Hikers go more environmental

The leading trade show in the outdoor equipment industry, estimated to be worth €14.1 billion in Europe, opens in Germany where hikers spend 3.7 billion a year on jackets, day packs and boots.

OutDoor, the leading global trade show in the field of outdoor sports, is open to industry professionals July 15-18 in Friedrichshafen, Germany. A prominent theme of this year's show will be environmental sustainability in the industry.

Approximately 19,300 specialist visitors from 72 countries are expected to attend; exhibitors include outdoor specialists Advansa, Craft, Contigo and Eagle Creek amongst others. A wide range of existing and newly developed products will be on show, and conferences on outdoor sports will also be held both in English and German throughout the duration of the event.

The ‘OutDoor Celebrity of the Year' award will be presented on the first day of the show, to a celebrity judged to have made an outstanding contribution to the outdoor industry; previous winners include Bartmann and Thomas Lipke, CEOs of travel company Globetrotter.

A study by the German Hiking Association in May 2010, found that 56 percent of the 7,500 respondents, proportionally 39.8 million Germans, rated themselves as active hikers. The nearly 40 million German outdoor enthusiasts are estimated to spend €3.7 billion per year on hiking equipment alone.  The study also found that jackets were the most popular purchase amongst German hikers, followed by day packs and hiking boots.

Reuters reported on April 9 that the European outdoor equipment market grew at a rate of 1 percent, to €14.1 billion, outperforming the sports market. Consumer trend specialists Retail Planet claim this growth is due to an increasing percentage of Europe's aging population pursuing healthier lifestyles, and the recent economic recession forcing people to choose domestic camping and walking holidays over foreign luxury vacations.

OutDoor tickets for industry professionals are available to buy online at www.outdoor-show.com.