Pioneer & trailblazer Roland Mack

Roland Mack has written one of the greatest success stories in the international leisure industry with Europa-Park. In 1975, he and his father, Franz Mack, founded the theme park in Rust, which has now been named the world's best ten times – a bold move at the time that laid the foundation for an extraordinary development.

Under the leadership of Roland Mack, the family-owned company has developed rapidly and in groundbreaking directions. The combination of state-of-the-art rides, great care, precision and attention to detail in the European themed areas and internationally acclaimed entertainment makes Europa-Park a global flagship for quality and innovation.

Today, not only is Europa-Park Germany's largest theme park, welcoming over six million guests each year, but it is also the heart of the Europa-Park Resort. This has grown to become one of Europe's leading short-break destinations, offering six themed hotels and Rulantica water world.

Roland Mack has received the highest national and international honours in recognition of his services. These include the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the TEA Buzz Price Award, and the title of Officier de la Légion d'Honneur, which was awarded by French President Emmanuel Macron.

For decades, Roland Mack has shaped the international leisure industry. His pioneering work has resulted in Europa-Park being named the world's best theme park several times and receiving a host of other awards and prizes. 

He established the park's unique theme, which is unrivalled in Europe, developed the resort business with his family with several themed hotels, and drove forward expansion with Rulantica water world. Today, Europa-Park is one of the most diverse leisure destinations in Europe, attracting over six million visitors every year.

As well as developing Europa-Park, Roland Mack is also a leading figure in the global leisure industry.

In 2012, he became the first German to be elected president of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the organisation's highest position. During his tenure, he championed global safety standards and sustainable environmental guidelines, as well as strengthening the European leisure industry.

A highlight of Roland Mack's tenure as IAAPA President was the joint signing of an anti-racism declaration with the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, in which he took a clear stand for diversity and tolerance in the leisure industry. In 2016, Roland Mack was inducted into the IAAPA Hall of Fame, following in the footsteps of Walt Disney and his father Franz.

A key instrument in this transition was the family charter that he initiated. In a family business with a history spanning over 250 years, responsibility stems from conviction rather than rules and regulations. The charter encapsulates this shared understanding. It anchors values such as reliability, solidarity and commitment. 

For Roland Mack, one thing is clear: When several generations work together in a business, clarity, trust, and a unifying framework are essential. The family charter offers exactly that. It clarifies expectations, regulates how people interact with each other, ensures the continuity of the family business, and enables responsibility to be transferred gradually and systematically.

He therefore views the generational change as a consciously designed process of passing on the baton, rather than as a withdrawal. Roland Mack is a reliable companion and compass for his family and the future of Europa-Park, thanks to his experience, conviction and firm determination to continue the family business in line with its values.

Thanks to his hard work, foresight and passion, Roland Mack has achieved great success, not only in the leisure industry, but also in the lives of countless visitors and employees. His unwavering dedication to quality, innovation, tradition and family values establishes him as one of the most influential figures in the leisure industry.

Roland Mack's commitment goes far beyond the success of the Europa-Park Resort. Through social projects such as the German Children's Cancer Aftercare Association and the 'Happy Hearts' initiative, he brings joy and hope to disadvantaged people. In celebration of Europa-Park's 50th anniversary, Roland Mack is particularly dedicated to the 'Europa-Park Children's House Little Heroes'.

"You have to like people", says Mack, and this attitude is evident in all that he does. With his unwavering drive for perfection and innovation, he has written a success story that has had a lasting impact on the leisure industry and the lives of many people. His story proves that dreams can come true with hard work and family solidarity.

He repeatedly ventured into new business areas with his visionary ideas: Manufacturer and operator of theme park rides, development of European theme parks, the hotel industry, themed restaurants, show business, and finally, digital worlds of experience. Roland Mack's entrepreneurial success is based on the clear values he inherited from his family, developed further, and passed on to his children. These values include quality, perfection, customer focus, innovation, discipline, down-to-earthness, social responsibility and hospitality.

In 2023, his outstanding life's work was honoured with the highest award in the entertainment industry: The Buzz Price Award from the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). He was the first theme park owner to receive this honour in recognition of his exceptional entrepreneurial achievements and influence on the global leisure industry.

Roland Mack has been committed to promoting co-operation and mutual understanding between Germany and France for decades. This cross-border bond is deeply rooted in the history of Europa-Park, a place that brings people from all over Europe together. 

On 28 January 2025, Roland Mack received a special award in recognition of his exceptional dedication: French President Emmanuel Macron awarded him the Legion of Honour in the rank of Officer, considered to be France's highest honour. This prestigious honour has only been bestowed upon a few Germans and is a great recognition of the founder of Europa-Park's commitment to French guests and employees, as well as his ongoing dedication to the European idea.