Fly Fishing Retailer Attendees Invited to Join OR

 

In the letter, Haroutunian invites members of the fly fishing industry to join Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in 2010, as the FlyFishing Retailer Show will no longer take place in its current format. The conclusion that the fly fishing industry cannot sustain a stand-alone event in the current marketplace follows months of discussions with members of the fly fishing industry.

 

As part of its Summer Market event, Outdoor Retailer has offered to provide a new venue and demo experience for FlyFishing Retailer participants, along with an opportunity to grow the fly fishing category into other segments in the outdoor recreation market.

 

The Outdoor Industry Association voted to back the plan in late September, when it issued this release.

 

Letter to the Industry:

 

First I want to thank you, the fly fishing industry for your support and participation with the FlyFishing Retailer World Trade Expo. During the past 11 years, this show has attracted almost every major stakeholder in the fly fishing industry from all 50 states and more than 50 countries worldwide.

 

Even in this challenging global economy, the positive energy that emanated from the show floor in 2009 is proof that even as the fly fishing business landscape shifts, the brands, shops and advocates of fly fishing see a good future when prosperity returns to the economy and the market.

 

'Outdoor Lifestyle' Research indicates that active participants in specialty outdoor activities, and fly fishing in particular, crossover to several outdoor 'lifestyle' experiences. As consumers change how they play in the outdoors, businesses are changing their distribution and inventory strategies to both keep pace and stay ahead of this changing consumer behavior. As a result, FlyFishing Retailer is also changing.

 

From our 30 years of experience producing scores of specialty-sports tradeshows including 11 years producing FlyFishing Retailer, it is clear that the fly fishing marketplace will be better served now and in the future by expanding its reach to include the overall outdoor specialty marketplace. We are convinced that the best opportunity to grow as a market, and build on the core strength inherent in the fly fishing market, is to be connected to a larger collection of relevant businesses at Outdoor Retailer.

 

Therefore, the entire fly fishing industry is invited to join Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Trade Show in 2010 as the FlyFishing Retailer Trade Expo will no longer be held in Denver A Winning Opportunity More than 25 percent of FlyFishing Retailer companies already exhibit at Outdoor Retailer, and those that haven't are now invited to participate in the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2010 Trade Show.

 

For more than 27 years Outdoor Retailer has provided a specialty wholesale watersports culture that thrives on a national and international level. At OR, consistently more than 20,000 professional participants advance the sales process not only in their own category but across multiple lifestyle segments within the overall specialty outdoor market.

 

 

More than 1,200 specialty retailers have consistently attended this demo day each year to test canoes, kayaks, paddles, PFD's, waders, rods and reels and other specialty equipment and apparel intended for use in the outdoors. We invite the entire fly fishing industry to join this widely popular retail demo day next summer. Outdoor Retailer Summer Market takes place August 3-6, 2010 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, preceded by our Open Air Demo August 2 at the Jordanelle Reservoir, Utah. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact me directly.

 

Sincerely,