2025 AIMS INTERNATIONAL AMUSEMENT SAFETY SEMINAR BREAKS RECORDS FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR
42 states and 21 countries represented at this year’s event
[ORLANDO, FL] January 22, 2025 – Celebrating 60 years and welcoming attendees from 42 states and 21 countries, the 2025 AIMS International Safety Seminar was a success! Classrooms were full, accreditations were earned, and more manufacturers and suppliers were on site interacting with attendees than ever before. The seminar featured three new accreditations: CASSP (Certified Attractions Safety and Security Professionals) launched as part of the AARMSS program, and the Inflatables Accreditation and the Trampoline Accreditation were offered. AIMS once again delivered the world’s premier amusement safety seminar.
Held annually, the AIMS International Safety Seminar delivers hundreds of hours of educational content on topics ranging from maintenance and inspection to aquatics, operations, portable amusements, adventure attractions, safety, security, risk management, and more.
From January 12-17, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, attendees learned from inspirational speakers, veteran trainers, and the industry’s top professionals. They networked throughout the week starting with the opening reception and continuing between classes, networking events, and an exclusive event hosted by Fun Spot Orlando.
Each attendee had the opportunity to select 40 hours of classes from over 300 hours of scheduled content. Additionally, attendees had access to an app that enabled them to network, track their personalized schedule, and search courses across AIMS’ broad range of disciplines.
“As AIMS continues to grow, we are encouraged with the level of support for amusement safety education. As the industry leader in this space, the annual AIMS International Safety Seminar has become the premier event of its kind,” said Eddie Kinder, AIMS Safety Seminar Manager.
Kicking off this year’s event was the engaging Jim Pattison Jr. of Ripley’s Entertainment. During his keynote, he addressed the scope of Ripley’s facilities across 9 countries, his worldwide travels as IAAPA Chairman, and safety as the golden thread running through the amusement industry.
More than classroom education, attendees had opportunities for hands on learning at SeaWorld and Fun Spot Orlando and met with a variety of sponsors including ride manufacturers, installers, suppliers, and operational and maintenance solution software providers.
“With a record 55 event sponsors and 45 manufacturers and suppliers on site, attendees had the opportunity to interact with products and vendors in a truly unique way,” said Eric Fluet, Marketing and Communications Director. “The growth of onsite activation has expanded the event experience, adding incredible value for attendees and sponsors.”
The organization, founded in 1964, was initially named American Recreational Equipment Association, A.R.E.A. At the very first A.R.E.A. Safety Conference in 1974, there were 30 attendees including Pat Hoffman of Hoffman Consulting and Dick Chance of Chance Rides both on site this year to celebrate 60 years for the organization!
Today, with almost 800 attendees, the event relies on 150 volunteer instructors and 12 Ambassadors from the AIMS Young Professional Council.
“The key to the success of a seminar of this size and scope lies within our industry itself,” said Amy Lowenstein, the organization’s Executive Director. “I am incredibly grateful for the hard work and dedication of our 12 talented ambassadors and 150 instructors who volunteered their time and expertise over the past 12 months preparing to advance amusement safety education for our industry.”
Led by Matthew Saenz and Eliza Throne, this year’s Ambassadors included James Brown, Genesis Flores, Joely Ronchetti, Justin Peng, Brandon Kurecki, Gabo Nunez Rojas, Natalia Skinner, Kylie Dryden, Sofia Lanzi, and Brendan Lynch.
“AIMS is at the forefront of teaching safety standards, fostering collaboration, and championing best practices for amusement rides and attractions. None of that would be possible without the hard work of the AIMS’ staff and our Board of Directors led by our President, Pat Hoffman.” Lowenstein continued.
The 2026 AIMS Safety Seminar will be held in Orlando January 11-16, 2026.
AIMS International also offers educational opportunities throughout the year including online courses available through www.aimsintl.org and through their “AIMS On The Road” (AOTR) program delivering safety education content to users through multi-day events at parks across the country and with international partners in Canada, Colombia, Singapore and Chile.
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About AIMS International
Celebrating 60 years, AIMS International is a non-profit 501(c)(6) association dedicated to improving amusement Industry safety through leadership in education. AIMS International provides training classes and certification for ride inspectors, operations, aquatics, and maintenance personnel through its annual Safety Seminar and at other venues throughout the year. The next AIMS Safety Seminar will be held in Orlando, Florida January 11 to 16, 2026.
