SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor

What SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor does

SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor is a Paris-based professional trade association (loi 1901), founded in 2008 and headquartered at 1 rue de Stockholm, 75008 Paris. It is the first and largest association representing indoor leisure operators in France, with stated sector reach of 2,000+ companies, 13,000+ employees, and 13 million annual visits. SPACE directly represents 316 member companies (33.23% of the ELAC branch, Espaces de Loisirs, d'Attractions et Culturels) and 5.29% of branch employees, up from 2.26% in 2021. Its mission is to defend the interests of the indoor leisure sector with public authorities, provide regulatory and operational guidance, and professionalize the industry.

SPACE operates a small staff of seven and is governed by an elected Board of Directors. Its service portfolio centers on four pillars: the annual SELI trade show (Salon des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor), the Trophées des Loisirs Indoor awards program, the Rencontres d'Hiver (Warm'Up) winter gathering, and the Observatoire des Loisirs Indoor economic observatory launched in 2025. The association also publishes SPACE Mag and maintains active press and social media channels. Revenue is generated through annual operator membership dues and, since 2025, a parallel 'Partenaire' subscription tier for the 60+ supplier companies in its ecosystem. Strategic alliances with IAAPA (international), SIEC/Pavillon Loisirs, AFNOR, AFDAS, CPME, and the DGCCRF anchor its position as the structural representative body for the French indoor leisure industry.

Name

SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor

Legal name

SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor

Website

https://space-association.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Paris, SPACE is the leading French professional association representing indoor leisure operators. It serves 316 member companies plus 60+ supplier partners through advocacy, annual SELI trade show, economic observatory, and training resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SPACE generates revenue through annual membership fees paid by indoor leisure operators (exploitants), suppliers, and partners. Membership provides access to the association's services including advocacy, information, networking events, and the annual SELI trade show.
2. Partner Program Fees: Since 2025, SPACE inaugurated 'Partenaires' (Partner) memberships, where over 60 supplier companies pay to join as partners, gaining visibility at events and access to the network of operators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SPACE is a French professional association (association loi 1901) that represents and defends the interests of indoor leisure operators (trampoline parks, escape games, laser tag, bowling, multi-activity centers, family entertainment centers) before public authorities and partner organizations. It provides members with advocacy, regulatory information, networking events, and the annual SELI trade show, financed through annual membership dues paid by operators, suppliers, and partners.

Product overview

SPACE is a professional trade association (not a product company) founded in 2008 that represents indoor leisure space operators in France. The association serves its 2,000+ member businesses through advocacy, industry events, and research services. Its core offerings include: the SELI annual trade show, the Trophées des Loisirs Indoor awards program, winter professional gatherings (Rencontres d'Hiver/Warm'Up), and the Observatoire des Loisirs Indoor economic research tool. The association also publishes the annual SPACE Mag magazine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SELI - Salon des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor
• Trophées des Loisirs Indoor du SPACE
• Rencontres d'Hiver (Warm'Up)
• Observatoire des Loisirs Indoor
• SPACE Mag
• Adhérent (Operator Membership)
• Partenaire (Supplier/Partner Membership)

Quantifiable outcome

• Sector represents 2,000+ companies employing 13,000+ people with 13 million annual visits
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Terra BotanicaminorOthers · 22 June 2026Theme park venue for SELI 2026 evening gala; located in Angers
• SIEC (Pavillon Loisirs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026SPACE is partner of the Pavillon Loisirs at SIEC trade show, representing the indoor leisure sector. SIEC has 4,400 participants, 105 exhibitors, 119 city/regional representatives, and nearly 1,000 retail brands.
• Qubica AMFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBowling equipment manufacturer and software provider; logo shown as a partner on the SPACE website; QubicaAMF is the world leader in bowling with presence in 90+ countries
• MTV TravelminorOthersTravel media partner shown on the SPACE website footer
• AFNORminorOthersStandards organization; SPACE participates in AFNOR commissions and working groups
• CPMEminorOthersConfédération des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises; partner shown on the SPACE website
• IAAPAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Association of Attractions; SPACE participates in IAAPA Expo Europe and co-organizes events; Guillaume Groell spoke at IAAPA events
• DGCCRFminorOthersDirection Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes; representative attended SELI 2026
• AFDASminorOthersProfessional training fund for culture and tourism sectors; SPACE members access AFDAS training programs

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• European Association of Amusement Parks (EAAL/Euro Parques): Europarques is the European association of amusement parks and attractions, serving a similar member base to SPACE across the continent. Comparable peer as both organizations represent operators at both the European and national level, with overlapping event and policy priorities.
• Association des Exploitants de Fêtes Foraines (AEF): AEF represents French fairground and itinerant attraction operators, a related but distinct French leisure ecosystem. Both organizations advocate for leisure operators within French regulatory frameworks and share a member base when operators expand from fairs into permanent indoor venues.
• BDF (Bundesverband deutscher Freizeitparks und Freizeitanlagen): BDF is the German trade association representing amusement parks and leisure facilities, the closest geographic peer to SPACE in Continental Europe. Both serve similar operator segments (family entertainment centers, trampoline parks, indoor attractions) through advocacy, networking, and shared best practices.

Broad incumbents

• World Waterpark Association (WWA): WWA is the international trade association for waterpark and aquatic leisure operators. While focused on a specific sub-vertical, it shares SPACE's model of advocacy, certifications, and annual events (WWA Symposium) for indoor leisure venue operators.
• IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions): IAAPA is the global trade association for the attractions industry, of which SPACE is a national affiliate and partner. Both serve indoor leisure operators through advocacy, events (IAAPA Expo Europe/Asia), and standards, making IAAPA the most direct global counterpart to SPACE.
• Themed Entertainment Association (TEA): TEA is the international non-profit association for themed entertainment creators, operators, and suppliers. It overlaps with SPACE's mission in promoting experience design, attractions, and leisure venues, with comparable membership-based services such as Thea Awards and industry research.

Others

• Family Entertainment Group (FEC) industry bodies: While not a single trade association, the international Family Entertainment Center (FEC) industry functions like a peer through organizations like the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America (BPAA) and IAAPA's FEC committee. QubicaAMF, a SPACE partner, bridges bowling suppliers and operators across both ecosystems.

Direct peers

• SNELAC (Syndicat National des Espaces de Loisirs, d'Attractions et Culturels): SNELAC is the parent French sectoral employers' federation in which SPACE holds 33.23% representativeness in the ELAC branch. Both interact directly as the federal and dedicated indoor-leisure bodies negotiating with French authorities on social, fiscal, and security obligations for indoor leisure operators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/associationdesloisirsindoor
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/space-loisirs-indoor

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPACE - Association Française des Espaces de Loisirs Indoor