Final Report

Despite the difficult general economic environment, the trade fair reflected the steadily improving mood in the sector.

• Around 30,000 specialist visitors take the chance to collect advance information and market orientation

• Almost the entire European sales volume represented at trade fair

• Early date of the event leads to an improvement in quality for visitors

• Conclusion of concrete business as one of visitors' aims receives above-average positive evaluation

• Very favorable assessment of new inline_ispo in addition to running_ispo, board_ispo and beachwear_ispo

• Excellent assessment for supporting program

This year, the ispo summer went to the starting line with a new date.

From Sunday 29th June to Tuesday 1st July 2003 1,210 exhibitors (the original number of 1,185 exhibitors increased due to late registrations) from 44 countries displayed new products and further developments in the international sports equipment and sports fashion sectors in the grounds of the Neue Messe München, for the first time in advance of the national and international time limits for presentation.

During the course of the trade fair, around 30,000 visitors were registered at the New Munich Trade Fair Center (2002: 34,985). With a figure of ca. 17,000, the proportion of specialist visitors from abroad was once more over the 50% mark (2002: 54%). The volume of visitors was slightly smaller than in the previous year; on the one hand, this could be attributed to the continuing process of concentration in specialist retailing but also to the general economic situation and the associated reduction in traveling within retail and industrial sectors.

Within this context, the shorter duration of the trade fair - reduced from four to three days - must be taken into account, whereby the daily average of 8.700 visitors in the previous year rose this year to around 10,000. The international key account programs run jointly by the organizers and manufacturers were one of several factors to contribute to a higher qualified and interested public.

Manfred Wutzlhofer, Chairman of the Management of the Messe München GmbH: "The presence of international key accounts and buyers contributed greatly to both a higher qualified and interested public and an increase in contacts between industry and trade. Almost the entire sales volume and decision-making competence were present in Munich. On this basis, the signs for the future point once more towards growth."

The presence of a higher qualified and interested public is reflected in the statements made by participants of the trade fair.

Werner Haizmann, President of the VDS, Verband Deutscher Sportfachhandel (association of German sport specialist suppliers) and the FEDAS, Europäische Vereinigung der Sporthändlerverbände (European federation of sport retailers' associations): "The date chosen for the trade fair was ideal. One of the advantages is that for the first time the ordering in the running sector begins after the ispo. The entire major decision-makers in the German and European specialist retailers were present at the trade fair and worked with maximum concentration. The ispo continues to be the biggest trade fair of its kind in the entire world."

Herbert Horeld, Country Manager, Haglöfs:
"The ispo has gone even better than expected. We are very satisfied and received extremely positive feedback for our appearance. The quality of our contact with customers is very high and we were able to consolidate all major contacts."

Georg Seidl, W.L. Gore:
"The ispo has gone exceptionally well: all our customers visited our stand." Wolfgang Fischle, Regional Manager for Germany and Austria, Columbia: "There was intensely busy activity during the ispo. The quality of the contacts was very high, all major clients were present and no appointments were cancelled. At the ispo it is possible to work in a highly professional atmosphere."

Corinne Babuel Peyrissac, Communication Department Press & P.R., Lotto Sport:
"The quality of the contacts was very good. We have had a big number of new contacts and could also consolidate existing contacts - specialized retailers but also all key accounts were there."

Samuel J. Spears, Division Director Sport and Senior Vice President, Ecco:
"It's an excellent atmosphere. We have been very busy. This is our third ispo and we confirm to get stronger and stronger. It is a tremendous opportunity for a company."

Michael Kahl, PR Manager, Billabong Germany:
"We were able to welcome numerous new clients at our stand and therefore tap into new customer fields. The ispo is a great opportunity for us to acquire new customers."

The bringing forward of the trade fair date allowed international market leaders who had not participated in the exhibition for a number of years to return to the ispo. They were highly satisfied with the progress of the trade fair.

Hans-Hermann Deters, Vice President and Manager for Central Europe, Reebok:
"We are completely happy with all aspects of the trade fair. Both the volume of visitors to our stand and the quality of our contacts exceeded our expectations. Thanks to the early date of the trade fair, our customers were able to become familiar with Reebok's complete range in the run-up to the order presentation. That was also our intention - namely to utilize the ispo as a communications platform with an open stand and also our complete collection."

