Delegates from 30 countries and five continents came together at the end of October for the World Waterpark Association’s annual symposium and trade show – the world’s largest gathering of water leisure professionals and development experts.

Taking place between 20-23 October, in Palm Springs, California, the 35th anniversary of the event drew more than 1,400 people representing owners, operators, developers, suppliers and designers from the waterpark sector, showcasing products and sharing ideas for the coming year.

Among the educational sessions that took place during this year’s event, highlights included the new WWA University: In-Park Revenue School and the Developing and Enhancing Your Marketing Plan workshops, as well as updated content for the WWA University: Waterpark Maintenance School.

In addition to breakout sessions and workshops, the show offered two keynote addresses from human behaviour expert Colette Carlson and author and presenter Josh Davies. Carlson discussed the the negative role that stress plays in the lives of all working professionals, while Davies shared insights on why work ethic matters and how to successfully make it a clear and defined focus when hiring and training new employees.

The trade show floor covered 100,000sq ft (9,300sq m) with 350 booths taking up the sold-out space. During the four-day event, many deals were concluded, with further successes expected at next year’s event taking place 11-14 October 2016 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.