By now you have probably heard that Hanley Wood LLC has acquired the AQUA Show from AQUA Magazine's parent company, Athletic Business Publications.
In a bit over a decade, the AQUA Show has grown from a small spa expo held in a ballroom in Las Vegas with just over 50 exhibitors into the big, successful and innovative industry leader that it is today. Known for its top-notch business education program and its upscale but friendly brand, the AQUA Show has become successful enough that Hanley Wood finds it quite an attractive property. I suppose it's a sign of the times.
You might be wondering if the sale of the AQUA Show will affect the magazine in any way. The answer is, "No." The magazine staff might be a little less busy in the fall, and we'll miss the show staff, with whom we've worked closely over the years — albeit at a bit of a distance with the show staff being in California and the magazine headquartered in Wisconsin — but we'll look forward to watching and reporting on the AQUA Show's continued growth and success. We'll still attend the AQUA Show and enjoy the opportunity to meet readers face-to-face. And we might have a little more time to talk.
Most importantly, AQUA Magazine will continue to be part of Athletic Business Publications and to serve the industry as we always have, bringing readers useful business stories, features on the latest trends and products and news of the industry; everything the pool and spa professional needs to succeed.
