Staged for the first time in Beijing, closer to the mountains than its previous venue in Shanghai, the ISPO China trade show last week registered a total of 12,059 visitors, up from 11,098 at the former location one year ago. The business atmosphere was effervescent during the first two days of the fair, but it calmed down somewhat in the following two days.
Many of the 300 exhibitors – a similar number as in 2006 – were very satisfied with the quality and the quantity of the visitors. As usual, ISPO China went out of its way to attract qualified buyers to the show. It made contact with over 1,000 retailers during a roadshow through 12 cities in the Northeastern part of the country, and it invited buyers from 25 important department stores in China to attend the fair, introducing them directly to the exhibitors.

The Italian and Spanish sporting goods industry associations had collective exhibitions at the fair. Numerous events, including conferences, fashion shows and award winning ceremonies, punctuated the exhibition.

The next ISPO China will be held again in Beijing on March 12-15, 2008, a few months before the Olympic Games in the Chinese capital, but it will take place in the same rather old facility, dating back to Communist times, as Beijing’s new fairgrounds will only be ready in April 2008.

Messe München, sole organizer of ISPO China, signed a special agreement with the Beijing Sports Bureau during the latest event. While numerous Chinese and foreign outdoor brands showed at the fair in Beijing, a summer edition of ISPO China in Shanghai or elsewhere in the country is not expected until next year.