ORLANDO, Florida — Surf Showthe world’s largest and longest-running watersports, beach and resort trade show, has seen strong growth for its January 2023 show. Held January 4-6 at Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, the Emerald-The company-produced show was larger than its September edition, with a 21% increase in attendance over the previous year and welcoming more than 8,500 industry professionals.
The last show brought together more than 4,100 qualified buyers from the United States and more than 750 brands.
“It’s exciting to see retail buyers return to Surf Expo,” said Roy Turner, Senior Vice President and Show Director, Surf Expo. “Even though the show dates fall in the first week of the new year, boardsports and coastal retailers came to Orlando from all over the United States and more than 60 countries. They came to do business and the energy level on the ground was incredible.”
The surf section was larger than at the September show, with 27 new exhibitors. Many brands were participating in their first show, including old and newcomers. Rivvia Projectsand surfboard manufacturer Misfit Shapes M/SF/T.
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“In addition to our growing buyer base, we also welcomed over 100 new exhibiting brands to the show floor. We look forward to continued growth as we approach our September 2023 event,” said Turner.
“As independents, we like to think of ourselves as pioneers and the heart of the retail landscape,” said Jim Archibald, owner of Archie’s Surf Shop in Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada. “Having these niche brands gives us real leverage to compete in this evolving market. We hope that these new small and mid-sized companies will be the big brands of tomorrow. This show is a great way to give them a better chance to showcase their products.”
Other retailers appreciated the opportunity to meet face-to-face with brand executives, with some reporting meeting with more than 100 retailers over the course of the show’s two and a half days. “We had a really productive show,” said Timothy McKevlin, owner of McKevlin’s Surf Shop in Folly Beach, South Carolina. “It’s always helpful to meet with brands in person, especially since it’s been a challenge over the last two and a half years.”
Surf Expo hosted free professional training workshops and several fashion shows in addition to the busy exhibit space. “As a new brand in its third year, this was our busiest show since I-SEA launched,” said Don Dyer, VP of Sales for I-SEA. “We had tons of retailers show up to close deals. We saw over 130 retailers in two and a half days. This was the best show I’ve seen in the last eight years.”
Surf Expo will return to the Orange County Convention Center September 7-9, 2023.
Contact Roy Turner at roy.turner@surfexpo.com