OTS 2021 MOVES TO LIVERPOOL
We are pleased to announce that the Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) event will move to a new home in 2021 at Exhibition Centre Liverpool, from Tuesday 29th June to Thursday 1st July. The show will follow the week after OutDoor by ISPO (20th – 23rd June 2021).
OTS’ home for the past two years, EventCity, will close by 31st March 2021 and plans for the construction of the new facility have been withdrawn due to the economic climate, especially in the events and hospitality sectors.
Following the news of the closure, the organisers, immediately researched a suitable alternative venue which ensures the continuity of the success the show has had since the move to the North West in 2018. The key priorities were to keep the show in the North West, which is a must for visitors and exhibitors alike, at a venue that offers flexible space, modern facilities and is within easy reach by public transport and the motorway networks.
Commenting on the 2021 show, Marta Williams, OTS organiser, said: ‘Once we heard the news of EventCity closing its doors, we were obviously disappointed, as it has been a great venue over the past two years, and we had to move quickly to find a replacement venue that would work for the show. We were impressed by Exhibition Centre Liverpool – with facilities that exceed those in Manchester, a very accommodating team, that worked with us to ensure we could keep the same rates for our exhibitors – there was no questions that this was the right location to make the 2021 event a success following the difficult times we all have had this year.
Our main priority now is to work with our exhibitors to allocate suitable space in the halls and release the floor plan to encourage new bookings as soon as possible. Our team of contractors that we have been working with for over 10 years will continue to support the show and offer exhibitors their familiar services.’
Liverpool is easy to reach from all parts of the UK and beyond – just 45 minutes from Manchester by road or train and just over two hours from London. The venue is also under two hours drive from Cumbria. Liverpool Airport is just 30 minutes by bus and the Port of Liverpool has regular ferries to Belfast, Dublin and the Isle of Man.
Exhibition Centre Liverpool ticks all the boxes and offers a first-class new home for OTS. The 8,100sqm exhibition venue has an enviable location on the banks of the River Mersey and Liverpool’s world heritage waterfront. The £65m venue was opened just five years ago and is only 5 minutes’ walk from Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock and the city centre with 658 hotels rooms on site.
OTS 2020 has a record number of early bookings, with 110 exhibitors signed up before the show was postponed to next year. The 2021 show has already attracted a great mixture of brands and the new climbing area will be a fantastic feature in the show with the Moon Board. The concourse at the exhibition centre offers an excellent area overlooking the River Mersey for activities such as morning yoga, to the OTS social and the location of the venue is ideal for water sport brands to get involved in the show next year.
ABOUT THE OUTDOOR TRADESHOW
The Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) is the UK's only large scale outdoor sport and leisure focused trade show.
The show is a fantastic opportunity for retailers, big and small, to see the latest products and designs for the coming seasons from all the top brands from:
Apparel
Footwear
Backpacks & Accessories
Climbing & Mountaineering Equipment
Watersports Clothing & Equipment
Bushcraft & Survival Equipment
Adventure Travel Products
Camping & Expedition Equipment
Adventure Tourism Providers
Who should visit the Outdoor Trade Show?
With a mix of different brands and product ranges OTS will interest retailers and buyers who specialise in outdoor sports, leisure and adventure travel products.
Independent Retailers
Buyers of Multiple Retailers
Specialist Retailers
The show also appeals to many organisations from across the outdoor industries that sit outside the manufacturing, retail and distribution sectors.
If your company buys any outdoor or adventure travel products for its operation, OTS is the perfect platform to find the latest and innovative products, and to meet key contacts.
Outdoor Activity & Education Providers
Rescue Teams
Holiday Park Providers & Camp Sites
Work At Height Companies & Operatives
Adventure Tourism Providers
Governing Bodies, Charities & Associations
Who should exhibit at the Outdoor Trade Show?
If your business specialises in the manufacturing or distribution of apparel or equipment for the outdoor sports, leisure and adventure travel markets then attending OTS is a must.
Click the links below to find out more or get in touch!
TESTIMONIALS
What Our Clients Say About Us

Dave Jackson
BAC Outdoor Leisure
Read MoreProfessional, relaxing, satisfying.

Lee Barton
Business Manager of Nearly Wild Camping
Read MoreI found the show very rewarding and made plenty of new contacts, especially liked the compact layout and proximity of parking to the entrance.

John Traynor
Freelance Editor
Read MoreA real pleasure to meet so many exhibitors and visitors in such an upbeat mood in a lively atmosphere at a superb venue.

