With more than 100 amusement parks in India, and eight to ten of them being in Mumbai, industry analysts feel that there is a lot that can be developed in the city as well as the nation. “There will soon come a time when every district in the country will have an amusement park of its own,” said Rajen Shah, President, Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) on the prospects of this industry.

With 75 exhibitors coming from 15 countries including USA and Japan, the annual trade show held by The Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI) has just kicked off. The three-day event will conclude on February 23 and is expected to register the participation of 3,000 industry associates.

The trend to build amusement parks on the outskirts of the city will continue with the upcoming projects as well. “Land prices are very exorbitant in the city and hence places like Panvel will be hot spots for amusement parks in the future,” according to Shah.

The trend will also see a shift in the range of services on offer. “More and more industrialists are now looking at providing their customers with not just amusement parks but also malls and hotels at the same place,” he added.

As the only amusement, leisure and entertainment association in India, IAAPI’s annual trade show is the best business and networking opportunity for the industry. IAAPI has played a pivotal role in the development of inbound and outbound tourism and has generated significant development in this sector.

“This is the first time we have showcased our products in India. India is a big market and the size of the amusement industry at present is small. So, there is lot of potential. We are very interested in being part of the Indian amusement industry and are exploring it,” said Keijiro Oketani, representative, SEGA Corporation. Among the many exhibitors who participated in the trade show were Appughar, Bureau of Indian Standards and Beijing Jiuhua Amu, Rides Mfg Co Ltd.