Discover thousands of the best products encompassing life on and off the water at Surf Expo.

(Sponsored) Known as the largest and longest-running watersports and beach lifestyle tradeshow in the world, Surf Expo features thousands of products ranging from branded apparel, swimwear, footwear, boutique fashions, resort wear, coastal gifts and more. Since 1976, retailers from across the world have relied on Surf Expo to identify new brands and upcoming trends – ultimately serving them and their businesses.

Senior Buyer Relations Manager for Coastal Life at Surf Expo, Kathy Wilkie, understands the importance of having a show floor that is organized by product category and easy to navigate is a win-win for retailers when it comes to choosing which markets to attend.

“Surf Expo meets so many of (retailer’s) needs, allowing them to accomplish more at one show,” Wilkie said. “Everyone can benefit from a seamless shopping experience moving from one category to the next to see products like surfboards, sunglasses, apparel, accessories and more all under one roof, in one building, without having to visit three different trade shows to cover all of their buying needs.”

Surf Expo’s increasing success over the last few years is due in part to the increase in outdoor recreation since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, “more than half (54%) of Americans ages 6 and over participated in at least one outdoor activity in 2021, and the outdoor recreation participant base grew 2.2% in 2021 to 164.2 million participants. The Outdoor participant base has increased 6.9% since the COVID pandemic began in early 2020.”

Due to this increase in outdoor recreation, retailers need to find products related to skateboarding, paddleboarding, boating, camping, surfing and more. Surf Expo has brand participation on its show floor – offering products ranging from coastal shoreline activities to camping, hiking and other outdoor activities.

Coastal Life at Surf Expo has the largest collection of boutique, resort, footwear, swimwear, coastal gift and souvenir products, according to Wilkie.

Coastal Life at a glance: 

• Boutique – Offering better resort wear, including high-end apparel, footwear, fashion, accessories and gifts, Surf Expo has it all.
• Resort – Surf Expo’s resort category offers anything and everything the vacationing consumer needs. Popular amongst amusement and water parks, souvenir and sundry shops, zoos and airport gift shops, this category has the most comprehensive collection in the resort trade show industry.
• Coastal Gift – Coastal Gift at Surf Expo is a collection of home décor, beach games and toys, drinkware, collectibles and anything in between. Surf Expo offers products perfect for adding dimension to a retailer’s inventory in this category.

Senior Vice President at Emerald Expositions and Show Director for Surf Expo, Roy Turner, believes buyers shop Surf Expo because of the wide range of categories and products they offer.

“The fact that Surf Expo offers multiple categories all tied together with a central water theme is the reason we have developed such a loyal following,” Turner said. “Buyers and brands take advantage of the crossover buying and selling opportunities that Surf Expo offers. We have an extensive product list and our team is constantly tracking new trends that we can bring to the show.”

According to Turner, Surf Expo’s priority is connecting sellers and buyers within their marketplace – providing a vibrant space across all categories.

Senior Buyer Relations Manager of Surf Expo, Steven Fisher is excited about popular brands showcasing in the watersports side of the show. Some featured brands include VISSLA, RVCA, Volcom, O’Neill, Hurley, Salty Crew, Katin, Jetty, Sun Bum, Pura Vida, and more.

Surf Expo is guaranteed to have everything buyers need to make their store versatile and unique, according to Fisher.

“Surf Expo is a one-stop-shop for any buyer looking at watersports and the beach lifestyle,” Fisher said. “You can find anything and everything on the show floor from surf and skate hard goods, apparel, swimwear, footwear and accessories to wakeboards, sunscreen and everything in between! Our buyers trust and rely on us to bring them the freshest brands and products. Many (buyers) shop the entire floor in search of the brands and items that will set them apart in their stores.”

Darin Trimble, principal at True Ocean, loves exhibiting at Surf Expo – this will be True Ocean’s fourth year attending the show.

“Surf Expo is one of our favorite shows. We’ve built relationships with some of the world’s best retailers, including large resorts, cool surf shops and higher-end boutiques,” Trimble said. “Surf Expo has a fun atmosphere with great brands and great people.”

True Ocean attends Surf Expo to connect with existing retailers and build new relationships with buyers. According to Trimble, Surf Expo gives them great opportunities to showcase new product offerings such as the soon-to-be-released Eau de Parfum fragrance, named “Coastal.”

Brand Development Lead at Sunski, Christine Reyhons, will be exhibiting products at Surf Expo for the second time this year in Surf Expo’s Shoreline category. Reyhons notes that Sunski is a great fit at Surf Expo because they are a sustainable brand – all of their sunglasses are made from recycled materials.

“Surf Expo is the perfect market for our brand. The show is trending and the number of attendees is increasing,” Reyhons said.

Shoreline is Surf Expo’s new category featuring products dedicated to technical apparel, equipment and gear any enthusiast needs to transition from a day on the water to stretching out on land. This category offers outerwear, camping, watersports hard goods, technical apparel and more. Shoreline will be located next to the Bluewater and Surf sections – enhancing the buying experience for both watersports and outfitter retailers.

Eric Marvin, founder of Elakai Outdoor, is exhibiting outdoor games at Surf Expo’s Shoreline category. Some games include cornhole, bocce ball, croquet and more. While this is Marvin’s first year attending Surf Expo, he knows it will be the perfect fit for his business.

“Our product fits very well into their Shoreline category. Our products can be used on the beach, by the lake or near the ocean. Exhibiting at Surf Expo is a natural fit for who we are as a business and what the Shoreline category is all about,” Marvin said.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this vibrant, award-winning marketplace. See the show September 7 – 9, 2023, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.

Registration is free for qualified retail buyers.

Link Registration is free to the following bitly link:  https://bit.ly/43FoPpb

For more information about Surf Expo visit, https://surfexpo.com/

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