The British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions (BALPPA) has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with annual UK leisure trade show and exhibition Leisure Industry Week (LIW), which takes place at Birmingham NEC on 26-28 September this year.

The agreement will see LIW 2006’s FamilyLand feature a BALPPA networking lounge as well as the Second Annual Attractions Industry Forum and social events co-hosted by BALPPA and LIW.

The attractions organisation has formed a FamilyLand steering group – comprising BALPPA chief executive Colin Dawson alongside representatives of Funland Hayling Island, Harbour Park, Dudley Zoo, Activity World, Jardine Lloyd Thompson and Innovative Leisure – to act as a working group on new initiatives for the 2006 show.

“We have been impressed with the strides that LIW has made and our new partnership allows us to work closely with the team to deliver a show which continues to meet the needs of our industry,” said Dawson.

LIW launched its first Attractions Industry Forum at the 2005 show last September, which featured speakers from Disneyland Resort Paris, Merlin Entertainments, Edinburgh Zoo, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, The National Trust and The Natural History Museum.

Michael Westcott, director of Ithaca Business Media’s Leisure Group, which organises LIW, said: “The three-day Attractions Industry Forum conference was well received and we look forward to working with BALPPA to build our education offering as well as networking and social events for the industry for next year’s show and beyond.” Details: www.liw.co.uk