Metro Ski and Snowboard Show up 10%

The Metro Ski and Snowboard Show had another highly successful show with pre-audited attendance figures up 10% year-on-year, totalling 33,600 visitors compared to 30,606 for 2006. Huskys, 80s retro ski wear and a Gigloo featuring live un-signed bands were just some of the brand new features at this year’s show, which took place in Olympia’s Grand Hall, 24-28 October.

Other firm ski show favourites returned, including the opportunity to go climbing up the huge indoor ice wall; watch an impressive fashion and breakdance show featuring top brands Burton, Salamon and Oakley; attend expert talks in the Off Piste and Adventure Theatre and visit the World Resorts Village to sup on a mulled wine before heading over to see the best of Europe’s pro skiers and snowboarders’ perfect their skills on the massive quarter pipe.

This is the second year the Metro Ski and Snowboard Show has had show manager Damian Norman at the helm and it continues to go from strength to strength. He commented:

“I am so passionate about this show, which is why I am always looking at ways of evolving it. This year we changed the format and introduced ten new feature areas. Attracting visitors to a consumer event is the same as attracting them to a theme park, they must have a new reason to attend – and this is what we believe we have given the thousands of visitors to this year’s show.

“It is all about stimulating and engaging visitors, and whilst it is important to get the big brands to attend the show, there must be a balance between retail brands and feature areas, Olympia’s Grand Hall is a great place to do this.”

The format of the ski show is the perfect case study of how shows should progress in the field of experiential marketing, offering visitors something more than just exhibition stands – but actually things to do, see and experience – activities that visitors cannot get anywhere else and all with the added bonus that ‘once you’re in’ all these features are free. This is a formula that obviously seems to be working since advanced tickets pre-show saw a big increase of around 70% – a great boost for any show organiser to know before they go onsite.

Ends

For further information on EC&O Venues:

Lynne Marie Cox, Communications Manager

lynnemarie.cox@eco.co.uk / 020 7370 8838

www.eco.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

EC&O Venues is the UK’s premier exhibition and conference venue manager. The business comprises Earls Court, Olympia and the Brewery, London’s leading venues for exhibitions, conferences and special events. The three venues hold over 1000 events each year, attracting over 3 million visitors and 30,000 exhibiting companies.