GREAT INTEREST IN MOUNTAIN SPORTS: THE ALPINMESSE WITH ALPINFORUM 2023 SHONE FAR BEYOND THE BORDERS OF TYROL

Europe's largest mountain sports trade fair with specialist conference, the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum, has become a hotspot for all mountain sports enthusiasts over the past two days with its range of information and interaction. The opportunity to exchange ideas with leading brand manufacturers was used intensively by visitors. Safety and accident prevention were also the focus of the renowned Alpinforum conference.

Combined with a large number of training courses and workshops, the extensive lecture program and exciting competitions, the format clearly underlined its leadership in Europe. Mountain enthusiasts got their money's worth with the high-caliber impulse and multivision presentations by international extreme mountaineers. Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI) and the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS) were responsible for the Alpinmesse with the Alpinforum.

Innsbruck, 12.11.2023. The 16th edition of the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum became the central meeting point for mountain sports enthusiasts from all over Europe. Almost 12,000 visitors gathered information from over 200 exhibitors on topics including mountaineering, skiing/ski touring/freeriding, climbing & bouldering, biking, trail running, alpine travel, alpine safety and first aid & rescue systems. A first-class information and prevention program with over 40 lectures and more than 50 workshops underlined the outstanding position of the Alpinmesse in the mountain sports and alpinism scene and generated a great deal of interest in advance: According to an independent visitor survey conducted during the fair, around 90 percent of visitors gave the Alpine Fair with Alpineforum top marks. “I am delighted that the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum was so well received in Tyrol and Austria, but also very clearly beyond the borders. Mountain sports are very much in vogue. I would like to thank the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety for their excellent cooperation. The great commitment and fresh ideas of all partners and exhibitors make the Alpinmesse and the Alpinforum an integral part of the mountain sports calendar,” summarizes Director Christian Mayerhofer, Managing Director of Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI). 

PREVENTION AND EDUCATION AT THE WELL-ATTENDED ALPINFORUM 2023

The Alpineforum took place on the first day of the trade fair under the theme "Personal responsibility". The annual symposium of the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety deals with specialist alpine issues relating to safety in mountain sports and accident prevention. The Alpineforum is aimed at specialist participants, experts and interested private visitors. “We are delighted that we were able to inspire so many visitors with our program and address personal responsibility and safety in mountain sports with renowned speakers and practical examples. Together, the Alpinforum and Alpinmesse are the central platform for mountain sports enthusiasts and are therefore of particular importance to the ÖKAS in terms of accident prevention. I would like to thank all member organizations and the Congress Messe Innsbruck for the excellent cooperation,” explains ÖKAS President Professor Peter Paal. The Alpineforum program was very well received, as the visitor survey shows: around 35 percent of visitors took part or expressed an interest. The high quality of the Alpineforum was reflected in the survey: almost 90 percent gave the Alpineforum top marks due to the topicality of the topics and the speakers.  

WORKSHOPS, BOULDERING COMPETITION AND CLIMBING STARS THRILLED THE AUDIENCE 

At the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum 2023, special attention was paid to the information and interactive offers for participation. “A total of almost 1,000 workshop places were available to interested visitors, all of which were completely taken up,” explains project manager Heuschneider. The competitions organized as part of the trade fair, such as the Blocalpin Boulder Cup of the Austrian Alpine Club, also met with great visitor interest. Around 200 of the best Austrian athletes provided spectacular moments on a world cup-proven bouldering wall. The international extreme mountaineers Alexander Huber, Laura Tiefenthaler, Dani Arnold and David Göttler were also able to inspire the audience with their captivating multivision presentations. “The success of the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum 2023 gives us a clear mandate to expand this unique format further and on an international level in close cooperation with the Austrian Board of Trustees for Alpine Safety and all partners,” says Heuschneider, looking forward to the 17th edition of the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum, which will take place at Messe Innsbruck from November 16 to 17, 2024.