ISPO BEIJING 2016 already has its sights set firmly on the Olympics. 38,600 visitors made their way to Asia's leading multi-segment trade fair, which was held between February 24–27. This equates to an increase of 29 percent compared to last year (2015: 29,948). There were more exhibitors at this year's event too, with 490 present representing some 700 brands. The events program, which addressed the key topics of the future, proved incredibly popular. The Asia Pacific Snow Conference (APSC) was one of the highlights, featuring the release of a comprehensive report on China's ski industry as a world first. The Running Village was dedicated to the megatrend that is running and boasted an extensive accompanying program.

This year saw the twelfth installment of ISPO BEIJING. The four-day event showcased key innovations from the fields of outdoor, action sports, skiing, sports fashion, and fabrics and fibers across an exhibition space of more than 40,000 square meters. In total, there were 490 exhibitors (2015: 434 exhibitors) representing approximately 700 brands (2015: 656 brands). More than 38,600 visitors headed to the China National Convention Center (CNCC), where all the spaces were fully booked.

Klaus Dittrich, CEO and President of Messe München, spoke of the growth of the trade fair in China's capital:

“ISPO BEIJING is Asia's leading trade fair for sport and outdoor pursuits. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing are set to bring a boom in the popularity of winter sports. Together with Alpitec China, we offer the perfect platform right here in Beijing to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Olympic Games. Plus, the fantastic visitor numbers go to show that our multi-segment concept is a success. All sectors are represented together at the trade fair in their respective market and brand environments, which creates synergies, ensures the best chances for growth, and paves the way for new areas, such as freeriding, freeskiing, and trail running.”

The shared stands from Austria, the Czech Republic, South Korea, and Taiwan have also seen further growth, confirming that ISPO BEIJING is the ideal way to enter the Chinese market.

ISPO BEIJING is the place where the very latest market trends are set, and it was clear to see over the four days of the event that the focus is increasingly being placed on winter sports in China—partially as a result of the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. This means that issues such as ski resort infrastructure and piste maintenance are becoming more and more important. Thanks to its collaboration with Alpitec China, ISPO BEIJING is able to present an entire value added chain under one roof, from infrastructure to product. Organized by Messe Bozen, Alpitec China is the international trade fair for mountaineering and winter technologies.

The Winter Olympic Games, the Chinese ski industry, and the infrastructure of ski resorts also featured on the agenda of the Asia Pacific Snow Conference (APSC). Having taken a close look at the Chinese ski industry, ski operative Bin Wu has presented his findings in his White Book—the first publication of its kind to report on the skiing industry in China. For further figures relating to skiing in China, head to: www.ispo.com

Sport is becoming more and more popular in China and there is a growing interest in health and fitness. With an increasing number of people in China taking up jogging, the Running Village at ISPO BEIJING was dedicated to this megatrend and showcased all the latest innovations in running.

For the first time, anyone who was interested in what was happening at the trade fair could keep up to date live on the new website at ISPO.COM. An editorial team was tasked with going to the venue and reporting back each day with updates and background information on ISPO BEIJING: www.ispo.com

As well as updates on ISPO BEIJING on the website and Facebook and Twitter profiles, the WeChat channel also reported several times a day on the highlights of the trade fair. This news stream kept followers up to date on all the latest news from ISPO BEIJING, with this year's follower count growing by over 85 percent (29,230 followers this year as opposed to 15,813 in 2015). The Chinese chat service currently has over 500 million users worldwide.

The next ISPO BEIJING event will open on Wednesday February 15 2017, running until February 18.

This summer will see the 2nd ISPO SHANGHAI taking place from July 6–8 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC). As a multi-segment trade fair, ISPO SHANGHAI focuses not only on the outdoor and action, but also on the fitness, water sports, performance and sports fashion segments of the market.

For more information about ISPO BEIJING 2016, go to www.beijing.ispo.com

Exhibitor testimonials from ISPO BEIJING 2016

Mr. Mic Wang, Director, Adventure Outdoors (Exclusive China Distribution of CRAFT):
“This was the fourth year in which Craft participated at ISPO BEIJING—and the trade fair is definitely getting bigger each year. We plan to expand our booth next year to match! We were very satisfied with the quantity and quality of visitors this year: All of the visitors are professionals, and nearly all our distributors are here. We will certainly continue to be a part of ISPO BEIJING in the future and grow with it.”

Mr. Tomas Tauchman, General Manager, Alpine Pro China Ltd.:
“It’s safe to say that ISPO BEIJING has really developed in China. This is our eighth time participating in ISPO BEIJING, and this platform, too, is always developing along with the market. Every year, it brings us new opportunities and offers a channel of communication to the industry. ISPO BEIJING is crucial for our information gathering purposes. The visitor participation is clearly stronger this year, and many people are here with specific targets, which is excellent for us to see.”

