After the mandatory break of several months the re-start of operations with the two leisure trade fairs CARAVAN SALON and TourNatur was a resounding success. The two events kicked off simultaneously on 4 September at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre, where the current Corona hygiene and protection measures were of course put into practice for both visitors and exhibitors. While CARAVAN SALON will still be running until 13 September 2020, the concurrent event TourNatur can already rejoice at a successful outcome.
Delighting at the results Director Stefan Koschke said: “It is great to see that in just the first three days we already managed to attract 42,000 enthusiastic people to our two trade fairs here in Düsseldorf. Both caravanning as a form of holiday-making and leisure activities such as hiking, trekking and climbing continue to be a “hot ticket” trendwise. There is no other place to find such versatile ranges for these respective holiday types. We are happy that we managed to stage such a successful kick-off with such high spirits in the exhibition halls after the long period without trade fairs.”
Hiking, trekking and outdoor enthusiasts voiced a high level of satisfaction with this year’s TourNatur and its professional implementation. Visitors’ increased interest in the unique natural landscapes and hiking options in all of Germany’s regions and beyond was perfectly catered to by the numerous tourism providers and their informative ranges. The regions presented included the Salzburger Land, the Uckermark area, the Northern Eifel region, the “Panorama-Weg Südalpen” (panorama trail in the Southern Alps), the Zillertal region in Austria or Kinzigtal in the Black Forest as well as Greece, Mallorca and Norhcyprus, to name but a few destinations. Likewise, tour operators like “Wigwam Naturreisen” or “Siabella” were available for hiking enthusiasts with advice and support at TourNatur.
Expressing her satisfaction with the results of the trade fair, Ute Dicks, Managing Director of the German Hiking Association, said: “TourNatur has proven that life goes on despite the Corona pandemic. The trade fair came precisely at the right point in time. Hiking has been booming in Germany during the Corona pandemic. Many people have now discovered this leisure activity in nature and are determined to also do more hiking over the coming years. Information is in great demand. We felt this at our stand. Interest in the “Deutsches Wanderabzeichen” (German Hiking Badge) obtained pursuant to special Corona rules and the high-quality destinations offered by our quality initiative “Wanderbares Deutschland” (Hikable Germany) was very high. People are looking for trails and regions for their next trip right on their doorsteps or for hiking holidays away from the hotspots. Here TourNatur had all the answers. I would like to thank all the people who have very responsibly contributed to the successful outcome of the trade fair.”
It’s all in the Mix: Active Outdoor Fans get their Money’s Worth
Be it hiking, trekking, climbing, mountain-biking or canoeing, in Hall 14 nature lovers of all ages were invited to seek inspirations and the matching gear for their next trip browsing some 100 tour operators, manufacturers, dealers and destinations from around the globe.
“Despite Corona-induced adversities TourNatur has again proven that it is a key meeting point for sports and outdoor enthusiasts of all generations. Manufacturers especially appreciate how the trade fair allows them to enter into direct dialogue with customers and consumers about their products, trends and sustainability themes. During the pandemic people have felt particularly attracted to nature for sports and exercising, so the leisure activities displayed at TourNatur such as camping, trekking and hiking have markedly increased in popularity yet again,“ says Thomas Schmid, Managing Director at “Bundesverband der Deutschen Sportartikel-Industrie e.V. (BSI)” (Federal Association of German Sports Article Manufacturers).
To conclude TourNatur and for the remaining event days of the CARAVAN SALON 2020 Messe Düsseldorf sends out a clear signal to the entire trade fair community: with the right concepts trade fairs can be held again in future.
And Jarle Sänger of the editorial team at “Wandermagazin” also gave an upbeat verdict. “TourNatur 2020 has proven a success even under these extremely adverse conditions. The “Wandermagazin” team are delighted that Messe Düsseldorf has sent a clear signal for a re-start of trade fairs and exhibitions all over Germany after the lockdown by holding TourNatur and CARAVAN SALON.”
TourNatur will again invite its fans to Düsseldorf from 3 to 5 September 2021.
