Real winter conditions welcome 22,000 to Outdoor Retailer show

Participants in the Outdoor Retailer All Mountain Demo day at Solitude Mountain Resort had something to celebrate last week — snow. The traditional kickoff to the annual Outdoor Retailer Winter Market, the demonstration event takes attendees to the mountains to show off new products in the conditions in which they will be used. With a snow base of 77 inches, Solitude was the perfect setting for the event this year, unlike some past years when snow conditions weren’t so favorable.

“We’re excited that after five years, winter is finally beginning to arrive,” said Marisa Nicholson, Emerald Expositions vice president and show director for Outdoor Retailer. “We know how critical this is to our retailers, reps and brands and we’re working to make the show as efficient as possible, down to making it only three days. We want the industry to come together, make plans for the future and get back to the business of getting people outside in their communities.”

An estimated 22,000 outdoor brands, specialty retailers, industry representatives and media hit town Jan. 9 for the Winter Market, housed at the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. Local officials estimate that the event generated more than $22 million in direct delegate spending to Salt Lake City and the state of Utah. Total visitor spending figures are based on surveys of convention delegates conducted by the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research (BEBR), according to a release from Visit Salt Lake. Surveys conducted by BEBR over the past five years indicate the average delegate spends $933 while attending the Outdoor Retailer event.

“Salt Lake City has provided such a welcoming environment for the outdoor industry to convene and conduct its business. Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is the premiere opportunity for outdoor brands to preview and launch new product offerings,” said Nicholson. “The community shares our passion for the outdoors and the snow and beautiful mountains serve as the perfect backdrop. We always look forward to our time in Salt Lake.”

“Salt Lake County and the Salt Palace Convention Center are excited to welcome back our longtime friends and partners of the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market,” said Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams as the show opened last week. “Not only does the biannual OR Show highlight the important economic impact of the recreation industry to our county and the entire state of Utah, but the industry it represents has become an important job growth sector by creating and providing jobs throughout the state from the many outdoor recreation-based businesses that now call Salt Lake and Utah home.”

“Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and the thousands of manufacturers, retailers and service providers in the outdoor recreation industry know about the hundreds of millions of dollars our industry contributes to the U.S. economy and the millions of jobs our businesses support,” said OIA executive director Amy Roberts.

The outdoor industry will return to Salt Lake City for its Summer Market July 26-29 with an Open Air Demo event set for July 25.