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== History ==
In 1990, IAAPA established thean "Internationalinternational Council"council in expand its global reach and give advice and direction regardingabout programs and services for members outside the United States. The council and its governing operations committee would provewere instrumental in the successful recruitment ofrecruiting international members and the development ofdeveloping quality products and services. IAAPA also established the IAAPA Hall of Fame, with amusement-industry pioneers its first class of inductees, an honor reserved for amusement industry innovators and pioneers, being awarded this year.
AndThe byfollowing 1991year, the 73rd Annualannual Conventionconvention and Tradetrade Showshow in Orlando welcomedhad more thanover 19,000 attendees,. and theThe IAAPA Expo then becamewas the largest amusement -industry exhibition in the world, offering attendees the opportunity to view the latest trends in amusement and arcade equipment, food, beverage, park technology and entertainment.
In 2000, asthe a new century dawned, IAAPAassociation worked on behalf of its members to counter the negative presspublicity that followed somefollowing high-profile amusement -ride incidents, and the subsequent media frenzy surrounding amusement safety which caused the association for many years to, publicizing the industry’s overall excellent safety record. TheIt association also set upestablished a ride -incident reporting system for its United StatesU.S. facilities with rides, (releasing the firstinitial results in 2003 through the [[National Safety Council]]), and helped facilitate ground-breaking independent scientific reviews onof ride forces in 2002-03 that authoritatively demonstratedindicating the inherent safety of rides for the general populacepublic. Also inIn 2000, IAAPA opened its first full-time non-USAoverseas office, "(IAAPA Europe",) in [[Brussels, Belgium]].
In 2003, theThe organization acquired sole ownership of the Asian Amusement Expo (AAE) byin purchasing2003, but canceled the remainingevent interestsbecause fromof the [[AmericanSevere AmusementAcute MachineRespiratory AssociationSyndrome|SARS]] "AAMA"outbreak andin TerrapinnAsia. However,IAAPA soonmaintained after,its IAAPAfocus wason forcedindustry tosafety cancelthat AAE in 2003year, inestablishing lightan ofinternational thestandards ragingharmonization [[Severegroup Acuteto Respiratoryimplement Syndrome]]universal (SARS)ride-safety outbreak in Asia at the timecriteria. AlsoIn in 20032004, afterit helping tohelped spearhead the adoption of the [[ASTM International]] amusement -ride design and manufacture standard, and the European standard for amusement machinery and structures. in 2004, the association maintained its focus on industry safety by establishing the new IAAPA International Standards Harmonization Group, in order to implement a standard working set of universal ride safety criteria.
InTwo 2006years later, IAAPA teaming up withjoined the Travel Industry Association of America to produce reports on "The Economic Impact of Domestic and Overseas Travelers Who Visit Amusement/Theme Parks and Other Attractions in the United States" - The results of this study demonstratedon the importance of amusement, theme parks and other attractions to America’sU.S. tourism industry and its wider economy. In addition, theThe association opened up itsextended membership to casinos and resorts, forsince thea firstnumber time in 2006, as manyof facilities in these long-established leisure sectors have begunhad incorporatingincorporated amusement and entertainment features into their facilities. AndTo to further promotingpromote park safety, IAAPA made participation in its "ride incident reporting system" mandatory for allU.S. members inand the USA that operated qualified ride, with facilities that fail to comply with this requirement becoming ineligible for membership. This step also afforded the association another opportunity to supportsupported Europarks ongoing' efforts to implement a similar ride incident reporting system for its members. Additionally, IAAPA started working to spread the development of incident reporting systems even farther afield by presenting the idea ofencouraged voluntary ride reporting toby its Global Allianceglobal partners, supplying general background materials, and encouraging them to adopt this as a goal for their organizations.
TheIn 2007 period witnessed further progress on European ride reporting with the association’sassociation opening ofopened a new office in Europe, offeringwith expanded and enhanced programs and services, and increased collaboration with Europarks on ride -safety reporting. Also during 2008, IAAPA took full ownership of the Euro Attractions Show (EAS). Also in 2007, IAAPA revamped and relocatedheld its annual senior-level training program, with (the fifteenth edition of the newly renamed Institute for Executive Education) taking place atto the [[Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia]]. LaterAt that year, at the IAAPAits Attractions Expo, the association unveiled its new Instituteinstitute for Emergingemerging Leadersleaders to(later helprenamed fosterthe industryInstitute professionalsfor withAttractions atManagers) leastto three years management experience whose skill base make them possiblerecruit candidates for senior-level positions. (nowThe calledfollowing theyear, InstituteIAAPA foracquired the Euro Attractions ManagersShow (EAS).
In 2008, IAAPA held its first "Middle East Safety Conference" in Dubai, UAE in February, and then in June had its inaugural “Attractions Safety Awareness Week” to enhance governmental and public understanding of the industry’s safety practices and outstanding record.
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