SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA (BRAIN)—Less than two weeks from the Winter Market show, Outdoor Retailer reports that buyer registration and store representation for its 2010 Winter Market is higher this year than it was at the same time for its 2009 Winter Market.
This year's Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, January 21-24, will also host many returning exhibitors and nearly 170 new exhibitors.
New exhibitors include Venture Snowboards, Trespass, Toes On The Nose, XTERRA Footwear, Hoka, Bausch & Lomb, Ando and Friends, Cushe, Nirve, Ocean Minded and Twist, in addition to new partnerships with Bluesign Technologies, Protect Our Winters, 1% For The Planet and Transworld Business. Columbia Sportswear, Montrail Corporation, Skechers and Wolverine (brands that were not represented at Winter Market 2009) are all returning to the show floor in 2010.
"The outdoor industry is coming off a vastly improved holiday season, leaving retailers and vendors feeling more optimistic about the business opportunities that 2010 holds," said Kenji Haroutunian, Outdoor Retailer show director. "This new energy, coupled with a stellar presence of key brands on both sides of the aisle, will fuel a vibrant, innovative marketplace that will create endless opportunities for businesses to launch, differentiate, network and partner like never before."
In addition to strong participation from the industry, Outdoor Retailer is bringing new programs and revamped planning features, introduced at 2009 Summer Market, specifically designed to help attendees find new products and new suppliers/manufacturers. These new features are focused at responding to key findings from the Outdoor Retailer 2009 Retailer Survey.
The new programs and revamped planning features include the online Product Showcase, New Exhibitor Listing Page, New Exhibitor Dossier, along with a more targeted location for the majority of new exhibitors.
Accessible from the home page of outdoorretailer.com, the online Product Showcase highlights new gear, footwear, components, apparel, accessories and related products with a picture, description, contact info, booth location and link to the exhibiting company's Web site. While not a complete representation of the new products being launched at the show, the online Product Showcase gives attendees a feel for some of the industry's most innovative products and technologies.
While planning must-sees, appointments and other Winter Market show activities, attendees can now search out new brands using the New Exhibitor Listing Page. This source is in addition to the searchable exhibitor listing that is available on the Outdoor Retailer Web site. Attendees can access this source page by clicking on the New Exhibitors button on the homepage of outdoorretailer.com.
The New Exhibitor Dossier, a compilation of company names, booth numbers and 50-word descriptions for each of the new exhibiting companies, will introduce attendees to the show's newest brands and companies. The New Exhibitor Dossier will be available on the New Exhibitor Listing Page and with the show addendum, onsite near show entrances.
Attendees will also easily navigate many of the nearly 170 new exhibitor booths that have been conveniently grouped in the Salt Palace Convention Center Grand Ballroom, which divides the east and south entrances to the show. Show signage along with the Ballroom (BR) abbreviation in the exhibitor listing and floor map will give attendees a clear indication of where the majority of new brands are exhibiting.
