In this article, Eurospapoolnews - the aquanale official media partner - sums up the key moments from aquanale 2017 with info, facts, pictures and even a video. aquanale is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the perfect chance for Eurospapoolnews to dedicate a series of articles to the success story of this International Trade Show for Saunas, Swimming Pools and Spas.

26,600 visitors learned about trends and innovations in Cologne 

Once again in 2017, aquanale was in great form along with the International Trade Show for Leisure, Sports and Water Facilities (FSB) The predominantly international character of this trade show was particularly impressive: 56% of exhibitors and 62% of visitors in Cologne were from abroad. Across a total exhibition space of 20,000 m², about 26,600 visitors learned about the trends and innovations offered by 282 exhibiting companies from 30 countries. "aquanale is riding the wave of success", declared Dietmar Rogg, president of the German Swimming Pool and Wellness Association (bsw) and managing director of Schmalenberger GmbH & Co. KG summing up the 2017 event. "The extremely high quality of visitors from Germany and abroad is certainly remarkable. The synergies between aquanale and FSB generate further impetus for the development of national and international business networks".

The World Alliance of Pool & Spa Associations (WAPSA) created in Cologne

In 2017, the German Swimming Pool and Wellness Association (BSW) organised a very special event for aquanale.  Thanks to the initiative of BSW, representatives from associations in the swimming pool sector from 16 countries met in Cologne to create an international alliance. For the aquanale 2017 kick-off meeting, the following countries were in attendance in Cologne: Australia, Germany, France, Greece, Great Britain, Italy, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

Zum Messedoppel aus aquanale und FSB 114 Ländern nach Köln

26,600 professional visitors from 114 countries travelled to Cologne for the joint aquanale and FSB trade show

The guests included the BSW president Dietmar Rogg and the BSW vice-president Bert Granderath, as well as Ute Wanschura and Dieter C. Rangol from the BSW administrative team, Andreas Petridis, then president of the European Union of Swimming Pool and Spa Associations EUSA, Chris Hayes the managing director of the British Swimming Pool Federation (BSPF) and Rich Gottwald, then president and managing director of the American APSP Association - now the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA). The participants agreed to initially form an informal working group, known as the World Alliance of Pool & Spa Associations (WAPSA), open to associations in the swimming pool sector all around the world. During an intense discussion, the decision was also made to focus, first and foremost, on compiling market data and statistics from all the associations, in order to discuss the concepts of education and training of individual countries and the issue of safety.

"An alliance of national associations to promote and protect the interests of the pool & spa industry worldwide": this is the definition of the joint mission set by the participants.

 bsw-Messestand auf der aquanale 2017

Taking centre stage in pavilion 6, the BSW stand was a special place for BSW members to meet visitors from all around the world 

Hundreds at the International Swimming Pool and Wellness Forum 

The climax of the programme offered in the 2017 edition was the International Swimming Pool and Wellness Forum which, once again, showed its great attraction as a business platform for trends and contacts, registering hundreds of experts, decision-makers, planners and operators among its participants. This was also helped by the collaboration launched by BSW and Koelnmesse with leading associations and promoters in the United States, such as Genesis or PHTA. At the Forum, they presented, among other things, an overview of the American swimming pool market and current design and planning trends in the private swimming pool and spa sector on the largest market in the world. 

Skip Philip Mitgründer und Erfolgscoach der Genesis-Gruppe

As part of the conference programme, Skip Philip (pictured right), co-founder and success coach of the Genesis Group, presented design guidelines for exceptional "premium" private swimming pools

The climax of aquanale 2017 was once again the legendary

The climax of aquanale 2017 was once again the legendary Aquanight trade show party. About 1600 guests celebrated with live music until the crack of dawn in the special atmosphere of the event's exclusive location of Halle Tor 2 in Cologne. 

10th edition of aquanale from 26 to 29 October 2021 

The next edition will take place from 26 to 29 October 2021. The International Trade Show for Saunas, Swimming Pools and Spas will be held in pavilions 7 and 8, dedicating them to themes such as private swimming pools, the construction of public swimming pools, pool technologies, public and private saunas and spas, and green living. 

aquanale-Aussteller Sponsoren 2017

Many of the more well-known exhibitors at aquanale sponsored the International Swimming Pool and Wellness Forum. This specialist four-day event was, once again, an international meeting point for professionals in the swimming pool, sauna and wellness sector