Stephen Bailey
OutdoorGear Group
Read MoreIt was great to see so many of the Outdoor Brands at OTS 2018.

Lisa Bergerud
Buyer of George Fisher
Read MoreThe UK outdoor industry needs to come together as a single venue saving us all travel time & work days.

Nick Cox
Buyer of Climbers Shop/Joe Brown
Read MoreThis year OTS was an excellent show which we found to be very productive and beneficial for our business. It was great to be able to see so many of our key suppliers in one location.

Tony Taylor
Sales Manager Keela
Read MoreBest OTS in Years!

Simon Clark
Owner of Taunton Leisure
Read MoreI thought the show and the venue was very good and for us this helps us maximise our time to do business with key brands and a valuable insight to other brands that we may not currently work with. All in all a good effort and I hope that both the outdoor trade and retailers alike will support a single show going forward. Up to now I have found it frustrating the amount of satellite shows around the country and I sincerely hope that going forward everyone can unite behind one show.

Richard Tones
Head of Sales Páramo
Read MoreWe’ve always had a busy show at OTS even when the halls have been generally quiet, however we definitely found the new venue better and there was more of a buzz about the atmosphere. The access, location and facilities are a clear improvement and it certainly felt that more of the industry was there at the show in one way or another. We expect to be there again next year and hope for an even busier show in 2019.

Sarah Howcroft
Founder of Gift Your Gear
Read MoreOTS 2018 was excellent. Great location. The UK outdoor industry never looked better. Looking forward to OTS19!

Petr Procházka
Founder & CEO of Skinners
Read MoreFor us, OTS represents a platform that provides a complete overview of the UK outdoor market and effectively connects retailers and outdoor brands within the industry. We’ve enjoyed a high amount of visitors coming to our booth interested in further cooperation. We also appreciate the highest award in the UK Outdoor Industry Award. The whole team behind Skinners will definitely come back for OTS next year.

Sam Fernando
Sales Director of Keela
Read MoreBig thumbs up from Keela. OTS with a new venue, fresh look and positive energy promised much and it delivered! The Keela team were kept busy with visits from existing partners and walk on new accounts. The networking offered including Rescue teams was also a refreshing change.

Peter Rostron
Helinox UK
Read MoreHelinox had a really positive show, we were delighted with the location of the show, timing of the show and our stand location. We were impressed with the number of retailers present, not only from the outdoor market but also from other sectors, it felt like there was a real togetherness between suppliers and retailers. Overall a big step forward and has definitely laid the foundation for a well-attended UK trade show which has been missing for a number of years.

Jason Myers
Owner of First Ascent
Read MoreThanks for a great show – honestly it was absolutely fantastic – it felt right from the moment we started to carry everything in. I’ll sign for next year right now!

Matt Moore
Owner of Proagencies
Read MoreWe always have a great time at OTS, the show is really well organised and this year the new venue in Manchester provided a great atmosphere and brought in plenty of retailers and journalists to keep us all busy, it never really feels like work!

Jonathan Petty
Marketing Director of Osprey
Read MoreThe Outdoor Trade Show was a great success for Osprey. We were able to showcase our new and existing product lines to current and prospective customers in an environment filled with passionate industry leaders.

Ralph White
Managing Director of Rosker
Read MoreIt was very important that OTS succeeded to attract good numbers of existing and new customers. Our objective was to present a much wider range of products than we’ve ever managed to before. Moreover the trade needed a shot in the arm, which it got. Our hopes were more than met. We were busy much of the time and our meetings were high quality ones. I am happy with the return we will make on our investment. To buyers who weren’t able to make it this year I would say make a note in your diary now for OTS 2019.

Lee Bagnall
CEO of JD Sports Outdoor Division
Read More“Retailers are presented with too many opportunities and invitations by suppliers to review products. The ability to come to one venue and see many brands under the one roof all at the same time makes perfect sense. We believe that a UK national show that unites the industry is very important for our trade. The move to Manchester a week earlier and with ROKS joining as well makes it even more relevant for us and our buying team. Attempting to consolidate the trade into one national show with a real focus is the solution and at JD / Blacks we will be supporting this initiative in 2018.”

Paul Casey
Hooked On Granite Ltd. T/A Joe Brown Shops and The Climbers Shop
Read More“We have already registered to attend OTS this year in Manchester and we will be bringing six key staff members over two days. We are not going to any other shows and informing our suppliers that we want just one show and this is it”