One month after the OutDoor 2006 European retail trade fair in Friedrichshafen, the first ASIA OUTDOOR will be held in the Chinese city of Nanjing that has a population of seven million. The organisers are promising a further boost for the industry that is already experiencing a period of growth. According to Market Research China, the turnover in the outdoor sector in China increased to $324 million in 2004. The market is currently growing by about 40 percent a year and, by 2010, experts are predicting growth rates of not less than 25 percent. The industry is also benefiting from the political tailwind: all outdoor sports are being encouraged enthusiastically as part of the Chinese government’s health programme.

“For us, ASIA OUTDOOR is an outstanding opportunity to open the door to the Asiatic region for our own exhibitors”, thus explains Rolf Mohne, CEO of Messe Friedrichshafen, his company’s commitment in China. In view of the fact that no comparable trade fair for the industry has ever taken place in countries such as Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam or the eastern part of Russia, the organisers are expecting a huge amount of interest from the entire Asiatic region. In addition, European outdoor manufacturers are also participating in the Chinese boom. More than half of all European outfitters are using the good underlying situation and are having at least one of their products manufactured in China. According to OutDoor project manager, Stefan Reisinger, “ASIA OUTDOOR is the logical consequence in order to implement a trade fair concept that has proven successful in Europe and America in one of the most attractive growth markets of the future”.

The fastest-growing brands in China also include the products of big-name European companies that support the commitment of Messe Friedrichshafen in order be there at the professionally organised start of the ASIA OUTDOOR premiere. For their part, with this support, the Friedrichshafen organisers are creating opportunities to enter into further co-operations in other areas with their Chinese partners.