Outdoor Trade Fair Canceled Due to Lack of Interest
Munich, Germany – The Outdoor mountain and leisure sports trade fair has been canceled this year due to insufficient interest. The European Outdoor Group (EOG) industry association and Messe München, the event’s co-organizers, announced the cancellation of the Outdoor fair scheduled for May.
Declining Exhibitors and Visitors
The primary reason for the cancellation was the low number of exhibitors and visitors anticipated. The initial goal was to increase participation by 20%, but the current registration numbers fell short of this target.
Friedrichshafen to Munich: A Disappointing Move
The Outdoor fair was previously held in Friedrichshafen, but in 2019, the EOG controversially decided to relocate it to Munich, hoping to capitalize on synergies with the Ispo sporting goods trade fair, which is traditionally held in winter.
However, the move proved disastrous for Outdoor in Munich. Visitor numbers declined significantly, while Ispo, despite its larger size and focus on winter sports, also experienced a drop in attendance.
Ispo’s Struggles
The Ispo fair, which shares some thematic overlap with Outdoor, has also been struggling with declining visitor numbers. In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ispo attracted 80,000 attendees. By 2023, that number had fallen to 55,000.
Competition and Market Challenges
The decline of both Outdoor and Ispo can be attributed to industry challenges, increasing competition from other trade fairs, changing consumer trends, and the impact of digitalization and e-commerce on the outdoor and sporting goods sectors.
Conclusion
The cancellation of the Outdoor trade fair is a significant blow to the outdoor and sports industry, as it was one of the leading platforms for showcasing new products, innovations, and trends. The challenges facing the industry and the trade fair landscape in general will require industry stakeholders to reassess and adapt to the evolving market dynamics.
