WhiteWater, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of aquatic attractions, held a press conference at IAAPA Expo Europe 2024 to showcase its latest product innovations and award-winning projects at its booth.
Industry media and peers alike were in attendance to witness WhiteWater firstly confirm the continuation of WhiteWater’s IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) scholarship for 2024 in collaboration with the IAAPA Foundation. This scholarship, launched last year, aims to support individuals from underrepresented backgrounds by providing financial assistance and educational access, effectively bridging the opportunity gap.
The scholarship funds attendance at the IAAPA Institute, a week-long program tailored for senior leaders in the global attractions industry. This initiative not only nurtures hidden talent but also empowers future leaders by reducing financial constraints and systemic barriers.
WhiteWater discussed their latest projects across the world, both on land on sea – a case in point launching The Adventure Trail for the 2025 MSC World America ship and its 24th collaboration with Royal Caribbean Cruises, featuring a FlowRider® Double on the Star of the Seas, also launching in 2025.
Expanding into the Saudi Arabian cruise market, WhiteWater has partnered with AROYA Cruises to bring the first AquaForms 5 play structure to a cruise ship, along with a splash pad featuring Life Floor and AquaSplash spray toys on the Aroya Manara.
WhiteWater also highlighted its latest resort projects on the heels of its 2024 report with Hotel & Leisure Advisors that underscored the long-term financial benefits of aquatic amenities.
The Global Surf Movement continues and with over 25 million surfers in the world and counting, the sport continues to grow and be integrated into various venue types. Within the resort space, Grand Hyatt Dubai is set to introduce the first FlowRider Triple in the Middle East, featuring a 12-meter (40 feet) surface that accommodates up to three riders simultaneously, with a capacity of 360 to 720 rides per hour.
Back on land, other significant developments include the Regnum Carya water park in Turkey, scheduled for a Spring 2025 opening, and the Grand Hyatt Dubai resort water park’s Q2 2025 opening featuring 15 new attractions across 20,000 square meters, aimed at boosting guest engagement and occupancy.
In the standalone venue space, FlowRider Inc. announced an exclusive licensing agreement with SEVEN to bring the Flow House brand to Saudi Arabia, combining food, beverage, and surfing entertainment. Three Flow House venues are currently under construction in Riyadh, Al Khobar, and Jeddah.
Over in Germany, the first inland surf park, O2 SURFTOWN MUC, celebrated its grand opening in August of 2024 with over 14,000 guests in attendance. This groundbreaking venue is also the world’s first to feature Endless Surf technology, incorporating a 34-caisson lagoon, which delivers customisable waves using advanced pneumatic hardware and proprietary software. Paul Chutter, President of Endless Surf, highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating, “This moment is a testament to the dedication of the teams involved and a significant achievement for inland surf, providing operators unparalleled flexibility and control of wave types with our technology. After years of hard work and innovation, we’re thrilled to see world-class waves in Munich for all to enjoy.”
During 2024, WhiteWater made waves across Europe’s water park sector with notable additions to Fårup Sommerland in Denmark. At Fårup Sommerland, the company celebrated a milestone by installing Denmark’s tallest water slides, including a Tailspin + Boomerango Fusion and Parallel Pursuit.
WhiteWater announced its collaboration with Aquarabia in Qiddiya City, bringing to life 22 exciting rides and attractions, including five record-breaking rides. One of the flagship attractions is FusionFortress 18, known for its ground-level interactives where children with limited mobility can explore and engage with the toys while spraying their siblings with jets, turning wheels to set off various reactions on the structure, and most importantly, sharing the fun with their family and friends.
The press conference also featured the latest edition of Falcon’s Play Creators video series. Building anticipation for the opening of Aquarabia, the video offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this unique water theme park, with interviews with Mike Rigby, GM & Regional Vice President of the Middle East & India, and Kenneth Campbell, Senior Installation Advisor & Team Development Specialist. Featuring construction footage of the development, the video highlighted the scale of this ambitious project and the team’s dedication to bringing extraordinary experiences to life.
WhiteWater’s latest brand campaign at IAAPA Expo Europe highlights its vision that “together the future of attractions is ours to create.”
Images: WhiteWater
