Niagara Falls, Ontario, was such a popular choice for host city in 2011 that the Canadian Pool & Spa Conference & Expo is returning on Nov. 26-29, 2012.
After years in Toronto, organizers had decided to “freshen” things up a bit in 2011 and moved the show south. Attendees and exhibitors were delighted, says Robert Wood, executive director of the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada. And attendance from the USA jumped substantially, to close to double the usual number, he adds. “One of the reasons we went to Niagara Falls was to attract new clientele, and we did. Now we want to build on [that] success. ...”
Organizers expect at least 2,000 attendees and exhibitors to converge on the Scotiabank Convention Centre and, if booth sign-ups are like last year, there may be 265 booths in the 80,000-square-foot exhibit space.
The conference portion of the event is Nov. 26-29, starting with an all-day CPO Course Monday-Tuesday. Plus, there are two Short Courses (“How Water Chemistry Affects Customer Satisfaction” and “Introduction to Hydraulics”) on Monday.
General seminars begin Tuesday, covering everything from pool/spa testing and the benefits of enzymes to natural waterfeatures, saltwater pools, leak detection and more.
A number of new seminar topics are expected to attract attention, Wood says. On Tuesday, watch for “Retail Store Layouts,” “Retail Store Signage,” “Building Concrete Pools and Walls with the Spider Tie Forming System,” and “Identifying and Matching of Spa Support System Components.”
Then on Wednesday, there are “Targeted Communications: Using Internet Social Networks to Grow and Strengthen Your Business,” and “Project Management: Small Space Design Solutions.”
Also new for 2012 is “Hot Topics – Hot Breakfast” on Thursday, 8:30-10 a.m., consisting of six lively roundtable discussions.
The expo runs Nov. 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Nov. 29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Finally, the Industry Awards Banquet is Wednesday, also in the convention center. The reception is at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15. Honors being bestowed include the 2012 Design and Construction Awards, Dealer and Supplier of the Year, and the Industry Achievement Award.
More info: poolandspaexpo.ca; for city attractions, niagarafallstourism.com.
