"If you miss OutDoor by ISPO 2023, you'll miss out on a real industry highlight."

Lena, it won't be long before OutDoor by ISPO opens its doors. What can you hardly wait for?

To be honest, it's quite simple for me. For me, the most important thing is to have the entire community back in Munich. This network is something very special, whether retailers, brands, outdoor journalists or representatives - the who's who of the industry meets here and shapes the future together. So if you miss OutDoor by ISPO 2023, you can pack your bags! I am convinced that we will have super conditions for the trade show again this year with full halls, atriums and showrooms and an extremely diverse outdoor area. The entire ISPO team, our partners from the European Outdoor Group, and of course the exhibitors have done a super job in the past weeks and months.

Can you tell us a little bit about the exhibitors?

On the one hand, many long-standing brands are back: Rab/Lowe Alpine, Scott, Ortovox, Deuter, Maier Sports, Big Agnes, Vaude, Merrell, La Sportiva, Lowa, Meindl, Petzl, Osprey, Mountain Equipment, Nordisk, Fenix Group, Leki, Komperdell, Dometic. On the other hand, many are also celebrating an OutDoor by ISPO comeback. And: We have many newcomers at the start, including Berghaus, J. Lindeberg, Nomad, Pegasus, Brunton, Sidas, Norrona, Hestra, Cavida, Igloo, Gonso, Devold of Norway and Montura. In the start-up area in the newcomer section we also have more than 20 brands that are celebrating their premiere at a trade show.

And how did you divide up the halls?

We have decided not to divide the halls thematically. All the halls have an equally high-quality design, with key account brands in each hall. Of course, we have clustered thematically a bit: for example, the shoe brands together. In atriums one and two, all the order offices that are located there open, such as Ortovox, Jack Wolfskin, Mammut, Haglöfs, and many more. In the middle of atrium one and two we have many more exhibitors*. In Atrium 3 is the Sustainability Hub and in Atrium 4 the topic Textrends will find its place with the Award, Manufacturing and Sourcing.

And the outdoor area is even more varied this year than last year. There will be the ISPO Award area, where the best products will be presented at the ISPO Award Gathering on Sunday and Monday, the Brandnew Area and numerous brands such as Vaude, Marmot, Exped, Dometic, Nordisk or Berghaus and Primus will exhibit here. In addition, Patagonia is on site with the Repair Truck. To relax, we have the Energy Zone outside and many participatory offers, such as recovery sessions with Blackroll, slackline training with Gibbon as well as the Morning (Trail) Run on Sunday & Monday with test equipment from Joe Nimble.

And of course there will be our legendary OutDoor by ISPO Party outside on Sunday and Monday with vegan & vegetarian BBQ. Be sure to get your ticket!

What would a successful OutDoor by ISPO be for you? A good party can't be everything.

For us, it's about bringing the community together, and the retailers are very important in this. Because in the end they reach the consumers, talk to them and pass on the enthusiasm for outdoor. That's why our main goal is to welcome as many retailers as possible. For them, the party is already included in the price, including BBQ and drinks.

The best way for dealers to get in touch with their exhibitors is to use the Connect-by-ISPO tool tool. This is free of charge for both sides. We need the support of the exhibiting brands to expand the dealer network. At the same time, we launched a mailing campaign and sent 15,000 postcards to dealers throughout Europe.

Free tickets for dealers, but this does not apply to the non-exhibiting industry. How do you feel about ISPO charging 1,999 euros for the ticket?

We have received a lot of understanding and positive feedback for our ticket structure. We really appreciate the enthusiasm for our event and also ask the non-exhibiting industry to do their part to keep the platform alive. Our pricing structure is also designed to protect the exhibitors who are very committed to their presence and to OutDoor by ISPO.

A practical innovation is the color code for ticketing. This makes it possible to see at first glance whether a visitor comes from the trade, the media or another industry sector.

This year there is also a Young Talents program. What is that all about?

Together with the support of VDS / FEDAS, we want to support young talent and offer a very special program for trainees from the retail sector. This includes a free overnight stay in Nordisk Glamping tents at the campsite, special lectures, guided tours and catering from the Outdoor Chef. We then want to extend this program to trainees from the industry at ISPO Munich.

Speaking of the program...

Yes, good point. This year, Circular Economy is the main topic at the Sustainability Hub. For example, how we as an industry can best adapt to and benefit from the regulations that follow from the Green Deal. Of course, we will once again have our Guided Tours of the Sustainability Hub. Also for representatives of the press we also have special guided tours. The best way to prepare is to check out the event program.

In addition to many content-related focal points, we want to offer the opportunity to network in a very relaxed atmosphere, for example with the Joe Nimble Morning Runs on Sunday and Monday.

Sustainability is a topic that should also be important to you as an event organizer. How do you ensure that OutDoor by ISPO is as resource-friendly as possible?

We are in constant exchange with our long-term partner myclimate and implement a number of measures. For example, we offset the emissions generated by the exhibitors. This means that our exhibitors, thanks to the GoGreen CO₂ audit of the Munich trade show, can participate in the event in a climate-neutral way - without incurring extra costs. We use pre-built booths, which are largely made of circular materials, we also do without carpet in the entrance area and in the aisles. The visitors' tickets include a compensation premium worth €5. This money is used to support certified climate protection projects. And: In our restaurants and at the official parties we only offer vegetarian and vegan food.

Thank you Lena and we look forward now of course nooking forward even more to OutDoor by ISPO!