NSFF SHOT SHOW 2022 RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS
The 44th Annual NSFF SHOT (Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade) Show returned in-person on January 18th for the first time since 2020. Held in Las Vegas, it’s the largest event for the sport shooting, hunting, and the outdoors industry. Attendees, exhibitors, and show organizers were excited to be back face-to-face at one of the more interactive trade shows on the schedule.
Firearms and ammunition are a $7.1 billion industry. The total economic impact of the industry is more than $63 billion, which supports more than 342,000 jobs.
Here are a few highlights from the show:
Attendee & Exhibitor Turnout
Although SHOT Show attendance was down, there still were 43,000 attendees registered for the 2022 show and 2,000 registered exhibitors. As the days progressed during the show, attendance seemed to increase with walk-up traffic. Multiple attendees expressed that they had the opportunity to interact with every company or a specific person that they intended to.
Health & Safety Measures
In accordance with the Nevada mask mandate, face coverings were required to be worn at all times while indoors on the show floor, regardless of a person’s vaccination status. Hand sanitizing stations were also placed conveniently throughout the convention center. Show organizers offered COVID-19 testing at the convention center to ensure everyone had tested negative on the show floor. And to reduce congestion, organizers increased the show floor space from 692,000 square feet to 800,000 square feet (which, according to show organizers, is the equivalent to more than 18 acres or enough space to park 547 F-16 fighter jets). To learn more about the show, check out this cool infographic.
Show Highlights
The pandemic has taught businesses across many industries that time and quality experiences are important – and that was no different for SHOT Show. A primary highlight of this show was that lower attendance brought more quality conversations, more time to explore new products through in-depth demonstrations, and learning more details about the exhibitors and the products and services they offer. Attendees also noticed a difference in the ease of movement from booth-to-booth as the show hall was larger and there was less congestion. An attendee said that this was hands down the most productive show they have been to in recent years – simply because you could move comfortably, talk to more people and booth staffers and industry experts had the time to allow for flowing conversations.
When it comes to product highlights – while there were many new firearms at the show, there was also new body armor, apparel, hunting products, shooting targets, and night vision capabilities… to name a few.
Shot Show In The Future
The 45th Annual SHOT Show is planning to return and be better than ever on January 17-20, 2023, at the Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas! There will be many opportunities to talk to even more experts in the industry, attend informative speaker sessions and seminars and learn about new products in the industry.
Click here to see photos from Skyline client The Third Bull & Co. at the SHOT Show (redirects to LinkedIn).
By: Nicole Schmidt –
