Messe Friedrichshafen has decided not to go ahead with the premiere of OUTDOOR Friedrichshafen scheduled for 17- 19 September 2019, and to postpone the new format. “The decision is intended to give all those involved the opportunity to continue developing the newly initiated concept,” Messe Friedrichshafen said in a press statement today.

"We have experienced a great deal of encouragement as well as good registrations from strong producers for our OUTDOOR Friedrichshafen. We would therefore have also proceeded directly into the implementation stage for an initial event of this type. Nevertheless, in total we have unfortunately not been able to generate a sufficient response for a first commitment within the sector with which we are so familiar. We are postponing our new activities in the outdoor segment and consciously leaving the date and the direction open for the time being,” said Klaus Wellmann, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Friedrichshafen.

“For more than two decades, until the year 2018, the exhibition venue has offered the outdoor segment a home on Lake Constance and in combination with the special feature of a location and a spirit perfectly matching the sector has helped the trade fair to become the most important international business platform,” the statement read.

"As a result, the yardstick for the new event is set particularly high. A certain minimum setting on the side of brands is required to generate a good initial spark. This has not been achieved and so it is unfortunately very unlikely that we will be able to reproduce the type of enthusiastic mood that has successfully defined our activities for 25 years in September 2019,” explained Head of Outdoor Stefan Reisinger.

Messe Friedrichshafen says it continues to see good chances of offering the outdoor sector or parts of it a suitable concept on Lake Constance. "We are firmly convinced that the way the industry has presented itself in the past and up until recently offers scope for alternatives,” Stefan Reisinger concluded.