The Biggest Attractions Industry Trends We Saw at IAAPA London

The direction of travel was clear

With more than 800 exhibitors and a record 21,000 square metres of exhibition space, IAAPA Expo Europe 2026 offered a concentrated view of where the attractions industry is heading. The show floor at ExCeL London combined large-scale entertainment concepts, operational technology and customer-experience tools with an extensive education programme.

Not every innovation will suit every venue. A single-location play centre has different priorities from a destination theme park. However, several themes have direct relevance for Irish play centres, activity operators, family entertainment centres and visitor attractions of every size.

The strongest trend was not one product. It was the increasingly close relationship between physical experience, digital convenience and commercial data.

Trend one: the booking journey is part of the attraction

Customers compare the online experience with the best digital journeys they use anywhere—not only with other attractions. They expect fast pages, clear availability, mobile-friendly forms, familiar payments and immediate confirmation.

That means a booking system is no longer only an administrative calendar. It is a sales environment and a visible part of the brand. Confusing session names, hidden charges, long forms or unclear party deposits create doubt at the exact moment a customer is ready to buy.

Operators should measure the complete funnel: how visitors reach the website, which pages they view, where they begin a booking and where they leave. Improvements should then be based on evidence rather than assumption.

Trend two: personalisation without unnecessary complexity

Attractions are looking for ways to make visits feel more relevant. Online, this can mean showing suitable activities by age, recognising repeat customers, suggesting useful extras or sending timely reminders. On site, it can mean tailoring the experience around the booking type or occasion.

Personalisation does not require intrusive surveillance or a huge technology stack. It begins with organised first-party data, clear consent and sensible customer segments. A party organiser, a school coordinator and a family buying general admission have different needs. Communication should reflect that.

The practical opportunity is to use information customers willingly provide to reduce friction and make messages more useful—not simply to send more emails.

Trend three: immersive storytelling is becoming accessible

Some of the most memorable stands at IAAPA used lighting, sound, screens, theming and interaction to create a complete world. The lesson for smaller venues is not to imitate a theme park budget. It is to create coherence.

A play centre can carry a story from its website and social media through to signage, party rooms, staff language and post-visit communication. A laser-tag venue can build anticipation with mission briefings, team identities and shareable results. A visitor attraction can use short-form video to show the emotional experience rather than only listing facilities.

Strong storytelling gives customers something distinctive to remember and something specific to share.

Trend four: AI is useful when it solves a defined problem

Artificial intelligence continues to influence marketing, customer support, analytics and content production. The risk is treating AI as the objective rather than a tool.

Useful applications might include organising frequently asked questions, summarising campaign performance, identifying patterns in customer enquiries or creating first drafts for human review. It should not replace accurate information, brand judgement or responsible handling of customer data.

Before adopting an AI product, operators should define the problem, identify the data involved, agree who checks the output and decide how success will be measured. A time-saving claim is only valuable if the tool produces reliable work and fits the wider operation.

Trend five: connected data is replacing isolated platforms

A website, booking system, payment provider, email tool and advertising account can each work individually while still producing a fragmented customer journey. When systems do not communicate, staff duplicate work and marketing performance becomes harder to understand.

A connected approach makes it possible to see which campaigns generate bookings, which services produce the best value, how far in advance customers reserve and where capacity remains unsold. It can also create more consistent confirmation, reminder and follow-up communication.

Operators do not necessarily need one enormous platform. They need an intentional structure, reliable integrations and clear ownership of the information moving between systems.

Trend six: operators are scrutinising recurring costs

As technology becomes more central, venues are paying closer attention to subscriptions, transaction charges and booking commission. The relevant number is the complete annual cost, not the smallest figure on a pricing page.

At €600,000 in annual online booking revenue, every 1% of commission equals €6,000 before payment-processing or other software fees. Operators should model several revenue scenarios and ask what additional value a percentage charge provides.

MBM Ireland offers custom booking software with 0% booking commission charged by MBM. Payment-processing fees and agreed development, software or support costs may still apply, but the commercial structure is transparent and does not penalise growth through an MBM percentage charge.

Trend seven: community and collaboration are strategic advantages

The networking around IAAPA was as important as the product displays. Associations, operators and suppliers can solve common problems faster when they share experience and maintain open standards of communication.

For Ireland's play and leisure sector, PALI provides a valuable forum for that collaboration. MBM Ireland's conversations with PALI representatives and international contacts in London highlighted opportunities to bring global thinking into solutions designed for the Irish market.

The businesses most likely to benefit will be those that remain curious, test ideas carefully and build partnerships around measurable outcomes.

How to respond to these trends

Start with the customer rather than a list of tools. Review how people discover the venue, compare options, book, prepare, arrive, spend and share their experience. Identify the points that create uncertainty or unnecessary staff work.

Next, choose one measurable improvement. Reduce mobile checkout abandonment, increase party enquiries, fill quieter sessions or improve repeat visits. Technology and marketing decisions become clearer when tied to a specific result.

Finally, protect flexibility. Ask about data export, integrations, total annual cost, support and the process for future changes. The system selected today should not become an obstacle tomorrow.

Build a more connected visitor journey

The attractions industry trends of 2026 point towards experiences that are more convenient, more connected and more distinctive. Physical investment still matters, but the organisations that combine it with a strong digital journey will be better placed to convert interest into revenue and first-time visitors into loyal customers.

Myk Baxter Marketing Ireland brings digital strategy, website development and 0% commission booking technology together for play, activity and leisure businesses. Explore mykbaxtermarketing.ie/digital-marketing and mykbaxtermarketing.ie/booking-software, or contact us at mykbaxtermarketing.ie/book-a-free-consultation to review your current customer journey.

Official IAAPA Expo Europe information: iaapa.org/expos-and-events/expo-europe