Mika Froesch, Head of Marketing New Balance:
"We are completely satisfied with the trade fair. Our participation was extremely successful: all major customers were present."

Killick Datta, Chairman and CEO Pony:
"The atmosphere is excellent. I love it. ispo is the biggest global trade fair in the world. We had here all the major buyers."

Participants and visitors at the ispo summer 03 primarily used the event for acquiring advance information and for communication. According to a survey conducted by the opinion research institute NFO Infratest IPS, the chief considerations for visitors at the ispo summer 03 were a general orientation within the market, the search for new innovations, the initiation of new business contacts and the preparatory stages of buying contracts. What was particularly striking was the greatly increased intention to conclude concrete contracts. The attainment of this object received above-average positive evaluation.

Mike Morford, President of the American Internet trader altrec.com:
"For me, ispo has been extremely useful for research regarding new business opportunities, both at home in the US as well as potentially overseas. I loved the diverse characters of the show."

John Mead, President of the American specialist retailer chain Adventure 16:
"Attending ispo was a wonderful way to explore new opportunities. Seeing new companies with different design and marketing practices always stretches the imagination."

Amy Leighton, Manager Outerwear, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), one of the largest American outdoors chains:
"At ispo I always get the best ideas and information about trends and innovation. I love the international atmosphere of the show, and I love Munich as a destination."

Pete Gilmore, Senior Vice President and Group Buying Director, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS):
"ispo has long been an important event for us. We always get a lot of good ideas here. Attending ispo is definitely part of our research and buying strategy."

Specialist retailers and manufacturers at the ispo summer 03 were able to initiate joint plans for the summer season 2004 and also hold preliminary meetings on ordering activity and production levels, therefore providing an optimum basis for effective business activity.

Oliver Brüggen, Head of PR Area Central, adidas-Salomon AG:
"The atmosphere at ispo was characterized by favorable business in the sector. Our product innovations were met with great interest and this has created a positive basis for the coming ordering phase. The earlier date for the trade fair has proved to be a success."

Günther Herrmann, Sales Manager Nike Visions:
"Many retailers come here to place their orders. Visitors were extremely competent and interested and retailers had precise concepts of the range of goods and targeted goals which enabled a professional and focused planning."

The NFO Infratest IPS survey also showed that 90% of visitors were satisfied with how the ispo summer 03 had gone. The new special community inline_ispo received initial verdicts ranging from excellent to good from 83% of specialized retailers, followed by the running_ispo, the board_ispo and the beachwear_ispo which were all able to meet high expectations.

The ispo summer 03's accompanying program also received top marks. The 2nd VOLVO Sports Design FORUM took place on Saturday 28th June 2003, one day prior to the opening day of the ispo. More than 300 participants discussed the topic "New Materials and Technologies - The Influence in Performance, Look and Feel as well as the Advantages for the User" with top-class experts from the areas of sport, sport industry, industrial design and scientific fields in the ICM. 94% of specialist visitors to the ispo summer 03 assessed this event positively. Fashion shows, the start-up competition "ispo DuPont BrandNew" and seminars and workshops also received above-average assessments from specialist visitors. The ispo Trainee Project with over 230 participants was also once again very popular. Trainees from German specialist sport retailers were brought to the ispo by shuttle bus from 23 towns and cities and given detailed insights into international sports equipment and sport fashion sectors.

The NFO Infratest IPS survey reflected cautious optimism in view of the general economic environment: 49% of specialist visitors expect an improvement in the future situation in the sector; two years ago this figure stood at 37%. 34% (2001: 44%) expect the situation to remain unchanged and only 10% (2001: 14%) expect a deterioration within the sector.

Oliver Brüggen also confirms this impression:
"The retail trade is searching for innovative new products to give its customers new incentives for buying. Specialist retailers see the coming season in a fairly positive light." Jörn Schreiber, Marketing Manager of the sports shoe suppliers Galaz-Globe gets to the heart of the matter when asked the question what impulses he is taking from the ispo summer 03: "Courage for business." And Alfons Meindl, Managing Partner for the Firma Meindl, has found a really simple formula for the success of his brand: "Quality, quality, quality."

The ispo winter 04 is being held from Sunday 1st to Wednesday 4th February 2004 at the Neue Messe München.