This year’s Pool | Spa | Patio/Deck Expo saw another brisk year.
The show saw 9,900 attendees and exhibitor staff working and walking the floor, with 440 companies showing their wares.
“The expo floor resonated with vibrant energy, providing a platform where buyers delved into cutting-edge products and technologies for all pool, spa, patio, deck needs and beyond,” said Kris Osterbusch, Show Director of the event, which is organized by Informa Markets, the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA).
Organizers attributed the success in part to new programs for the year.
For the first time, the Expo floor included a section called the “Women’s Networking Area,” featuring educational sessions and networking opportunities under a program called “Blossom and Lead.” Organizers reported that 500 female professionals passed through the program. With that rate, they plan to offer it at next year’s Expo.
“I think this is a good place to start,” in efforts to elevate women in the industry, said Conference Manager Krissy Adams. “We’re building a safe space, and we hope that in years to come it will grow and that we’ll see more women putting on sessions and making connections at the show.”
The industry podcasters and educators of Pool Nation presented their Boot Camp program at the Expo to more than 100 attendees, officials said. And for the first time, the show floor featured a model pool/spa store called the Retail Innovation Zone, as well as the Outdoor Living Stage, focusing on decking education.
Also for the first time, the PSP Expo included the World Aquatic Health Conference. Organized by the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance and originated by the National Swimming Pool Foundation, WAHC focuses on commercial aquatics and such issues as safety and water quality. Those who attended WAHC sessions could walk the show floor. Informa, which runs the PSP Expo, is currently evaluating how the conference performed and will determine soon whether to carry the co-location over to 2024.
The event kicked off with a keynote address from Anthony Robles, an NCAA Wrestling Champion and National Wrestling Hall of Famer. Robles, who was born without a right leg, provided a motivational address about overcoming obstacles.
This year’s conference and trade show took place immediately before the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix moved into town, which will happen again when the Expo returns to the city in 2025. Organizers said Formula One didn’t interfere with its event.
“The impact was as minimal as we were expecting,” Osterbusch said. “Luckily with the venue being so far from the Strip, there wasn’t much of a traffic interruption ... Major road shutdowns didn’t happen until Thursday after most folks had cleared out.”
Next year’s Pool | Spa | Patio/Deck Expo will take place Nov. 12-14, 2024 in Dallas.
