The Pool & Spa Show, powered by the Northeast Spa and Pool Association, had another brisk event.
“It just seems like every year the momentum grows and grows for this show,” said Show Manager Trish McCormick.
Just more than 11,000 professionals, including exhibitor staff, attended the show, for an approximately 5% increase over 2018’s show, McCormick said.
In its third year, The Wall, an interactive display showing how various systems in a pool or spa operate, was a highlight on the floor. New seminars by the wall included how to identify properly applied shotcrete and how to install tile. Both topics were attended to capacity, McCormick said.
The event also saw an increase in attendance of business courses, said Kelly McKelvey, director of communications and marketing with NESPA. The organization has built its business repertoire over several years but, historically, technical courses have filled substantially more seats. Show organizers see that dynamic evening out some, with sessions such as a roundtable on workforce development filling to capacity.
“You have some [company] owners who are moving beyond the technical classes and are now thinking about how to build their business,” McKelvey said. “They’re bringing their employees in to take the technical sessions.”
Next year’s The Pool Show is scheduled for Jan. 28-30, 2020 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
