Amusement ride safety, visa exchange visitor programmes and drone operation restrictions were among the key topics that attractions leaders were able to discuss with US lawmakers at IAAPA’s most recent Advocacy Days meeting in Washington, D.C.

The two-day event (8-9 April 2019) gave US members of IAAPA the opportunity to meet with influential members of the US Congress and to air industry views on a number of pressing matters. Representatives from 17 states attended the meetings.

Specifically, IAAPA voiced its support for amusement ride safety regulations based on standards developed by the ASTM International F24 Committee; the continuation of the J-1 Exchange Visitor Program without additional requirements that unnecessarily limit the current use of the program; and provisions passed by Congress requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to restrict the operation of so-called Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or drones) close to fixed site facilities, such as amusement parks, where such operations present safety hazards.

Delegates in attendance were also given appraisals of the current US political landscape by congressmen from both the Republican and Democrat sides.

The US attractions industry contributes US$51bn (€45.08bn, £38.91bn) in revenue to the US economy, employing almost three-quarters of a million people.