Ms. Guo Junwen, Deputy General Manager & CMO, Nanjing BC-Sport Co., Ltd.:
“ISPO BEIJING is the biggest platform for fans of sporting pursuits in China, so we feel greatly honored to have exhibited at ISPO BEIJING this year—a year which saw more brands and visitors in attendance than ever before. Against the background of the 2022 Winter Olympics, the winter sports sector has grown significantly. In the future, we hope to be able to connect with more high-quality brands through ISPO BEIJING and promote the industry together.”

Mr. Ian Steinmo, International Sales Manager, CamelBak Products, LLC:
“We have taken part in ISPO BEIJING for 7 years, and it has been clear to see the trade fair’s progression over the years. There are now more qualified people and more professional brands in attendance. For me, it is the best opportunity in the Chinese outdoor market to talk about the industry with customers and colleagues alike. And we were truly very happy to see so many visitors this year!”

Mr. Hong Qinming Hong, Executive Director, Camkids Group plc:
“This year, the design of our trade show area was very different from how it was before—the ISPO BEIJING team are always on hand to provide for our very specific and specialized needs. To us, ISPO BEIJING is the professional platform for the outdoor industry. This was our first trade fair appearance since landing a partnership with Marvel, and we were happy to have chosen ISPO BEIJING. We hope that, through such partnership, we can develop the outdoor market for young people. We want to give our children an enjoyable childhood and cool outdoor experiences!”

Mr. Benedikt Bohm, General Manager, Dynafit:
“We are very proud to have chosen ISPO BEIJING as the location for Dynafit’s debut trade show in China. ISPO is surely the leading sporting platform, and the perfect place to make a real impact on the sports industry in China. It was a wonderful surprise to see so many different sports on display at ISPO BEIJING, which points to a dramatic change in the Chinese market. I’m truly happy to see such potential, and I definitely will be in attendance at ISPO BEIJING next year!”

Mr. Alex Koska, Vice President Global Sales, Fenix Outdoor AB:
“This year marks my 6th visit to ISPO BEIJING, and I think the trade fair has evolved spectacularly, with both the quality and quantity of visitors increasing once again. For us, it’s vital that we are able to connect with the Chinese market, and we are very happy to report that ISPO BEIJING gives us the perfect platform to make contact with the right people.”

Mr. Tor Petersen, Head of APAC Sales and Marketing, GoPro:
“At ISPO BEIJING, we can find the exact target audience we need: All the outdoor enthusiasts. The number of attendees this year has been good and keeps growing every year. Against the background of the 2022 Winter Olympics, I am expecting a lot from the winter sports and action sports markets. We will continue to bring our new products to China.”

Mr. Baggio Zhong, CEO, Kailas—Zhanjiang Maya Travel Gear Co., Ltd:
“ISPO BEIJING has improved even further in every aspect, and it is clearly a very successful counterpart to ISPO in China. This year, KAILAS won 5 ISPO ASIAN PRODUCT AWARDs. Products are the soul of our business, and we hope that markets all over the world will come to recognize Chinese brands as a result. We also hope KAILAS will win more ISPO AWARDs in the international category next year. To me, ISPO is a fantastic platform for getting together and exchanging ideas. We will definitely come again next year—and every year!”

Mr. Nam In Ho, President, KOVEA China Co., Ltd:
“ISPO BEIJING is a recognized brand in the market and its services are well-established. This year, the trade show was very different from before, in that the number of visitors—primarily made up of professional buyers—has at least doubled. Our agencies all over China are here, as well as some old friends. The outdoor area, especially the camping area, has made great strides this year. Through ISPO BEIJING, we are confident that a bright future is within reach.”

Mr. Vesa Luhtanen, Managing Director, L-Fashion Group Oy:
“As the very first batch of brands to join ISPO MUNICH, I think ISPO BEIJING is a good concept for brands to coming into the China market. Our company has been in business for 109 years, and we’ve been in the sports industry for more than 60 years. To me, ISPO is now a by-word for sports, and I’m really impressed by how fast ISPO BEIJING has grown in recent years. At ISPO BEIJING, we have found some promising partners; so it seems like the right place for us to be.”

Mr. Ralf Duering, Director, Micro Beijing:
“First of all, I want to thank ISPO BEIJING for organizing such a great exhibition. We are happy to report that the fair has been very successful: Lots of new people came, meaning new potential customers. The visitors are of a particularly high caliber this year, on the first day, we met with many buyers from all over China—not just Beijing. We are very impressed. We are moving now more and more into the outdoor, sports, and activities segments, which is exactly why ISPO BEIJING is so valuable to us: Because that’s where we can find exactly the customers we would like to talk to and reach. This year really did surpass expectations.”

