FIBO 2021 postponed again and will now run in November 2021

Having once again taken into consideration the current developments on COVID-19 and to improve planning certainty for exhibitors and visitors, the organisers of Germany's FIBO, the international fitness and wellness trade show, have advised that the event originally scheduled to run from 8th to 11th April 2021, in Cologne, Germany, and then postponed to take place from 24th to 27th June, is now scheduled to run in Cologne from 4th to 7th November..

Reed Exhibitions Deutschland GmbH Chief Executive, Benedikt Binder-Krieglstein notes "we want to bring the fitness industry together for a much-needed exchange – but not until all the conditions for safe participation are in place for exhibitors and visitors.

"The current course of the pandemic and pace of the vaccine deployment does not yet give us and our partners and exhibitors sufficient planning security for the original dates in June, so we are postponing to the autumn. In November, we plan to combine both physical and digital components in order to enable the entire international fitness industry to participate in the trade show together.”

FIBO in November will focus on the future of the fitness industry and will emphasise those solutions that support the industry as the consequences of COVID-19 are overcome.

FIBO Event Director, Silke Frank adds "Fitness is recognised by the medical corps as an indispensable part of the overall health and wellness of the population.  Together with our partners, we will provide concrete answers for not only fitness studios and trainers, but the entire industry can ensure its economic success in the long term after the COVID-19 crisis has passed.”

New studio and training concepts, digital and growth opportunities

FIBO 2021 will showcase new, health-oriented studio and training concepts, highlight growth opportunities for the industry after COVID-19 and accompany the industry with best practices and future scenarios for digitalisation.

On board for November are industry partners including EuropeActive, the DSSV, FitTech, the DGSP, Georg Thieme Verlag, the German Wellness Association, SpaCamp and the Sportärztezeitung, and they will offer a "Sports Medicine Day" at the trade show on the FIBO Saturday. FIBO will explore the topics of member and customer acquisition, digitalisation, technology and e-commerce, market developments, trends and social changes in order to successfully implement new training and therapy concepts.

Among other things, investors will report on the most exciting start-ups of the next twelve months. In 2021 - as in the previous year - FIBO will also present content from the “Aufstiegskongress” digitally as part of the hybrid event. The congress offers a high-quality programme with current topics from the fields of management, training, nutrition, coaching, sports economics and corporate health management. At the “Meetingpoint Health & Wellness” there will be lectures on physiotherapy, digitalisation of services, occupational health management, sports medicine and sports physiotherapy. The focus is on the integration of these topics into one's own range of services and the (re-)acquisition of members or customers.

The core themes are also reflected in a new hall layout in November.  In Halls 1, 4.2 and 5.2 FIBO will focus on training equipment, health, consulting, interiors, wellness and functional training.  In Halls 2.1 and 2.2 the topics will be fashion and beauty, nutrition, group fitness and bodybuilding. For consumers, the focus is on concepts relating to nutrition, athletics, lifestyle and health. There will also be the opportunity to try out equipment and workouts – that are COVIDSafe – and meet ups with celebrities and athletes.      

FIBO kicks off with the European Health Futures Forum (EHFF taking place on 3rd November. Interactive sessions with top European and international speakers will cover the areas of health, digital, community and standards. In addition, up-to-date market data on the state of the industry post-COVID will also be released.  Other EuropeActive events such as EuropeActive's European Fitness Associations Forum, the President's Council Summit and the International Standards Meeting (ISM) will complete FIBO Week for the international fitness industry. 

For more information go to fibo.com  

Lower image shows activity at FIBO.