Details emerge on replacement event for defunct IFTD

The American Fly Fishing Trade Association’s annual industry event, formerly known as IFTD, has been renamed The AFFTA Confluence and will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from September 26th to 28th next year.

As revealed here, the first two days of the event will be indoors and the third will be an outdoor product demonstration in Liberty Park, a concept described by Executive Director Lucas Bissett as ‘better suited to the changing needs of the trade.’

The gathering will feature industry speakers, seminars, parties, music and facilitated meetings for dealers with manufacturers to increase ROI.

Crucially, the new format will free up exhibitors from behind their booths to spend time networking with dealers and achieve other objectives.

The reinvention was overwhelmingly approved by the industry at the recent AFFTA Summit in Charleston, and the Association’s Event Director, Ken Andres, said the way the Association sees the event has changed over the last few years.

“It has become clear that AFFTA members want to move in a new direction,” he added. “With a renewed focus on dealers, we will continue to develop our events to create more meaningful connections.” 

Bissett said that change had been long awaited. “The AFFTA Show and Summit Committee, along with the Board of Directors, have been hard at work to make the new iteration more meaningful and relevant to the industry,” he explained. 

“We have listened to our members who wanted to see change. There is still more to reveal about the show as we move forward. I am proud of what both the Board and Committee have created by blending our trade and conservation efforts.”

Corinne Doctor (pictured) of Rep Your Water, the newly-elected AFFTA Board Chair, said the Association was at the forefront of change in the way a trade event is put on. “The updates […] are just the beginning of what we can do to bring together manufacturers, retailers and guides to do business, collaborate and make positive change for the planet and, of course, talk fly fishing.”