EVENTS ROUNDUP
Events Roundup With numerous exhibitions having been affected by the Coronavirus pandemic in the last two years, and with a small degree of uncertainty still hanging over both the events industry and international travel, in this issue we take a closer look at what’s on and where over the coming months both in the UK and further afield By Jon Wadeson
T
he COVID-19 pandemic badly affected a number of businesses around the world and none more so than those operating within the exhibitions and events sectors. With light finally appearing at the end of the pandemic tunnel at the start of 2022, firm plans are in place for many postponed events to finally go ahead. Of course, there is still some uncertainty surrounding what is a constantly evolving situation surrounding COVID, but most organisers and venues are now looking forward to the long-awaited resumption of ‘business as usual’ for their particular event. In this issue, we round up some of the key events that have relevance for the wet leisure industry taking place both here in the UK and further afield over the coming months.
AUSTRALIA’S SPLASH! SHOW RETURNS WITH A BUSY SCHEDULE With day-to-day normality finally returning to Australia, the SPLASH! Pool & Spa Trade Show will take place from Wednesday 22 to Thursday 23 June at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event is the largest pool and spa trade show in the southern hemisphere, attracting over 2,000 visitors from more than 27 countries and close to 200 exhibitors under one roof. SPLASH! has secured more than 5,000 square metres of exhibition space and as
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always, a number of well-known brands will be in attendance, showcasing their latest products, innovations and services. Despite the exhibition itself running over just two days, the event provides visitors with the opportunity to attend additional days of conferences and training, network with industry peers at the National Awards, and see the best of the best within the industry. The Australian Swim Schools Association are running their annual Conference in conjunction with the show. Run across three days and featuring 19 sessions and six networking events, this year’s Conference has pulled out all the stops. The multi-day event will be jam-packed with speakers to inspire and expand the knowledge of attendees. There’s also a brand new Golf Day, a Swim School tour, Australian Swim Schools National Awards of Excellence dinner, iClassPro Customer Workshop & Social Event, as well as the annual Vorgee Welcome Drinks. For those working in the commercial sector, a pool technician day is scheduled. The Commercial Pool Technician Program (CPT) delivers the required Aquatic Industry Qualifications to compliantly manage public and commercial swimming pool and spas in Australia. CPT is a new training programme that contains nationally accredited units of competency to ensure that participants are provided with up-to-date skills and knowledge and standards to manage public and commercial pool operations.
IAKS will also be hosting an event at SPLASH! It will address important issues around commercial aquatic operations and design. Speakers will be drawn from key sectors of the industry to address staffing, safety, and sustainability.
INTERBAD GATHERS MOMENTUM WITH NEW TOPICS AND PARTNERS interbad will be the meeting point for the swimming pool, sauna and spa industry for the 29th time from 25 to 28 October 2022. Together with the German Association for the Recreational and Medicinal Bath Industry, Messe Stuttgart will offer the industry an ideal platform with a combination of a trade fair, a Congress and an attractive accompanying programme. “After the forced break due to the corona pandemic, we all are really eager to meet one another at the next interbad in Stuttgart,” said Christian Mankel, Managing Director of the German Association for the Recreational and Medicinal Bath Industry. He added: “There’s a lot going on at present in the swimming pool and wellness industry. The potential in the areas of digitalisation, energy efficiency and climate protection, that was shown during the Innovation Days in the previous year, has developed very quickly and will also form the focal points of our Congress this year. The industry’s propensity to invest and the demand for technical discussions, networking, the live experience of technical developments and innovations for swimming pools, saunas and wellness are extremely high.” “interbad is a success story which keeps abreast of the times with its topics and will also provide this year future-oriented momentum for the forthcoming challenges,” said Claudia Döttinger, Vice President of Messe Stuttgart. The Project Team is currently starting to allocate floor space in the halls and search for topics for inclusion in the first-class accompanying programme of interbad. Another integral part of interbad is the Congress for Pool and Bath Technology, which will again be held in the ICS International Congress Center Stuttgart. The International Sauna Association (ISA) will welcome its members to the Congress for the first time during interbad too.
www.swimmingpoolnews.co.uk 13/06/2022 08:53