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The cancellation of the two major consumer fishing shows in France this year cast a shadow over similar events throughout the region.
The European show scene was rocked by the demise of the Carrefour National de la Pêche des Loisirs (CNPL) – known as the Clemont-Ferrand Fishing Show – which has acted as the traditional curtain-raiser for the season in France, and the postponement of the second-ever National Fishing Festival, organised by the country’s trade body, GIFAP (Groupement de l’Industrie Française d’Pièces de Pêche).
However, the second edition of the Pescare Show in Rimini, Italy, truly bucked that trend by demonstrating that there is a bright future for events that bring together the fishing community as a whole. The end-of-show statistics bore that out, with the Pescare Show delivering:
- A 40% increase in visitor numbers compared to last year
- A 70% upsurge in international attendance
- A 60% rise in the number of exhibitors
“The Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) has never demonstrated such international scope as it did this year, positioning itself as an essential platform for the European market,” said the organiser. “The number of foreign trade visitors confirmed the appeal of the event for global business.
“The prestige of the show was confirmed by the attendance of some of the sector’s most prominent institutions, including the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), MLF Major League Fishing, the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) and the European Fly Fishing Association (EFFA).
“The three-day event attracted the entire fishing community to become an immersive experience that included demonstrations in the casting pool, meetings with sports champions and influencers and educational activities.”
It added that the success of the event was also a result of its close collaboration with its home association, FIPSAS (Italian Federation of Sport Fishing and Underwater Activities), which was behind the organisation of the demonstration areas and the Casting and Fly Casting World Cup, which attracted competitors from ten countries.
The Emilia-Romagna region also chose the show to stage its presentation of fishing and wildlife protection projects. “It is a synergy that transformed the Pescare Show into a widespread event that involved the city and Riviera.”
