ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s a big week for the attractions industry with the return of the annual IAAPA Expo.

​The annual convention, put on by Orlando-based International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, is back at the Orange County Convention Center for an in-person event—one of the largest in Central Florida.

The in-person version was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and a virtual event was held instead. In 2019, the event drew a record 42,200 attendees. This year, it’s expected to draw about 25,000 attendees.

“We’re thrilled to bring back together, in-person, the global attractions community for IAAPA Expo,” IAAPA president and CEO Hal McEvoy said in a statement. “The attractions industry is working tirelessly to come back stronger than ever, and we’re excited to reflect and showcase that here.”

While this year’s expo may not be as big as previous years, more than 850 companies will be in attendance, each showing off their latest product and services.

More than 375,000 square feet of space inside the convention centers has been reserved for the expo’s trade show floor. It’s row and rows of exhibitor booths, with everything from ride vehicles and gadgets to food on display.

Outside the convention center, space has also been dedicated to display larger rides and other attractions.

In addition to showing off their latest innovations, some companies will use the expo as a place to deliver news about their upcoming projects. At past events, Central Florida theme parks have revealed ride vehicles and other attractions. In 2019, Busch Gardens (along with manufacturer Rocky Mountain Construction) revealed the ride vehicle for its Iron Gwazi coaster. The same year, SeaWorld put its Ice Breaker coaster vehicle on display.

For this year’s event, Merlin Entertainments is scheduled to share more details about its new Peppa Pig Theme Park on Tuesday. The park is set to open February 24 next to Legoland Florida. Other companies scheduled to hold news conferences include Sally Dark Rides, Extreme Engineering and Fun Spot America.

The pandemic impact to the expo has led to some changes. With a smaller number of exhibitors this year, some of the extra space on the trade show floor will be used for a main press conference area.

There will also be some health and safety measures in place. Attendees who are not vaccinated are required to wear a face mask while inside the convention center or inside expo-related events. IAAPA recommends vaccinated attendees wear mask inside as well. All attendees will be required to wear masks while on expo transportation.

The annual expo isn’t just a big deal for the attractions industry, it’s also a big deal for Central Florida. The event is expected to generate nearly $80 million economic impact for the area.

IAAPA Expo runs through the rest of the week, with the conference wrapping on Thursday and the trade show on Friday.