Mr. Hans Arnesen, Global Category Manager, OAKLEY:
“ISPO BEIJING is the perfect place to showcase all of our new products and latest technology. We chose ISPO BEIJING because it’s a very popular show, and while Oakley’s sales in China are very good, there’s still an even greater potential market. That’s why in ISPO BEIJING we have found the right platform to promote our brand in China. I’m impressed with the size and scale of ISPO BEIJING this year, and there were plenty of interesting ideas on offer: including some new technologies from other companies which have provided inspiration for future ideas, I’m always excited to come here, and we will absolutely come back again next year.”

Mr. William Li, General Manager, One Way Sport:
“Whether in terms of size, organization, brand recognition, or influence, ISPO BEIJING holds the leading position among similar trade shows in China. ISPO BEIJING is a high-quality exhibition, calling together the most excellent, professional peers from all aspects of the sports industry chain, including textile, leading brands, buyers, and industry media. Compared to last year, the number of visitors has clearly increased, bringing purchasing power with them. Undoubtedly, we will need a bigger space and a stronger message next year.”

Mr. Michael J. Joyce, President and CEO, and Mr. Jochen Lagemann, Managing Director, Primaloft. INC.:
“We have followed ISPO since the very first day it launched in China 12 years ago, and so we have seen the quality of ISPO BEIJING rise to the very high level it is at today. We consider it our opportunity to meet with the leading brands in the world, right here in Beijing. As an ingredient brand, ISPO BEIJING is the ideal platform for us to promote B2B business between brands and retailers.”

Mr. Alan Daniel, Export Director, Group Rossignol:
“ISPO is widely regarded as the key meeting for sports industry, and ISPO BEIJING is an absolutely unmissable event. Rossignol has been active in the ski industry since its very inception, and we are now looking to China as the most exciting new market.”

Mr. Zhang Heng, President, Beijing Sanfo Outdoor Products Co., Ltd.:
“We have participated in every ISPO BEIJING event, and this year the visitor flow has exceeded expectations. People even had to be admitted in smaller groups to avoid overcrowding! To me, ISPO BEIJING is no longer your run-of-the-mill exhibition: While it allows us to find many brands that we can establish partnerships with, the abundant events, competitions and experiences at ISPO BEIJING have truly made this platform multi-functional.”

Mr. Bao Yonglin, General Manager, Beijing Tecnica:
“The new Ski Area is certainly a highlight of ISPO BEIJING, and the exhibition is clearly becoming even more popular too: From the crowd we see today, it is easy to deduce that the number of sports fans is growing, and more and more people are becoming passionate about skiing. ISPO BEIJING is a chance for friends and colleagues to come together. We hope that, together with ISPO’s international resources, we can promote greater cross-border exchanges, and in doing so drive the ski industry in China even further.”

Mr. Brian Liu, Area Sales Manager, Thule Trading (Beijing) Ltd.:
“The atmosphere at ISPO BEIJING this year was extremely positive, and even better than last year. The visitors are so enthusiastic! Despite our very large stand at the fair, we still had visitors lining up to speak to us. ISPO BEIJING has made significant progress in all aspects—influence, reputation and the number of visitors—and this year, it has now become the perfect platform. The high quality and perfect timing of ISPO BEIJING make it the ideal place to launch our marketing efforts for the New Year. Having participated in ISPO every year since its entry into China, we have been able to witness its growth, with its new highlights, ideas and services. What’s more, we are absolutely delighted to say that we have seen more and more visitors with each year.”

Mr. Moses Zheng, General Manager, Top Sun Outdoor:
“Swix is a world leading ski wax brand, and for us, ISPO BEIJING was the best choice for our launch onto the Chinese market. It really is a grand get-together for the outdoor family. We are here not only to market our products, but also to use this platform to teach people how to use ski wax. We hope that in the future we can introduce more top-level equipment to China through ISPO BEIJING.”

Mr. Sheng Faqiang, Chairman, Toread Holdings Group Co., Ltd.:
“As an old friend of ISPO, Toread is very confident in the future of ISPO BEIJING. A lot of outdoor product and service providers have chosen ISPO BEIJING as the venue to release their most important products or programs, and tthe trade show has witnessed every development in the outdoor market in China over the past decade. Through ISPO BEIJING, Toread also hopes to establish greater cooperation with other industries. We hope that more people will come, cooperate, and communicate next year. I wish ISPO BEIJING all the best for the future!”

Ms. WangYang Chengqin, Deputy General Manager, Wuhan Dept Store Group Co. Ltd.:
“I think ISPO BEIJING is definitely bigger this year: Many more people are here, especially at the winter sports area. We are here with winter sports projects, and at the Asian-Pacific Snow Conference, we learned a lot from the experts and their analysis of the market from different perspectives. As our projects develop further, we will definitely exhibit at ISPO BEIJING. We believe ISPO BEIJING is a very good platform through which we can develop our projects more efficiently. ISPO BEIJING is very well organized, so we are happy to participate every year.”

ISPO Press Release
Monday, 29. February 2016