Outdoor industry consultant Mark Held has said too many companies are sending visitors to industry shows without taking stands themselves or sponsoring any activities.

He argued that exhibitions, including Outdoor by ISPO and ISPO Munich may struggle to survive if the organisers cannot convince more brands to reserve exhibition space. He said these events “will fail if more [brands] don’t properly back them”.

Mr Held, a former president of the European Outdoor Group, said industry events in the US were now no longer “the vital focal points” for the outdoor market in North America and globally that they once were. He insisted European events “could suffer the same fate” unless more brands fund them.

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