The World Waterpark Association (WWA), the international trade association serving waterparks and aquatic venues, has revealed details of its successful WWA Annual Symposium & Trade Show.
Following a virtual event last year, the 2021 WWA Trade Show returned to a physical space and featured 100,000-square-feet of exhibit space with over 200 manufacturers and service providers showcasing new products and services in more than 315 booths.
The event features the largest water leisure industry marketplace, allowing waterpark, aquatic and waterpark resort professionals to discover and interact with some of the latest and most innovative products on the market.
Rick Root, WWA president says “There’s nothing like the energy that is generated when our group meets up at our annual show, but it was even more powerful to see everyone face to face again—in workshops and sessions, on the show floor and at the Annual Reunion Party.
“We saw a strong turnout from both park and supplier attendees who were looking to reconnect with each other in meaningful ways throughout the whole show experience.”
Key features
The WWA Show is renowned for exceptional educational events and this year’s program generated plenty of talking points as attendees came ready to listen to over 120 thought-provoking speakers. Attendees were able to learn the latest trends and best practices in key areas such as operational safety, recruitment, maintenance, sales and much more.
Alongside a variety of workshops and breakout sessions, this year’s WWA Show offered attendees the chance to hear “Stories In Leaderships”. The keynote was led by Mark Rucker, an industry veteran who has spent over three decades leading some of the world’s top tourism brands, including Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Great Wolf Resorts.
One of the key takeaways from Rucker is “Leadership isn’t a title or position. It’s the demonstration of key attributes at a specific time regardless of title or position, and for people with the title or position of leadership, it’s the demonstration of key attributes over a period of time that defines them as a true leader.”
Wave of winners
This year, the World Waterpark Association inducted two new individuals into the WWA Hall of Fame which was created to honour visionary innovators and pioneers of the water leisure industry. This year’s honorees were Richard “RAC” Carroll, Ellis & Associates and Randy Neuman of Neuman Pools Inc & Neuman Group. The event also two inductees selected last year, Jim Basala of Deep River Waterpark and Jim Dunn, Aquatic Development Group.
Damien Latham, chair of WWA’s Board of Directors says “Having this opportunity to shine a light on individuals and companies that are making a difference each and every day is a privilege that we take seriously as members of the WWA Board.
Innovative projects
Latham continues “There was so much amazing innovative work to recognise that we had a record number of Leading Edge Awards in 2021, with nine projects honoured!”
The Leading Edge awards, presented to manufacturers for innovative products and projects, were given to:
- Atlantis – Aquaventure and Murphys Waves Ltd, ProSlide Technology Inc, Riverflow Pumps by Current Systems and Water Technology, Inc. for their work on the Aquaventure Waterpark expansion
- The City of Garden City, Kansas and Confluence, Splashtacular and Water Technology, Inc. for their work on Garden Rapids at the Big Pool
- Europa-Park, Mack NeXT, Mack Solutions, PGAV Destinations, ProSlide Technology Inc and Rulantica for their work on the Rulantica Waterpark outdoor expansion
- Polin Waterparks for its development of Utexture technology
- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago and Ramaker & Associates and WhiteWater for their work on Tsunami Surge
- Studio City Water Park and Water Technology, Inc. and WhiteWater for their work on Studio City Water Park
- Tolomato Community Development District-Nocatee and WET Engineering, Inc. and WhiteWater for their work on Parallel Pursuit
- Triple Five Group and American Wave Machines, ProSlide Technology Inc, Water Technology, Inc. / Neuman Group and Weber Group for their work on Dreamworks Water Park
- VinWonders Phu Quoc and Polin Waterparks for their work on Typhoon World at VinWonders Phu Quoc
Recipients of WWA’s popular Wave Review marketing competition were recognised during the Keynote Session on 21 October. Winners’ work represented successful marketing campaigns from small public sector facilities to large waterpark resorts, this year featuring winners from the USA, China, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia.
Purposeful intentions
The World Waterpark Association Show was widely appreciated and found to be a useful tool by suppliers.
Rick Hunter, ProSlide Technology chairman and CEO says “This year’s show exceeded our expectations! It was a beautiful coming together of our waterpark friends and partners who showed their purposeful intentions of getting right back into new waterpark projects and making things happen.
“The WWA Show in San Antonio was a super reminder of how great this waterpark industry is and how important we are to each other in this WWA community.”
Paul Chutter, WhiteWater president adds “It was an incredible feeling to have our entire industry back together again. Our two years apart that once felt like an eternity quickly turned into a distant memory given the quality of this year’s WWA Show.”
Sponsors for the event included ProSlide, WhiteWater, Semnox Solutions, Martin Aquatic and more.
The World Waterpark Association has announced next year’s show will take attendees to the self-proclaimed “entertainment capital of the world,” Las Vegas, Nevada. The city, renowned for its non-stop entertainment and nightlife, will host the WWA event from 4-7 October 2022, with the trade show occurring on 5-6 October 2022.
Earlier this summer, the World Waterpark Association ran the “World’s Largest Swimming Lesson”, an initiative to raise awareness for water skills.
Photos: Courtesy of Joseph Leute Photography and the World Waterpark Association.
