenue-generating catering solutions. IAAPA's press material cites its own benchmark research indicating that food and beverage can account for as much as 30–35% of a park's total revenue, which places hospitality squarely in the revenue-strategy conversation rather than the catering one.
Practically, the zone lets an operator compare end-to-end solutions in one place: kiosk design, menu engineering, contactless payment, queue management and throughput. Because F&B also runs through the education program, you can connect the commercial math from the sessions to the hands-on offers on the floor. For resorts and parks looking to diversify income beyond tickets and retail, this is the highest-yield area to visit first.
Mapping the education program to your team's roles
For the first time, learning is distributed across five dedicated spaces: the IAAPA Theatre, three conference rooms and the Innovation Stage, together hosting more than 175 speakers and 60+ sessions. Organizers highlight sustainability, leadership, safety, young professional development, plus cross-cutting threads on applying artificial intelligence to attractions and hospitality strategy.
A dedicated sustainability day on 21 September features speakers from organisations including Disney, Vekoma, Efteling, Looping Group and PortAventura World. The Leadership Breakfast focuses on growth and scalability through the cases of Karls and Momentum Leisure. If you travel as a team, assign roles: owners and finance leads to revenue and F&B sessions, operations directors to safety and AI topics, and people leads to workforce and young-professional tracks. Splitting sessions across the five rooms gets you far more coverage than any single attendee.
Networking and signature events worth budgeting for
Networking has been expanded for 2026. Alongside the constituency receptions for indoor entertainment, theme parks and water parks, and the established MENA reception, there are new geography-focused gatherings for the DACH region, Poland and France, plus the returning Women in the Industry lunch.
Several signature activities offer operational access you cannot get on the show floor: the EDUTour to Chessington World of Adventures Resort and LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, Indoor Entertainment Day with behind-the-scenes visits to Swingers and The Crazy Golf Club near the O2, and the reworked Water Park Forum at Lee Valley White Water Centre. The opening reception has a new format — a two-hour networking reception followed by a 90-minute ABBA Voyage concert. Most of these high-value slots are reserved for IAAPA members and tend to sell out, so booking early matters.
- Constituency receptions: indoor, theme parks, water parks
- New regional receptions: DACH, Poland, France
- EDUTour: Chessington World of Adventures and LEGOLAND Windsor
- Indoor Entertainment Day — venues around the O2 Arena
- Water Park Forum at Lee Valley White Water Centre
Turning 800+ exhibitors into sourcing decisions
A floor of 800+ exhibitors becomes a three-day blur without a sourcing plan. Before travelling, write down three to five decisions you actually need to make this year — a ticketing platform refresh, a new F&B concession, queue-management software, accessibility upgrades or seasonal staffing. Pre-select 10–15 priority vendors from the online exhibitor catalogue and book meetings for 22–24 September rather than wandering the aisles.
Per partner industry networks, many exhibitors hold complimentary guest passes for prospective buyers and partners, so if you have not purchased a badge you can request a code from a supplier you genuinely intend to evaluate. On each stand, capture not just price but implementation timeline, infrastructure requirements and two references in your own segment. Resist signing anything on the floor; instead schedule post-show demo visits where real operation can be assessed. Consolidate notes into a comparison matrix within a week of returning, while contacts and impressions are fresh.
Practical planning notes for a London trip
Hosting in London matters for benchmarking. The UK is IAAPA's largest European membership base and, per the association, the attractions sector has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels with the UK emerging as one of Europe's faster-growing markets. If your park looks to indoor entertainment and FEC formats for growth, London's local operators are a live reference point you can combine with the education program.
The event is certified as sustainable by Greentime (third-party reviewed, total score 76%), so delegates should plan transport and waste-aware logistics consistently with that positioning. Finally, remember that details — the final session line-up, timings of individual receptions and the exhibitor list — are published progressively and may change. Re-check the official agenda a few days before departure and book paid and member-only activities early, as several sell out.
