A wealth of highlights at the anniversary edition: The IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 supporting programme

Nuremberg, 25.01.2024: As the world’s leading exhibition for the hunting and target sports industry, IWA OutdoorClassics has been facilitating robust networking between manufacturers and specialist retailers for more than 50 years. For its anniversary edition, IWA OutdoorClassics will once again fulfil this role and offer participants a multifaceted trade fair experience. With "IWA Vision", the world's leading exhibition focuses on new products, innovations and trends in the industry - and brings visitors closer to future-relevant topics as a trend driver. Product testing as part of the Xperience series and knowledge transfer in the form of various stage programs will also once again play an important role at IWA OutdoorClassics. Strong partnerships will transform this year’s programme into a real highlight.

IWA OutdoorClassics, the world’s leading exhibition for the hunting and target sports industry, is far more than just a product presentation by the exhibiting companies. For its upcoming edition, it also promises to be a platform that focuses on dialogue between industry and trade as well as on sharing knowledge and product testing. The “Xperience” special exhibition area series set the appropriate tone in the halls for the last edition and will be back again this year accordingly. With the "IWA Vision" label, IWA OutdoorClassics also gains a seal of approval for future-relevant topics and products.

Strong partners as special guests

Both the BLADE Demo Area and the AIRSOFT Shooting Range will return to IWA OutdoorClassics 2024 in the same design.

A new centre for the specialist knife trade and knife enthusiasts, the BLADE Demo Area impressed industry professionals with its wide range of presentations and product showcases in the context of the IWA Knife Award. This award will also be presented at IWA OutdoorClassics 2024, when an international jury of experts will select a winner from the knives submitted in the “Innovation” and “Classic” categories. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to vote live for the award in the category “THE knife from the past 50 years”. The award ceremony will take place in the BLADE Demo Area in Hall 5 at 16:00 on Saturday 2 March. The “Deutsches Klingenmuseum Solingen” (German Blade Museum) will also be part of the programme again this year with a historical collection to impress and inspire visitors.

At the AIRSOFT Shooting Range, manufacturers and retailers will focus on the product experience associated with all aspects of the participating brands, and a prominent partner has also been acquired for the anniversary year. This coming year, a new AIRSOFT Shooting Parcours will provide an additional point of contact for specialist retailers and interested parties who want to get closer to the segment. Run by Airsoft Helden, Germany’s largest organizer of Airsoft matches, the course and meeting area will offer an opportunity to gain initial experience with the weapons segment and to find out more about the Airsoft market segment. “Airsoft is not only on the rise in Germany, but throughout Europe and the rest of the world,” explains Nick Ikonomidis, Managing Director of Airsoft Helden. “We are very pleased to be able to present our market and our segment so prominently at the most important international exhibition for Airsoft, and are looking forward to interacting onsite.”

New stage design ensures the specialized trade is ready for the future

Various stage formats for sharing knowledge and discussions will be provided at IWA OutdoorClassics. At the SHOOTING EXPERTS’ Stage in Hall 1, international experts from the specialist areas of law and importing, artificial intelligence, retail, professional association work and trend research will meet with manufacturers and specialist retailers. In collaboration with technology manufacturer MXR Tactics, visitors will also have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of augmented reality. This start-up combines augmented reality and artificial intelligence to depict realistic training situations.

The OPTICS Testing Area will be a new feature in Hall 4 this year. It will enable low light conditions and even total darkness to be simulated in an integrated darkroom. A new element is a professionally supervised test course, with a near-natural design that exudes a special flair. A new area consisting of a specialist stage and lounge encourages visitors to network, as well as offering fascinating lectures and presentations on the outdoor market and the trending topics of bushcraft and survival. This programme is supported by Germany’s leading sporting goods industry magazine SAZsport. As part of IWA OutdoorClassics, SAZsport will address the increasing relevance of the “bushcraft” and “survival” segments and discuss current opportunities and challenges together with the specialized trade. “For us as a media entity, it’s essential to have a comprehensive overview of current topics in the outdoor industry,” explains Susa Schreiner, Editor-in-Chief of SAZsport. “The success of German TV productions such as “7 vs. Wild” in particular has given the concepts of survival and bushcraft a foothold not only in wider society but also in the outdoor and sports retail markets.” Together with numerous exciting guests, Schreiner is looking forward to “an informative agenda and lively interaction with the industry”.

Comments on the supporting programme:

Stefanie Leege, Exhibition Director IWA OutdoorClassics: “IWA OutdoorClassics also sees itself in the role of trendsetter vis-à-vis the industry professionals. With our selection of topics, we not only focus on industry-relevant growth markets such as Airsoft, survival and bushcraft, but also integrate the overarching themes of AI and Retail 4.0 into the trade fair experience, thus ensuring the trade is ready for the future.”

About IWA OutdoorClassics

The IWA OutdoorClassics is the world’s leading exhibition for the hunting and target sports industry. From hunting, sporting and Airsoft firearms to clothing, high-quality outdoor equipment and personal security needs – the product range of the IWA OutdoorClassics covers the entire retail spectrum. In 2023, the exhibition welcomed a total of 34,000 trade visitors from 119 countries to Nuremberg. In 2024, IWA OutdoorClassics will celebrate its 50th anniversary and will take place at Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 29 February to 3 March.