Surf Expo January 2013 Highlights A Thriving, Vibrant Industry

More than 26,000 buyers, exhibitors, and media took to the halls of Surf Expo January 10-12 in what was the largest show in the tradeshow's 37 year history. More than 2,500 brands were represented in 250,000 net square feet of exhibit space and buyers from 47 states and 49 countries not only found industry mainstays but also more than 217 brands new to the show.

"The show as a whole was wonderful and we bought up a storm that should make many vendors happy," says Beverley Gill of Island Beach Gear in New Jersey. According to Brooke Brockner, buyer at Ocean Key Resort in Florida, "Surf Expo was great. I found a lot of vendors that I was looking for and new ones I was not."

Exhibitor response was equally strong. "Once again, we had a successful show," says Holly Anderson, Senior Sales Manager of NHS. "We met with at least 75 customers and collected more than 30 new leads. The bosses really liked all the orders we got too." Lisa Shinham at Wave Zone Skimboards wrote to tell us: "Surf Expo remains, hands down, the best investment of our advertising money every year." Jason Freise, senior promotions and events coordinator at OluKai, reports that the January Surf Expo was among the busiest for the OluKai brand to date: "Congrats on a great show!"

"We are thrilled by the feedback we've received from the show," says Show Director Roy Turner. "The market was vibrant, optimistic and ready to stock their shelves for 2013."

Cumulative buyer traffic topped 12,500, an increase of 23% compared to the January 2012 show. "Buyers from more than 3,300 different retail businesses found the largest Surf Expo in history, and definitely had reason to stay more days," says Senior Buyer Relations Manager Steven Fisher.

Companies were ready for the crush: exhibitor attendance spiked 35 percent to nearly 7,300 compared to last year. Media attendance was also sharply up, also showing gains of 35 percent.

"The increase in traffic Surf Expo enjoyed at our January show -- whether you're talking about buyers, exhibitors or media -- says volumes about the trust the industry places in Surf Expo to deliver the best buyers, best exhibitors, and the best shopping experience," says Turner.

A variety of onfloor special features help buyers indentify new trends and celebrate the boardsports and beach lifestyles. According to Turner: "The Team Pain skatepark was packed, the sixth annual Florida Shape Off honoring David 'Davo' Dedrick was a huge hit with Scott Busbey taking top honors, new styles were on the catwalk of our fashion show stage throughout the day, and we were honored to feature the Surfing Florida Photographic History exhibit."

Buyers also had the opportunity to attend a variety of onfloor seminars. "The retailer seminars were superb!" says Nancy Bordine of Beachnut Surf Shop in Frankfort, Michigan. "We learned so much about e-marketing, pricing strategies, and continue to learn so much about buying and planning. Thanks!" Log on to surfexpo.com for more information. For lots more about the January show, check out our Facebook Page. The next Surf Expo will be held September 6-8, 2013 back in Orlando Florida and will feature a first-ever consumer component with the co-location of The Boardroom.