A buoyant EAG International has welcomed in the new decade as a well-rounded event with high levels of optimism and positivity on the show floor.

Many of those present commented on the show’s fresh new feel, which can be attributed to a number of new exhibitors and increasingly impressive product presentations from the show’s loyal supporters.

Show organiser Karen Cooke said: “The energy at this year’s EAG International was almost palpable, with many exhibitors and visitors going out of their way to tell us what an enjoyable and productive show they'd had."

“With a balance of new technology and new releases of old favourites, I think it’s fair to say that EAG guarantee's innovative products and business tools for every out-of-home leisure and entertainment business," Cooke added.

New stand-alone immersive entertainment experiences were a strong feature of EAG, adding a touch of drama to the show floor.

Immersive and mixed reality developer Holovis reported a great show, communications manager Emily Burrows said: “A fantastic show! We’re surprised by how international EAG is. We’ve seen a lot of operators who are ready to take the leap into immersive and interactive entertainment in order to stay at the top.”

Cashless payments solutions were also very much in evidence, with more than a dozen exhibitors demonstrating the latest integrated products. With these systems reducing operating costs and generating big data to support marketing decisions, they were the subject of topical debate on stands and during seminar sessions.

There was much interest in secure cashless payments app YALP, developed by Game Payment Technology, an initiative between bacta and Polar Moments.

“EAG International is a very busy and diverse show and it’s also great fun," said John Rozek, financial compliance director at Game Payment Technology.

“We’ve chosen the 2020 show for the official launch of the YALP secure cashless payments app. The appetite for YALP has been immense, driven by the decline in use of cash. The product is comprehensive and robust and addresses many challenges that the amusements market is facing; it has brought about a new confidence,” he added.

Neeraj Bhatia, Kwikpay CEO and founder, said: “It has been a really good show. Last year was our first time and we’ve had a lot of general discussions. This year operators have returned for more in-depth conversations and we’re receiving commitments.”

The market for Redemption games and systems continues to grow, with visitors treated to a huge array of imaginative new games, plus new takes on traditional carnival favourites.

James Sweeney, sales executive at Instance Automatics, said: “‘This is our largest show for new machine launches with 13 debuting at EAG this year. We’ve had great feedback from buyers and seen more European visitors at this year’s show."

The Redemption boom has been fuelled by the spectacular quality of plush and prize merchandise, featuring the latest licensed entertainment brands and technology must-haves.

Whitehouse Leisure International again had a huge presence at the show. MD Phil Setter reported a busy three days on each of their three stands: “EAG International has always been a good show for us and this year was ahead of last year. We were kept extremely busy with quality customers for the entire duration. As expected, Trolls World Tour was very well received, and we’ve enjoyed a particularly great response to the Harry Potter range and to Marvel character gloves."

“With Redemption continuing to grow, we’ve invested heavily in our own retail quality products and this year was the busiest ever for our Redemption stand," he said.

A striking feature of this year’s EAG International was the sheer volume of new products, for which manufacturers and distributors should be congratulated. They were rewarded with buyers from every aspect of out-of-home entertainment and they clearly had the appetite to invest.

"EAG 2020 had a great feel about it. The number of exhibitors, with whom I spoke, confirmed that they were very pleased with the quality of the visitors, who were placing orders. I also received a number of positive comments on the new branding," said EAG International chairman Martin Burlin.

EAG International, conveniently, positioned at the beginning of the New Year, is regarded by many as an indicator of industry confidence. If they’re correct, it looks as though we might be in for a very good year!

EAG International 2021 will take place at ExCeL London from 12 - 14 January 2021.