Put it into practice
Operator's field brief: structuring the 21–25 September week
Complete this brief before you fly and keep it with you on site so every meeting feeds a sourcing decision instead of a vague impression. Copy the items into your team document and assign an owner to each business objective.
- Write down 3–5 business decisions for the year (F&B revenue growth, ticketing platform refresh, queue reduction, accessibility, staff retention) and assign one delegate as owner of each.
- One week ahead, pull 10–15 priority exhibitors from the online catalogue and pre-book meetings for 22–24 September; do not rely on walking the floor.
- Divide education sessions by role: finance on revenue and F&B, operations on safety and AI, people leads on workforce and young-professional tracks.
- Mark 21 September's sustainability day and the Leadership Breakfast in the calendar; book paid slots immediately as they fill.
- Check which delegates are IAAPA members, since EDUTours, Indoor Entertainment Day and the opening reception are largely member-only.
- On each stand capture: price, implementation timeline, infrastructure requirements, two references in your segment, and the person responsible for a post-show demo.
- Ask exhibitors about complimentary guest passes if you have not bought badges yet — it lowers the cost of the trip.
- Reserve one hour for the F&B zone and compare at least three end-to-end solutions on payback, not just menu appeal.
- Within 3–5 days of returning, merge notes into a single comparison matrix and lock in demo-visit dates while contacts are warm.
- Re-verify the official program 2–3 days before departure: session composition and event times can change.
Questions people ask
What are the exact dates and where does the event take place in 2026?
The event runs at ExCeL London in the United Kingdom. The education program takes place 21–25 September 2026 and the trade show floor is open 22–24 September. The organizer is IAAPA, the global attractions trade association. As with any large event, the schedule can change, so reconfirm dates and program details on the official site iaapa.org before travelling.
What is genuinely new this year for park and resort operators?
Three additions stand out: a dedicated food-and-beverage zone with around 20 companies (IAAPA benchmark research suggests F&B can represent 30–35% of park revenue), education content spread across five spaces for the first time with 60+ sessions and 175+ speakers, and a record show floor of more than 800 exhibitors on roughly 21,000–22,000 sqm — the largest in the event's history.
Is it worth attending if I am not yet an IAAPA member?
Yes, but plan around constraints. The show floor and most education sessions are open to a wide audience, while some of the most valuable activities — the EDUTour to Chessington and LEGOLAND Windsor, Indoor Entertainment Day, and the opening reception at ABBA Voyage — are reserved primarily for IAAPA members. Joining the association grants access to those closed events plus industry benchmarking resources.
How can I reduce the cost of sending a delegation?
First, split education sessions and vendor meetings across delegates by role so each person serves a distinct objective rather than duplicating effort. Second, per partner industry networks, many exhibitors distribute complimentary guest passes to prospective buyers and partners — request a code from priority suppliers before purchasing badges. Third, book flights and hotels early, since the September dates coincide with heavy business travel demand in London.
Which topics dominate the education program in 2026?
Organizers highlight sustainability, leadership, safety and young professional development, alongside cross-cutting threads on applying artificial intelligence to attractions and on hospitality and food-and-beverage strategy. A dedicated sustainability day on 21 September features organisations including Disney, Vekoma, Efteling, Looping Group and PortAventura World, while the Leadership Breakfast explores growth and scalability through the Karls and Momentum Leisure cases.
Sources and further reading
Sources were checked when this page was generated. Confirm changing dates, rules and prices with the original publisher.
- IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 (official event page)IAAPA
- IAAPA Expo Europe Returns to London with Record-Breaking Show Floor and Expanded Education ProgramIAAPA
- London Calls: IAAPA Expo Europe Returns to UKIAAPA Funworld
- London Calls: IAAPA Expo Europe Returns to the UKLicensing Magazine
- Call: IAAPA Expo Europe 2026Immersive Experience Network (ISPR.info)