Leisure, sports and hobby fairs

Leisure fairs gather the industries behind sport, games, pets, camping, boating and pop culture. Some are trade events for the people who run attractions and shops, others are consumer shows where the public tries and buys what the sector makes.

The sector spans sports and outdoor activities, games and gaming, comics and pop culture, toys, hobbies and model making, pets and animals, caravans and camping, hunting and fishing, and consumer leisure in general. Travel and tourism has its own sector. The audience varies: a number of shows are open to the public, some are reserved for professionals, and many combine both audiences on different days.

The professional side is built around the operators of attractions, parks and recreation venues. IAAPA Expo in Orlando is a trade show and education conference for the amusement park and attractions industry, and TAAPE plays a similar role in Bangkok. In the Netherlands, Recreatie Vakbeurs in Hardenberg addresses holiday parks, campsites and day attractions across the Benelux.

Consumer shows are the other half of the picture. Lucca Comics & Games turns a Tuscan city into a gathering for comics and games, Go Active Show in Warsaw speaks to sport and fitness, and Dubai Muscle Show brings bodybuilding to Dubai. MEGAZOO in Goyang covers the pet industry.

Vehicles for leisure have their own shows. Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is held in the water, and Phoenix RV Supershow presents recreational vehicles to the public. Exhibition centers such as the NEC in Birmingham, Pordenone Fiere in Pordenone and Messe Friedrichshafen in Friedrichshafen host leisure fairs. Adjacent sectors include arts and collectibles and mobility and transport.