The prestigious MENALAC Awards return in the fourth edition. The MENALAC Awards 2022 celebrate outstanding Leisure & Attractions operators in the MENA region across 27 exciting categories.
For the industry, by the industry.
This perfectly encapsulates the Middle East and North Africa Leisure & Attractions Council (MENALAC). Continuing its tireless mission to add value to and raise the benchmarks of the regional Leisure & Attractions industry, the prestigious MENALAC Awards have returned.
The MENALAC Awards 2022 ceremony will be hosted on March 29, 2022 at a renowned hotel in Dubai.
The objective of the annual MENALAC Leisure Industry Awards is to recognize excellence and achievements, the standard of the leisure attractions industry in the Middle East, and set new benchmarks for the industry locally and globally, where participants challenge themselves in achieving excellence and are honored for their outstanding efforts via these awards.
The awards will shine a spotlight on, and enhance the profile of, the winners to a higher level as the global industry now looks to them for inspiration and as the new touchstone to judge their own performance.
Following on from the tremendous success and reception across the industry of the first three editions, the fourth edition of the Annual MENALAC Awards Gala will see regional Leisure & Attractions operators of all sizes compete across 27 diverse categories, adding three new categories from its previous edition. These include the Best Individual Safety Achievement Award, Best Impactful Sustainability Campaign of the Year, and Best New Concept Award.
The increase in the categories reflects a growth in the leisure attractions sectors, which are becoming great attractions for tourists in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. These also reflect the growing pull of the industry in attracting the best of best global suppliers to serve this market.
The Awards are declared following a detailed judging process by a panel of eminent industry & market experts, who will look at every aspect of the performance of the applicant as per the award entry criteria. MENALAC will soon announce the Jury of Judges and prepare them for the vetting and due diligence process.
This year, the new element includes two Health & Safety Awards. These will be judged by the MENALAC Health & Safety Committee, which comprises a panel of H&S heavyweights and experts across the different attractions segments in the MENA region.
The highlight of this award is the utmost confidentiality of the entire awards process, which will be overseen and ensured by UHY JAMES – an independent audit firm. Only they will know the winners that will be announced at the awards ceremony.
Mike Rigby, Chairman of the Events Committee and Executive Vice President, Middle East & India, Whitewater says: “The MENA region has such an extensive variety and depth of existing, in progress and upcoming leisure destinations, and it is a sector that only goes from strength to strength.
The MENALAC Awards aim to recognise, and rightfully acknowledge, the investment, efforts and imagination of all of us involved in this fun and creative industry, that brings joy to so many”.
Lauded as the “only credible leisure and entertainment awards ceremony for the industry, by the industry”, the MENALAC Awards 2022 offer Leisure and entertainment operators, manufacturers & suppliers, and consultants the unmissable opportunity to showcase their stellar achievements and product offerings.
The awards have gained in stature and popularity over the years, attracting many high-profile industry brands to sponsor and support this industry initiative and – in turn – grow their profile and brand visibility. Previous sponsors include the Al Hokair Group, Cheer Amusement, Al Othaim Leisure & Tourism Co., Play Enterprises, Bob’s Space Racers, EMBED.
Sponsorship opportunities will be announced soon.
Interested parties can contact the MENALAC team at [email protected]
Who can enter the MENALAC Awards 2022?
Entries are welcome from Family Entertainment Centres (FECs), water park operators, visitor attractions, edutainment centres, sport & adventure-based operators, cinemas in the MENA region, and manufacturers, suppliers, and designers who service MENA-based Leisure & Attractions operators.
How to enter the MENALAC Awards 2022
All nomination entries must be submitted to: www.menalacawards.awardsplatform.com
Entrants can nominate themselves across multiple categories.
Entries must not exceed the specified word limit, and are to be submitted in English.
To better illustrate their achievements, entrants are encouraged to use visual elements, client testimonials, and a video (not exceeding 90 seconds).
Nominations will open soon.
The nomination round will close on February 12, 2022.
Entry fees are USD 400 for members and USD 500 for non-members.
Discover the MENALAC Awards 2022 categories
Spanning 27 diverse categories, the MENALAC Awards 2022 will award operators and manufacturers & suppliers who work passionately and profitably and add value to the MENA Leisure Industry.
Entries will be judged on the basis of profitable expansion, customer confidence, and adherence to quality standards. Select categories will also look at strategy, innovation, and safety. Budding operators and individuals with an appetite for results stand a chance to win a coveted MENALAC Award.
The award categories are:
- BEST THEME PARK
- BEST WATERPARK
- BEST FEC
- BEST UNIQUE VISITOR ATTRACTION
- BEST EDUTAINMENT / PLAYSCAPE
- BEST SPORT / ADVENTURE-BASED ENTERTAINMENT
- BEST NEW LEISURE/ ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT
- BEST CINEMA EXPERIENCE
- BEST DAY OUT
- BEST SALES & MARKETING CAMPAIGN
- BEST CSR PROGRAM
- BEST CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM
- BEST EMPLOYEES ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE
- MOST INNOVATIVE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY
- BEST NEW CONCEPT / INTERIOR DESIGN FOR A LEISURE FACILITY
- BEST NEW PRODUCT FOR THEME PARKS
- BEST NEW PRODUCT FOR WATER PARKS
- BEST NEW PRODUCT FOR FECS
- BEST NEW CONCEPT
- SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
- BEST INNOVATION IN HEALTH & SAFETY
- BEST INDIVIDUAL SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT
- BEST IMPACTFUL SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
- BEST ESTABLISHMENT MANAGER; BELOW 250000 VISITOR/TRANSACTION
- BEST ESTABLISHMENT MANAGER; ABOVE 250000 VISITOR/TRANSACTION
- LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
- MENALAC HALL OF FAME
A regional spotlight for Leisure & Attractions players
Gathering over 450 leading names from the MENA Leisure & Attractions Industry, the MENALAC Awards sets the stage for incredible sector-wide visibility.
In addition to going home with a coveted award, the winners also enjoy an extravagant evening of excitement, socialising, and fame.
Ghassan Assi, Chief Operating Officer at Trampo Extreme & former MENALAC Best Sports / Adventure Based Entertainment In The Region award winner, comments: “Safety is and has always been the number one focus of our business. We are engineered for safety from beginning to end. We pride ourselves in delivering the best customer experience while also listening to our customers, and sparing no effort in constantly re-inventing ourselves”.
The MENALAC Awards is just one of several ways MENALAC creates immense value for the industry. Most recently, it launched the pioneering MENA Leisure Report (MLR) which offers exclusive in-depth data from across the region.
Details about the MENALAC Awards 2022 judges and sponsors will be unveiled soon. For sponsor queries, please contact [email protected]