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SPN AUG 2010 ShowPreview
INTERBAD – STUTTGART, GERMANY
Interbad 2010 N
o European trade show will be able to survive over the next five years unless it can get its message of wellbeing and improved health over to visitors.
The swimming pool and wet leisure industry is
about health and not enough is being done to sell the concept through the specialist trades and on to the consumer. That’s the background to the build up to
Interbad 2010, which is taking place for the 22nd time from 13 to 16 October at the Stuttgart Trade Fair Centre. Uwe Pederson, architect, designer and adviser
to many of Germany’s top swimming pool builders said: “The market for swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs is not suddenly going to improve after three tough years. All over Europe things will continue to be tough. If there is to be better trade conditions for this industry it must be on the back of proving to the consumer that our industry is not about style and perception – it is all about improving health. Interbad does that better than any other show in the world and I think that is why it is able to lead the way. “I think trade shows throughout Europe have to
grasp this message and not be introspective and looking at shifting the same business around between different suppliers. The only way to grow the business is find a better marketing solution. There is an opportunity to change perception over the next five years when health will continue to be such an important issue for the public. If trade shows don’t grasp this message I think there will be trouble ahead.” Interbad has set out its store to stress the health
benefits of swimming and sees convincing the public of the health aspects of pools, hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms as a key strategy. Much of its consumer profile is aimed at telling the European market about health benefiting activities.
Registrations for the 2010 event are at record levels and another positive sign is the growing size of the trade fair stands being reserved. Low business morale has not left its mark at Interbad with many leading companies in the swimming pool, sauna and spa sectors using the bulk of their marketing budgets for the Stuttgart event. One reason for the success of Interbad, which
first took place in 1968, has been its consistency in promoting to an external audience – seeing that exhibitors need finally to get their message through to the consumer. Dr Christian Ochsenbauer, Managing Director of the German Association for the Recreational and Medicinal Bath Industry, Essen said the need for public swimming pools to focus on health trend was vital. Swimming pools have the unique opportunity
to establish themselves as “health-oriented places of learning in a knowledge-based society”, despite the significant level of competition already in the leisure sector. Modern swimming pools have come a long
way since the tiled establishments of yesterday. A central theme addressed during the
Stuttgart show “Bathing in Light” will be the growing awareness that swimming pools and thermal baths should no longer be designed as simply tiled swimming pools but promoted as places where guests can wind down and take time out from the hectic pace of everyday. Planners are boldly using colour, light and
deliberate darkness to achieve this. Nik Schweiger is showing how innovative
lighting concepts and new lamps can provide a relaxed atmosphere. On almost 170 square metres of space, there will be examples of successful lighting designs from existing swimming pool complexes and thermal baths on
Health benefits message has to be ‘driven home’ to consumers It’s a strategy which seems to work.
display, as well as plenty of new innovative ideas. The planning of the stand areas is already well
under way and over 320 exhibitors from 21 countries have secured their stands. This means the organisers, who are expecting over 400 exhibiting companies to attend, have so far matched the high level of the previous Interbad at the same stage of planning. An important factor for the success of this international event is the top-class and wide-ranging programme of events which ideally complement the exhibition itself and address the industry trends of today. “Interior design and the inclusion of light have
always played an important role in the planning of swimming pools and thermal baths,” says Dr Klaus Batz, Managing Director of EWA. “The importance of light as a design factor and for creating a relaxing atmosphere has become increasingly popular in previous years, proven by internationally renowned architects.” For the fourth time already, EWA and Messe
Stuttgart will be highlighting the new and innovative swimming pool services. Light was deliberately used as a design feature
in swimming pools and public baths centuries ago. In the 21st century too, swimming pools and thermal baths promote relaxation and recuperation – and light is still a popular design feature used to achieve this. Architects and interior designers have recognised that guests are increasingly looking for their swimming pool complexes to be places of relaxation. To ensure these expectations are met, designers are turning more and more to the “intangible construction material” light and are using sunlight or artificial lighting to create an inviting atmosphere. In 2008 455 exhibitors attended the fair and
Interbad managed to buck the trend of trade shows by increasing its visitor attendance – to 16,472 visitors – up 8.5% on 2006. spn
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