Awards stories

In major industries, awards celebrate key business wins and achievements. The attractions sector is no different. Many accolades represent the leisure market equivalent of the Oscars.

Blooloop celebrates top industry influencers with its annual blooloop 50 lists. There are four programmes: theme parks, museums, zoos & aquariums, and immersive. The most notable winners are given ‘Power 10’ status. Previous winners of this include Qiddya’s Philippe Gas, Merlin Entertainment’s Mark Fisher, Puy du Fou’s Nicolas de Villiers and Walt Disney Imagineering’s Carmen Smith.

Meanwhile, the blooloop Innovation Awards showcases the latest products, projects and services from suppliers to parks, museums, zoos and other attractions. This yearly event celebrates the incredible dynamism, imagination and creativity that drives the attractions business. The judging panel of industry experts selects the most innovative products and projects driving the future of the visitor experience.

Parks are often recognised with a range of industry awards, celebrating the best new investments, customer service and marketing campaigns. For example, IAAPA, the global association for the attractions industry,  runs an annual awards programme aimed at amusement parks, theme parks and FECs. Its annual accolades include the Brass Ring Awards, the IAAPA Hall of Fame and the IAAPA Service Awards. Previous Hall of Fame inductees include park pioneer Roland Mack, Imagineer Tony Baxter, and museum curator Marie Tussaud.

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) also runs an annual awards programme, the Thea Awards. This recognises individuals and teams that contribute significantly to delivering unique guest experiences around the world.