| Ispo China: exhibitors doubled, massive crowds |
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Posted: Friday, March 5, 2010 5:29 pm
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If the bigger the crowds means the better the show, then the sixth Ispo China trade show in chilly Beijing this week must be a top show, reports Editor Maggie Coleman.
The crowds were there waiting for the gates to open, milling through the aisles and on the stands picking up every brochure and taking pictures of everything possible.
Final visitor figures were 16,300, a record and up 21 percent on the 2009 event.
Serious business was being done too and Australia’s sole exhibitor reported that he was very pleased with the interest shown in the brand and product ranges.
General manager of XTM Australia, Paul Manders was making his first visit to Ispo China and reported that the Chinese response to the images of Australia’s three medallists at the recent Vancouver winter Olympics — kitted out with XTM gloves, thermals, socks and bags like the rest of the Australian team — was attracting plenty of attention in the hunt for a Chinese distributor.
Ispo China, organised by Messe Munchen International (home of one of the global industry’s leading shows, Ispo in Munich, Germany early February) and the Chinese International Exhibition Centre Group Corporation was held in Beijing’s CIEC, with six halls full of exhibitors and plenty to entertain and inform visitors along with the stands.
The Chinese market for outdoor and snow products is growing very fast with the Chinese people reported to be showing a much greater interest in and participation in sports of all categories, particularly since the Beijing summer Olympics in 2008.
Organisers were thrilled that the number of exhibitors had almost doubled from the 2009 event to 210 this year, with many of the new exhibitors being major global players in the outdoor and snow markets, including Columbia, Salewa and Ecco.
The show is held in conjunction with Alpitec China 2010 — showing product and services like ski resort design, snow making equipment and snow vehicles, along with ski equipment and apparel — and included exhibitors from Austria, Italy and Scandinavia collected into “villages” within the halls.
Exhibitors included outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment, functional fabrics, and a popular stand for Wearable Technologies showcasing with clever developments in apparel technologies and devices.
Several conferences are being held in conjunction with the shows including the Asia Pacific Snow conference and the China outdoor industry investment forum, and activities included a skate park with demonstrations from professional riders, climbing festival, and the Columbia-sponsored Parkour festival with local teams of young men using the urban environment of buildings, fences and walls as a competitive sports opportunity.
The show ends on Saturday, after three days.
• Maggie attended the Beijing show as a guest of the organisers.
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