Industry: OIA Conference
Outdoor industry to ‘Never Walk Alone’?
Alex Fordham visited the Outdoor Industries Association’s second annual conference to find out the future prospects for the outdoor industry
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packed house including over 100 delegates from throughout the sector attended the event titled: ‘New Horizons- the changing face of the Outdoor Industry. As the title suggests, change was at the forefront of the agenda with both internal change for the OIA and external change for the industry a high priority. In a picturesque location overlooking the Yorkshire Dales in Malham, no venue could be more fitting for the UK’s leading outdoor guru’s to come together to discuss the most pressing matters affecting the industry. At the heart of the agenda was the emphasis on how the outdoor industry in the UK needs to ‘engage, unite and represent’ the outdoor trade. With the UK reportedly having the 4th largest ‘Outdoor’ market in the world, there is huge potential for the industry. Throughout the conference, the notion of togetherness was frequently identified as being essential if the outdoor industry in the UK was to have any sort of impact on issues such as national government
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policy and the UK retail trade. It appears the pleas for camaraderie from the OIA has been well received with over 60 members attending the AGM. If comparing these numbers to previous years, when as little as 12 people have attended. It seems the industry is beginning to follow the OIA’s leadership lead.
During an excellent, engaging speech from OIA Chief Executive Andrew Denton, the industry was galvanised with the unveiling of the OIA’s exciting new post London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games initiative, ‘Britain on Foot’. Although in its very early stages, Denton had delegates and members at his mercy when outlining the new proposal and talk in the bar after was of great optimism that the new scheme could create some real influence for the OIA and create a greater engagement for the industry as a whole.
The initiative, quirkily punned as ‘Everyone’s walking about it’, is designed as a call to action for the outdoor industry and to encourage the population to get fitter and enjoy the great British
OIA aim- “To responsibly and sustainably build participation in the outdoors in the UK for everyone”
outdoors. With an exciting year of sport ahead with events such as the Olympics and Euro 2012, it is hoped a legacy of sport and activity will be left for which the outdoor industry can capitalise on. With this in mind, 2013 will see the launch of ‘Britain on Foot’.
Although in its very early stages, the scheme appears to be gathering swift momentum. Recently, Andrew Denton, along with Dave Turnball of the BMC, met with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mountaineering, with a view to implementing the scheme. This led to an exchange in the House of Commons. With support looking likely from the Government, NHS, BUPA, Ramblers and Ramblers Scotland amongst others, it is hoped ‘Britain on Foot’ can become a reality.
As well as ‘New Horizons’ externally, the OIA has sought to make significant changes internally with plans to relocate its head office to Windermere in the Lake District. It is no secret that the OIA has had some financial difficulty in the past few years and it is hoped the move will
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