The OutDoor by ISPO Global Summit Edition: FAQ

The objective of this document is to provide the basis of answers to questions that come up, or are likely to come up in relation to OutDoor by ISPO Global Summit Edition. This is not intended to be exhaustive, and will be built on if required. If you have any additional questions of your own or anyone asks you something that needs a different answer, please get in touch.
Most importantly, it is important to note that the event in October will be neither an OutDoor by ISPO nor a European Outdoor Summit! It will be an event incorporating aspects from both, creating THE must attend trade happening this year:
The OutDoor by ISPO Global Summit Edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the point of a trade fair in October?

2. Isn’t this just ISPO trying to make some money out of us?

3. The selling season is over so why should I exhibit?

4. If I show new product, I’d just be tipping off my competitors ahead of time.

5. Why are you restricting the amount of space I can take?

6. Why can’t I have the same amount of space as I’d normally book and use my normal booth?

7. If there is a conference at the same time, there will be nobody in the exhibition area.

8. We liked the independence of the EOS, so why is it being combined with OutDoor by ISPO?

9. What happens if restrictions are still in place and hardly anyone turns up?

10. I want my company to be in a panel discussion / presentation, can I pay for that to happen?

1. What is the point of a trade fair in October?

In an ideal world we would, of course, have liked to see OutDoor by ISPO take place earlier in the summer, but the reality of Covid has meant that we’ve had to be both cautious and pragmatic in our choice of dates. Secondly, it’s not intended to be a ‘trade fair’ in the normal sense of the word. We completely recognise that the commercial and selling aspects of your order season will have been completed by this time and in actual fact, you will be almost ready to launch your next season’s range!

Instead, what we are planning is an event that is underpinned by aspects that are familiar to delegates at the European Outdoor Summit, so forget the idea of a conventional trade fair and consider the wider ranging benefits of the opportunity we’re offering:

a) After way over a year of not being able to see each other, network, build and re-cement relationships, this is the chance to re-establish your vital contacts.

b) As a ‘one off’, the European Outdoor Group has agreed to integrate the European Outdoor Summit into the event (EOS) and just as at any other EOS, we will be creating the space for the sector to discuss and make decisions about vital topics that will influence success for all sector players. This is based on the principle that the outdoor community has always been at its best, when it has been able to share and debate key issues.

c) We will be providing limited exhibition space, so if you wish to use the opportunity to host your own hospitality area, or show key product innovations or highlights, or just platform what you as a company stand for, you’ll be able to do it.

d) Networking, debate, relationships, hospitality and what your company stands for are all powerful factors after a year of isolation.

e) We aim to host all stakeholders in the outdoor value chain at the show, so what you could potentially take away are also solutions for some of your company’s challenges from those who have already mastered them (3PL, Academia and a variety of service partners and consultants).

2. Isn’t this just ISPO trying to make some money out of us?

Like many organisations, Messe Munich has suffered over the Covid period, but in spite of this, has continued to support the sector and has been working closely with the EOG to try to find ways to serve the trade. We all believe that our joint concept of combining OutDoor by ISPO and EOS is one that will have significant opportunities for the more enlightened members of the outdoor community, and we are determined to stage an event that will add value to both participants and the sector as a whole. There will be a cost, sure, but when a cost is an investment in future success, then it takes on a different light.

3. The selling season is over, so why should I exhibit.

We’ve stated very clearly that this event is not a typical trade fair and we don’t expect brands to be taking space in order to sell to retail. What we have committed to is providing a strictly limited amount of space for companies that want to take this opportunity to have their own hospitality areas, or those that wish to make a statement about what their brand / company stands for within the outdoor community. Whether your company decides to take space or not is ultimately up to you and you are very welcome to attend purely as a delegate. But those who do want to go that extra distance will have greater opportunities to benefit from the event and cement their position within the sector.

4. If I show new product, I’d only be tipping off my competitors.

We don’t anticipate that brands will want to take space and fill it full of their latest product. The product is the output of your brand and changes from season to season. Your brand on the other hand is different and we envisage that companies will want to focus on presenting who they are and what they stand for. This might of course include some limited product, but it might just as easily include highlighting projects they’re involved with or policies that define who they are. There are a multitudes of ways in which we communicate with each other and this event provides you with the chance to be innovative and creative in how you do that.

5. Why are you restricting the amount of space I can have?

We could just allow everyone to book as much space as they wish, but this would not be the responsible course of action. Firstly, there are Covid rules in place that we need to adhere to so that we get the approval for an event to take place. Secondly, we want those who wish to take space to be very clear about the limitations, clear about what they hope to get out of it, and to keep the following in mind while they’re planning things:

a) The concept of this event (outlined online and in documents like this) means that we don’t envisage it as the place for you to bring your collection as you might do at a normal trade-fair.

b) We know we may have to be careful about numbers, social distancing and all the other issues that we have come to expect during the Covid Pandemic.

c) The ‘conference’ basis, means that there will be fewer people circulating in the exhibition area and it will not be like the normal Outdoor by ISPO event. All these things mean that we will very definitely be restricting the amount of space that companies can take, but we’ll be doing this in everyone’s interests.

6. Why can’t I have the same amount of space as I’d normally book and use my normal booth?

On the space issue, see the answer above. Your normal trade fair booth is designed to be used in normal circumstances. We would all love to be back in a situation where we could run a full trade event, but this will not be that and it would not be right for you or the event, if you brought your normal booth. The limited amount of space that will be available, needs to be used very carefully and we would ask you to think how you can best make the most of the opportunity.

7. If there is a conference taking place, there will be nobody in the exhibition area.

We totally recognise that the peak conference times will create a quieter exhibition space and this is one of the key reasons we are strictly limiting the amount of exhibition space available. But at the same time, we recognise that the event has to do multiple things and it can’t be all conference, or all networking etc, etc, and this is the reason we will be concentrating the conference part of the programme into two, two hour sessions. So two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon and this should provide plenty of opportunities for circulation and networking.

8. We liked the independence of the EOS, so why is it being combined with OutDoor by ISPO?

First of all, the EOG and Messe Munich are partners and this decision has been taken together. Secondly, it makes absolutely no sense to organise two such events in one month. So, by combining the two, the EOG brings knowledge of running a meaningful conference in the form of the European Outdoor Summit, while Messe Munich brings event expertise and location. From all the perspectives that we can see, this is the best possible solution in the circumstance.

9. What happens if restrictions are still in place and hardly anyone turns up?

This is exactly why we are being very cautious in terms of space and why we are planning to simultaneously host the event digitally. The EOS has been a successful event each year on the back of approximately 300 delegates and we are confident that we will exceed this with ease. In the end, we are reminded of the saying that it’s quality of people that counts, and not just the volume.

10. I want my company to be in a panel discussion / presentation, can I pay for that to happen?

There will be plenty of opportunities for companies to sponsor the event, parts of the event or even specific subjects, and these will include the option for us to show a promotional video for a sponsor before and after a presentation. But the integrity of the agenda is super important to us and as such you would not be able to pay to part of any specific topic.

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