After four days of intense activity, and 33 total show floor hours of exposition, Piscina & Wellness Barcelona has concluded its latest edition. The event, with 367 exhibitors from 30 countries, was visited by more than 14,000 professionals from all parts of the industry from up to 100 countries.
The international connection with Europe, the Mediterranean and Latin America, together with the large Spanish market (more than 1.3 million units), combined to make this the biggest show of 2023.
Growing nicely out of the pandemic years, the event has increased its commercial surface area by 54% compared to 2021, and reached an all-time record of international participation with 68% of foreign companies, and has increased the number of visitors by 40% compared to the last edition. The show exceeded the attendance figures for the 2019 show by 16%. In particular, the increased presence of international buyers from Mexico, France, Portugal, Italy, China, Belgium, Germany and the Middle East region marked this year’s show.
The experience of water was part of Piscina & Wellness Barcelona.
“We have attracted quality visitors and clients with specific projects that need to apply solutions very focused on sustainability to adapt all types of aquatic facilities for both residential and public use to the demands of the context of climate change in which we find ourselves,” says Eloi Planes, president of Piscina & Wellness Barcelona.
Planes also highlighted “the contribution of the fair to give visibility to innovation in the sector and to highlight the social impact of swimming pools as infrastructures necessary to improve people’s health and wellbeing, creating spaces for community relations.”
A great feature of this year’s show was the Wellness Experience, which included a chance to immerse yourself in Roman baths, an ice spa and a tropical beach, plus a virtual tour through a perfectly designed wellness space. The idea behind the exhibit section is to focus industry professionals on the experience of our products.
ACTIVITIES
The show featured a number of special interest areas, including the Innovation Zone, with around 20 new products for a smart, connected, sustainable and healthy pool. On display in this area were intelligent solar skimmers and salt chlorinators, controls, and quiet and energy-efficient pumps.
Another focus of the show was the Wellness Experience, a large wellness center with an active pool, saunas, whirlpool baths, showers, fitness area and treatment cabins, featuring live demonstrations of aquatic therapies and various treatments in the cabins. As a novelty, visitors to this space have had the opportunity to enjoy an immersive virtual experience of Roman baths, a spa on ice and a tropical beach. Also noteworthy was the ‘Outdoor Living Experience’ showroom, which showcased new products and services related to swimming pools, outdoor decoration and outdoor wellness experiences.
Piscina & Wellness Barcelona also hosted various conferences that promoted debate and networking, such as the first edition of the Pool Horizons Summit, an event promoted by the world’s leading companies and organizations in the sector, which reflected on the role of swimming pools and their contribution to social and environmental challenges.
Congress venue at Piscina & Wellness Barcelona, a meeting point for industry professionals that came from 100 different countries.
AWARDS
Once again this year, Piscina & Wellness Barcelona awarded prizes to the best products presented at the trade show, the best wellness establishments on the Iberian Peninsula and in Europe, and the aquatic projects presented by architecture students from all over the world. The three competitions received around 100 entries.
Winners included:
- Fluidra, for its new range of AstralPool Verdon VS variable-speed connected pumps.
- The Vidago Palace Hotel Golf & Spa wellness centers in the Portuguese town of Vidago (Vila Real), The Retreat at Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland, and Parador Costa da Morte in Muxía, in the province of A Coruña, were some of the winners of the Wellness Experience Awards, which recognized the best spas and thalassotherapy centers of the year.
- Finally, the student Catalina Petra Lizasoain from the Madrid School of Architecture, ETSAM, won first prize in the International Competition for Architecture Students with her project “Aquatic Stitching”.
