OutDoor by ISPO has started: Trade show and industry pleased with double-digit growth

661 exhibitors. OutDoor by ISPO 2023 has thus more than doubled the number of participating companies compared to the previous year. In 2022, Messe München had celebrated the restart of OutDoor by ISPO with 310 exhibitors after a two-year COVID break. The significant increase this year came primarily from international companies, which account for a proud 86 percent of the exhibitor field this year, according to trade show CEO Stefan Rummel.

At the press conference held by the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and Messe München GmbH to mark the opening of OutDoor by ISPO 2023 at the MOC trade fair and event center in Munich, he was also pleased to report a 17 percent increase in floor space compared to the previous event. OutDoor by ISPO 2023 thus has 35,000 square meters of space.

Scott Nelson, Program Manager of the EOG, was also able to report new records at the presentation of the "State of Trade 2022" report: In 2022, the European outdoor industry achieved total sales of 6.1 billion euros, an increase of 11.5 percent compared to 2021. To make the figures comparable, the data from the Russian market for 2021 was excluded.

Overall, the outdoor industry was able to sell 265 million products in the markets monitored by EOG in 2022. In particular, footwear (20.40%) and accessories (19.05%) grew, while the smallest lowest growth was recorded for tents and climbing equipment.

Arne Strate, secretary general of the EOG, also attributed the industry's strength to the fact that the association used the pandemic break to rethink and revise all of its work. "We came out of the pandemic full steam ahead," he said.

Full steam ahead is the right keyword for OutDoor by ISPO. "The sheer size of OutDoor by ISPO with 4 halls, 4 atriums and the huge outdoor area is simply remarkable," said a delighted Lena Haushofer, Exhibition Director of OutDoor by ISPO. "Here, retailers, manufacturers and brands alike will find what they are looking for. This is where the outdoor community networks, does business and celebrates at our parties."

The strong growth in exhibitor and visitor numbers has already led Messe München GmbH to another far-reaching decision: After two years at the MOC, OutDoor by ISPO will return to its traditional location at the exhibition center in Munich Riem in 2024. With around 70,000 square meters of available space, there would be even more development potential there for an even larger and more diverse OutDoor by ISPO, according to Stefan Rummel.

"At OutDoor by ISPO 2023, the focus will be on the circular economy. Because without the circular economy, the ambitious goals of the EU will not be achieved," said Lena Haushofer. "The issue affects the entire industry, from raw materials to design, retailers, users and ultimately recyclers. That's why we will raise awareness and showcase projects that address these issues."

The ISPO Consumer Insights Report presented at OutDoor by ISPO also confirms how important sustainability and climate protection are to consumers. 38.19 percent of the consumers surveyed for the report said they would switch to another brand if it was more climate-friendly than their current sports and outdoor brand.

The 34 ISPO Award winners on display in the ISPO Award Exhibition Area in the outdoor area of OutDoor by ISPO exemplify what sustainable and functionally sophisticated products can look like. All of them have undergone a sustainability check by expert Louisa Smith before being evaluated by a jury of experts - and demonstrate very special innovative strength.

Probably one of the most ambitious sustainability projects in the entire industry is the EOG's Carbon Reduction Project. Katy Stevens, Head of CSR and Sustainability, reported that EOG has now evaluated 15 major suppliers to the outdoor industry - most of them in Asia - as part of this project.

The study identified a CO₂ savings potential of 50 to 60 percent. The task now is to leverage this potential in the coming years. To this end, the EOG is working with partners to hold workshops, develop special training courses and put together a "carbon toolkit" with a concrete action plan for reducing CO₂ emissions at the most important producers in the outdoor industry.

The industry can also look forward to July 7, 2023. On that date, the new Outdoor Market Intelligence Service will be available. "The Outdoor Market Intelligence Service is a powerful tool for the industry. It helps us better understand the buying behavior of end consumers and also what sales strategies actually work," said Scott Nelson. In the test market of the United Kingdom, he said, the tool, which analyzes anonymized data from retailers and brands, has proven its worth.

"To make the Outdoor Market Intelligence Service even more effective, we need more companies to participate and get the most value out of it by either contributing or subscribing or both," said Arne Strate. "I urge any retailer or brand with a retail platform to contact our team if they'd like to learn more."

After these words at the latest, it should be clear: EOG and the outdoor industry will continue to go full steam ahead in the coming years. We can already look forward to OutDoor by ISPO 2024 at the exhibition center in Riem.