August 19, 2021
Dear Industry Colleague:
I hope you are enjoying these last few weeks of summer.
Last week, I attended Outdoor Retailer Summer. It was great to see people in person again. For the first time at this show, SIA conducted a number of educational presentations, including one called “The Boom is Just The Beginning,” a discussion about how COVID has given the outdoor industry a gift of new enthusiasts looking to get more involved in our community. This topic could not be more timely as we think about the coming season.
Within the winter outdoors, all we have to do is look back at last season to help frame up the opportunity in front of us. SIA’s latest consumer study “The Impacts of COVID-19 on Snowsports Consumers” shows that a large percentage of winter enthusiasts not only engaged in new winter sports last season, but also reported that they participated more times than in the previous season. And NSAA’s “Kottke End of Season and Demographic Report 2020/2021” showed that a noticeable number of lapsed skiers and snowboarders were participating again. All of this activity helped to make last season the 5th busiest season on record for ski resort visits (Kottke).
We need to continue to build on this excitement for winter and welcome more people to the winter outdoors. In effort to help channel this appetite for winter sports, SIA is launching Snowbound Festivals this November in Boston and Denver. The Snowbound Festivals are premium, multi-sensory, immersive and inclusive experiences that serve as the official kick-off for winter and an opportunity to bring the entire industry and winter outdoor community together to celebrate our collective excitement about the coming season and feature the latest products, legendary athletes, top resorts, film premiers, shopping, music, art, food and the biggest brands.
Snowbound Festivals provide the platform to launch or sell in-season products directly to the consumer.
Whether you are a supplier, resort or retailer, Snowbound provides the opportunity to create quality engagements with over 30,000 consumers, including those that are planning to spend on winter outdoor gear for the coming season. According to a recent survey to past attendees, 50% plan to spend on apparel, 47% on equipment, 43% on accessories and 74% are planning to buy ski passes.
Don’t miss this opportunity to get in front of 30,000 winter enthusiasts. Registration is open and floor space is limited. Click here for more information and to apply for booth space.
Please reach out with any questions. We hope to see you there!
Nick Sargent, SIA President