The world’s largest fitness trade show continues on its growth course. We look ahead to this year’s event, which takes place in Cologne, Germany, on 9–12 April

“FIBO – the annual global health and fitness event in Cologne, Germany – is a key event for all serious players in our sector. As the place where decision-makers convene to discuss the latest innovations, trends and unearth new thinking, it’s a valuable experience for operators in the UK and beyond,” said ukactive’s David Stalker recently.

Each year, the key players in the global fitness sector meet at FIBO – a show where everything revolves around innovations, trends and investments; where the future development of the industry is front and centre. The show offers a comprehensive overview of everything the fitness sector has to offer, and a chance for delegates to make valuable business contacts.

At FIBO 2014, 697 exhibitors from 38 nations presented new products. With 115,700 visitors, the event was sold out. Preparations for FIBO 2015 – which takes place in Cologne on 9–12 April – are already in full swing, with evidence that this year’s event will be larger still. Ninety per cent of the exhibition space had already been booked by early January, and the show is due to grow by another 3,000sq m compared to 2014.

Among the exhibitors already confirmed for FIBO 2015 are leading international players such as Johnson Health Tech, Technogym, Life Fitness, MoveToLive, Amer Sports/Precor and gym 80, who will all occupy extensive areas in Halls 6 and 7 of the Cologne Exhibition Centre.

International attendance
FIBO, which in Germany has been the industry’s most important annual meeting place for many decades, is now gaining relevance for international gym operators too. Some 900 visitors from the UK travelled to FIBO last year, and over recent years a quarter of total visitors have hailed from abroad.

Rene Moos, CEO of Healthcity/BasicFit based in the Netherlands, is among them: “FIBO, the global annual fitness event, is marked in my calendar every year. It’s a great way for us to see the latest innovations and it gives me great ideas for our European business.

“In addition, the FIBO pre-event – the European Health & Fitness Forum, the congress kicking off the trade fair – is a not-to-be-missed information and networking opportunity.”

Peter Innemee, CEO of Sportcity/ FitforFree – which operates in the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland – also realises the importance of a global industry meeting place. “FIBO is not only the largest trade show in the world – it’s also the best event for networking and meeting fitness colleagues from around the globe,” he says.

Mike Apple, international VP for Hard Candy Fitness Europe, is also planning a visit to this year’s show: “FIBO is getting bigger and better than ever, so I’ll be back in Cologne in April 2015. Besides, the European Health & Fitness Forum on 8 April is an absolute must-attend event at the start of the trade show.”

Fitness, wellness & health
Once again, the trade show will be subdivided by theme into segments, with three clearly defined pillars structuring the products and services presented to visitors: FIBO Expert, FIBO Passion and FIBO POWER.

FIBO Expert is mainly for professional visitors, who will be able to locate information in a targeted manner depending on their specialist focus.

The FIBO Expert exhibitors will showcase innovations in the fields of training equipment, medical, corporate fitness, wellness and beauty, sports nutrition, interiors, services, group fitness, functional training, and trading. The largest area will once again be occupied by companies offering fitness training equipment, who will be mostly located in Hall 6 and Hall 7.

Focus on health
Hall 7 will again take over the function of central ‘Healthcare Hall’. It will be home to FIBO MED, which targets trade visitors from the healthcare sector – physicians, physiotherapists, hospitals, health insurance providers and health-orientated fitness studios.

Companies such as Ergo-fit, five-Konzept, fle.xx, LMT, Ludwig Artzt, Schnell Trainingsgeräte and proxomed will return in 2015 to show products and services for the healthcare market. Key players in the fitness industry will be joined by first-time healthcare exhibitors at FIBO 2015, and Hall 7 – the Healthcare Hall – is already sold out.

“We’ve done a lot to make this change noticeable at FIBO,” emphasises FIBO director Ralph Scholz. Because FIBO’s enhanced alignment with the health agenda isn’t only important for the healthcare sector – it also points the way to the future for traditional gym operators, as Frank Böhme, owner of Just Fit with roughly 20 health clubs in Germany, explains: “An orientation towards health is becoming more and more important. Exchanging views with my colleagues during the trade fair is a must for me and my second company, BGM mit Interfit.”

Anette Dureck, MD of Oase GmbH Health & Sports Club in Bochum, shares that view: “FIBO MED more clearly positions our sector within the healthcare segment. Since market participants and offerings are becoming more and more differentiated, having a healthcare-orientated focus helps us distinguish ourselves from the competition.”

New: corporate fitness
In 2015, the topic of corporate fitness will be given even more attention at FIBO, with a bespoke section of the trade show taking place in Hall 8.

Corporate fitness is steadily gaining in importance as part of health promotion in the workplace. This section of the show is designed for exhibitors such as company sports clubs, industrial health management consultants, digital health coaches, companies with products and services in the fields of ergonomics, nutrition or training, team building and incentives, health and fitness associations, as well as health insurance providers.

Wellness & beauty
Also in Hall 8, the focus within the wellness and beauty section will be on themes such as tanning, sauna and steam, relaxation, device-based applications and medical wellness, equipment, bodycare products, training and CPD.

FIBO ticket sales
FIBO tickets are on sale now – please visit www.fibo.de/tickets. The number of FIBO tickets sold to private visitors will be limited, but this limit does not apply to trade visitors.