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The public day at the Australian Fishing Trade Association (AFTA) show has emerged as a growing and increasingly important part of the overall event.
The sight of hundreds of anglers – including a substantial number of youngsters – queueing up in the early hours of the morning to get into the Brisbane venue on the final day of the show and an overall attendance running into more than 20,000 has cemented its place as a regular and popular addition to the event that was received with a certain amount of scepticism when it was first rolled out at the Gold Coast venue in 2019.
Chad Rodgers, Managing Director of Shimano Australia Fishing – winner of an unprecedented seven accolades in the New Product Awards at the show – told Angling International: “The Public Day was a clear highlight and has become an established and increasingly important part of the AFTA event. It gives anglers the opportunity to make informed buying decisions, meet the people behind the brands they follow online and – particularly for the younger anglers – feel more connected to the wider fishing industry.
“Seeing people getting hands-on with the products, asking questions and spending time with our team was a great reminder of the connection people have with the brand.”
His remarks were echoed by Ben Patrick, Managing Director of Halco Tackle. He admitted: “I was a Public Day sceptic, but not now. It is a major part of the show and it’s here to stay – and that is a good thing. The young crew have really engaged with it as it continues to grow and grow.”
Wayne Shelley, of Nomad Design Tackle, added: “The Public Day had 20,000 registered visitors and it was crazy! Kids had been queuing since 2.30am as there were a lot of free giveaways and the opportunity to connect with the ever-growing group of fishing influencers who are huge on YouTube.
“Fishing is also massive for families. There were large groups of them with dads and children looking at lures and discussing why they use one brand over another. Lots of ladies were also in attendance and as keen as their male counterparts with lots of questions about how they can catch more fish on lures.”
Malosi Studio – an AFTA runner-up in the New Product Awards – added: “We had a blast. It was an absolutely insane turn-out at AFTA this year – it keeps getting bigger and better. We really appreciated everyone who took time to drop by. We are excited by everyone’s feedback and encouragement.”
In a post on its LinkedIn page, Daiwa Australia wrote: “Brisbane turned out in force for Public Day – what a way to wrap up this year’s AFTA show! It was a great opportunity for our team to showcase the latest Daiwa products, connect with passionate anglers and share what we have been working on over the last year.”
Public Day aside, Rodgers described the AFTA show as a positive experience for Shimano. “The team put in a huge amount of work into the event this year and to see that reflected in the response from our trade partners was incredibly rewarding. AFTA remains more than for displaying new gear. It is a chance to spend meaningful time with retailers and outline the direction of the brand.”
Patrick added: “It is always difficult to move after being in a popular location for so long, but it was a very good venue in Brisbane and well located. Attendance is often linked with the buoyancy of the industry – overall it was pretty good considering the share of the market is held by independents.
“Like all trade shows, it is the opportunity to meet with independent and big box retailers and show new products. It also gives manufacturers like us a great snapshot of trends and industry direction. For us it was a success.”
