2021 for the airsoft community and industry will start on the wrong foot as two major trade events have been cancelled. The first one, the SHOT Show 2021 in Las Vegas due to take place in January got cancelled. Now the other big event, the IWA Outdoor Classics 2021 in Nuremberg, Germany just got cancelled.

You all know the reason that organisers were forced to cancel the events due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here is the official press release from the organisers:

IWA OutdoorClassics 2021 Cancelled

To allow all participants to plan with certainty, NürnbergMesse has taken the decision to cancel the IWA OutdoorClassics 2021 well ahead of time. Rising infection rates, various quarantine rules and travel restrictions are simply making it impossible for exhibitors and visitors to make any firm plans. The next IWA OutdoorClassics will take place in Nuremberg from 3–6 March 2022.

“Over recent weeks we have received a lot of support and understanding from within the sector. The discussions we have had with our exhibitors have clearly shown that the IWA continues to be an essential part of the B2B community,” says Petra Wolf, from the NürnbergMesse Management Board.

“Despite the challenging situation, more than 1,000 exhibitors had registered for the trade fair. It is therefore with even greater regret that we must now postpone this event till 2022. This commitment by exhibitors and their willingness to participate in the fair reinforce our conviction that the IWA still plays a significant role,” Wolf continues.

 

“Road to IWA 2022” in the pipeline

The IWA team is currently working on an interim programme. The kick-off event for the series of online and physical events and formats called “Road to IWA 2022” will take place on 12 March 2021, the first day of the planned IWA 2021. The selected date corresponds to the IWA Friday. “We want to offer the sector the opportunity to stay in contact during these turbulent times. We are therefore working hard to develop concepts to allow us to bridge the gap until the next face-to-face gathering.

We will miss the direct contact, that much is certain. It is therefore even more important to stick together as a sector and support one another,” explains Rebecca Schönfelder, Exhibition Director IWA OutdoorClassics.

 

Institutional sponsors support decision

Klaus Gotzen, managing director of the JSM (German Firearms and Ammunition Manufacturers Association), says: “It is certainly true that the IWA is one of the most important occasions and industry gatherings in the year. But all of us need to prioritise our health. We very much regret the cancellation of the IWA because meeting our partners and members in person is so important to us. Nevertheless, we completely understand the decision by NürnbergMesse and are looking forward to the event in 2022.” The manufacturers’ association is one of the institutional sponsors of the IWA OutdoorClassics and currently serves 42 companies.

Ingo Meinhard, managing director of the VDB (Association of German Gunsmiths and Gun Traders), has a similar perspective: “As a leading trade fair, the IWA is a source of information for an entire sector, presenting trends and innovations to an appreciative audience. It’s where our members not only gain inspiration but also meet like-minded professionals. The cancellation of the event affects the entire industry, and we hope that this unusual situation will normalise soon.” The professional association, which is also a sponsor of the event, represents the interests of around 1,400 members.

 

Dates for IWA OutdoorClassics 2022 now finalised

The IWA OutdoorClassics 2022 will take place in Nuremberg from 3–6 March. However, the usual schedule has been brought forward by one day so that it will now run from Thursday to Sunday.

The announcement is a big disappointment for the airsoft community who always look forward to the IWA Outdoor Classics as the biggest grouping of airsoft companies will be exhibiting in under one roof. Also with the Airsoft Meetup side event, people can get to meet and greet the who’s who in the industry and community.

Another gathering for the community that will be sorely missed is Mealsim Nuremberg where they get together for rowdy night of food and drinks. Started in 2018, Mealsim also takes place at the SHOT Show and a mini one at the MOA Exhibition in Taipei.

With both big events and the annual Airsoft Meetup cancelled. We are working on having Virtual Airsoft Trade Event and Meetup in place so airsoft companies will be able to present their plans for 2021 and discuss about the issues confronting the airsoft community. We will be announcing the plans in the following days and interested companies and individuals can get in touch with us if they are interested.

Hopefully after March 2021, the situation will get rosier for everyone, not only for airsoft.

Top photo: Airsoft Shooting Area IWA Outdoor Classics 2019 (Credit: Thomas Geiger/NuernbergMesse)