OutDoor By ISPO 2019 – Successful Launch Of A New Outdoor Era

With 1.018 exhibitors and more than 22.000 trade visitors, OutDoor by ISPO launched a new era for the outdoor industry from June 30 to July 3. Under the motto “There’s a perfect outdoor for everyone,” Europe’s largest outdoor trade fair was held for the first time in Munich. A spirit of new beginnings was perceptible at the premiere. A new, open hall concept, 18 focus areas inside and outside the halls as well as a far-reaching supporting program for trade visitors turned the fair into an experience platform for the modern outdoor world. The industry concentrated on one theme in particular: sustainability.

A new, open hall concept, 18 topic-specific Focus Areas and an extensive supporting programme for the trade public transformed OutDoor by ISPO into an experience platform for a modern understanding of outdoor.

Klaus Dittrich, Chairman and CEO of Messe München, said: “The industry’s tremendous enthusiasm demonstrates the success of our new concept. We were able to keep and even exceed our promises from the run-up. Together with the industry, we have launched a new era in which the term ‘outdoor’ is no longer forced to conform to a definition written by the industry. Instead, it has become the collective term for the attitude of each individual.”

OutDoor by ISPO 2019 in numbers

1.018 exhibitors showcased their products and innovations during the premiere of OutDoor by ISPO. International exhibitors made up 84 percent of the total. Countries with the largest participation were Germany, UK, Italy, the Netherlands, China, Sweden and the USA.

More than 22.000 trade visitors from about 90 countries attended the trade fair. About two thirds of them came from countries outside Germany. Countries with the largest number of visitors were (in this order) Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, France and the Netherlands. The proportion of decision makers was 85 percent. A total of 87 percent of visitors rated the premiere event as good to excellent, according to official market research conducted by Messe München.

Like all events organized by Messe München, also the visitor and exhibitor numbers of OutDoor by ISPO are certified by the Society of Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics (FKM).

Inclusive outdoor concept attracts new exhibitors

Following the idea of freedom, open aisles in the middle conveyed the true outdoor spirit and served as a space for staging relevant themes. In addition, all halls gained a strong and consistent first row in the style of a shopping mile and offered more room for the presentations of the exhibiting companies.

Themes presented at the fair ranged from classic outdoor activities like hiking, trail running, water sports and urban outdoor to the first-time integration of adventure travel and bikes. Also very well received was the new Cross-Industry segment, with presentations at the trade fairs automatica, electronica, EXPO REAL, IFAT, LOPEC, LASER World of PHOTONICS and transport logistic, as well as presentations by representatives of the respective industries, which demonstrated the potential for cooperation with other industries outside the outdoor sector.

By expanding the traditional concept of outdoor, OutDoor by ISPO was able to attract many new exhibitors. In one reflection of this, Gabor, a company with a long tradition, showcased its products for the very first time at an outdoor trade fair by being part of the Shoe & Trailrunning Village. Other new exhibitors included the bike softgoods brands ION and Endura as well as Billabong, Element and Griffin that had booths in the new urban outdoor area THE BORDERLANDS™. The complete bicycle brands Husqvarna, Scott, Raymon, BH Bikes, Cake, Ttici, Geos, HNF Nicolai and TQ Systems showcased their products as part of the bike test track.

The trade fair also offered a broad range of talks, presentations, shows and discussion groups that addressed business-related issues in all segments, as well as tips and inspiration for the point of sale and customer assistance. Thematic round tables that included widely known companies focused on the direction and visions of the expanding climbing community and the outdoor shoe industry.

“With OutDoor by ISPO, Messe München is providing the exact modern platform that the industry needs to address the changes currently sweeping through the market,” said Arne Strate, the General Secretary of the European Outdoor Group. “We are looking forward to working with the ISPO team and offering a far-reaching international forum in the future.”

Sustainability: the industry’s common goal

One theme shaped every segment of the fair: Sustainability has been an absolute must-have for the entire outdoor industry for years now. A large number of initiatives and projects designed to create a more sustainable industry was presented not just in the CSR Hub & Sustainability Kiosk. The theme was also highlighted throughout the remaining Focus Areas and exhibitors’ booths. Industry heavyweights like adidas and Vaude as well as smaller companies like Picture Organic Clothing, Pyua and the newcomer Palgero demonstrated that recycled polyester fibers and natural materials—like fibers from wood or brown algae—represent real alternatives to conventional synthetic fibers.

OutDoor by ISPO has expressed its clear commitment to sustainability by introducing a code of conduct that calls for environmentally conscious and socially responsible activities. The code provided organizers, exhibitors and visitors to the trade fair with specific ways they could act in a climate-neutral and sustainable manner. The ISPO team made resource conservation one of its top priorities while planning and conducting the event. The participants of the show set a good example: around 75 percent travelled by public transport.

OutDays—a festival of outdoor culture

However, it was not just trade visitors who were part of the new outdoor movement. The important target group of end consumers was able to get in on the act as well. Together with 43 partners who primarily came from industry and retailing, 33 events and activities were held in Munich and the Munich region, an area that extended all the way to the Alps: from open-air movie evenings and meet & greet opportunities with widely known outdoor personalities like Tim Leatherman to the “Icecold Midsummernight,” a bivouac camp on the Hintertux Glacier located at an elevation of 3,000 meters. The first OutDays offshoot was held simultaneously in Hamburg. The offerings are scheduled to be expanded next year.

Information available all year round

In addition to the annual trade fair, OutDoor by ISPO is offering a high-reach, year-round platform to the entire outdoor community. It will be based on the ISPO network ecosystem with numerous analog and digital services along the entire value chain. Manufacturers, retailers and end consumers will thus have access to relevant and up-to-date industry topics 365 days a year.

Service

You will find more details and background information about the four days of the trade fair and industry news at ispo.com. The media database offers photo material. All TV podcasts are available in the media library. Official exhibitor statements about the premiere can also be found on the website.