Applause Award

Applause Award
Awarded for	The finest in amusement parks
Country	Worldwide
Presented by	Liseberg
First awarded	1980
Official website	Official website

The Applause Award is an international award given out by Liseberg, a world-famous theme park in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is given out every two years to the amusement park whose "management, operations and creative accomplishments have inspired the industry with their foresight, originality and sound business development."^[1] The award is a bronze statue of two clapping hands. It was designed by Astri Bergman Taube, a Swedish sculptor.^[2] The winner is chosen by a board of governors with Liseberg's CEO, Andreas Andersen, being the chairman.^[3]

It is considered by many to be the Academy Award of the amusement park industry.^[4]

The Applause Award Board of Governors 2014
Chairman
Andreas Andersen	Liseberg
Members
Bob Masterson	Golden Planet Leisure
Peter Herschend	Herschend Family Entertainment
John Wood	Sally Corporation
Sascha N. Czibulka	Intamin
Tim O´Brien	Ripley Entertainment
Amanda Thompson	Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Michael Mack	Europa Park
Pelle Johannisson	Liseberg
Ira West	Ira West Inc.

Recipients

Year	Park	Award Finalists	Ref(s)
1980	Magic Kingdom		[4]
1982	Opryland USA
1986	Epcot		[4]
1988	Knott's Berry Farm
1990	Europa Park	• Busch Gardens Williamsburg  • De Efteling  • Opryland USA  • SeaWorld San Diego  • Universal Studios Hollywood	[5]
1992	Efteling	• Universal Studios Florida	[6]
1994	Universal Studios Florida		[4]
1996	Cedar Point	• Busch Gardens Williamsburg  • Six Flags Magic Mountain  • Universal Studios Florida	[7]
1998	Silver Dollar City	• Kennywood  • Parc Astérix	[8]
2000	Hersheypark	• Pleasure Beach Blackpool  • Parc Astérix	[9]
2002	Busch Gardens Williamsburg	• Gardaland  • Pleasure Beach Blackpool
2004	Holiday World & Splashin' Safari	• Gardaland  • Tivoli
2006	Islands of Adventure	• Dollywood  • Legoland Billund	[4]
2008	Xetulul Theme Park	• SeaWorld San Diego
2010	Dollywood	• Alton Towers  • Phantasialand	[3]
2012	Ocean Park Hong Kong	• Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk  • Puy du Fou	[10]
2014	Puy du Fou	• Chimelong Paradise  • PortAventura	[11]
2016	Busch Gardens Tampa		[12][13]

References

1. "Ocean Park Hong Kong wins Applause Award". Liseberg. November 13, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
2. "The Applause Award 2008". Liseberg. November 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
3. "Dollywood wins Applause award for theme parks". Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Associated Press. November 16, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
4. "Big contract still in reach for Lockheed". Orlando Sentinel. November 16, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
5. Amusement Business. Nov 26, 1990, Vol. 102 Issue 47, p1, 3 p.
6. "Go Dutch For Flight of Fantasy.". The Mirror. July 15, 1998. Retrieved November 17, 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
7. Runice, Jacky (May 25, 1997). "Ohio's Cedar Point Lures Amusement Park Fans". Daily Herald. Arlington Heights, Illinois. Retrieved November 17, 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
8. Rogers, John (August 22, 1999). "Proud to be corny Branson finds gold in families". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved November 17, 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
9. "Harrisburg, Pa.-Area Park Named Top Attraction Worldwide.". Knight Ridder. November 21, 2000. Retrieved November 17, 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
10. "IAAPA Attractions Expo Sees Growth in All Areas Iaapa Attractions Expo 2012 Big Winner Show Sees Growth in All Areas". States News Service. November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
11. Debaecker, Anne-Laure (19 November 2014). "Un Applause Award pour le Puy du Fou" – via Le Figaro.
12. "BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY WINS PRESTIGIOUS GLOBAL INDUSTRY AWARD". seaworldparks.com. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
13. "Show Daily".