Trend spotting at the Recreation Trade Fair: from sophisticated concepts to unique accommodations
Those who wanted to discover the latest developments in the leisure industry came to Hardenberg last week, from Tuesday, November 12 to Thursday, November 14, 2024. For three days, innovations from home and abroad could be admired at the Recreation Trade Fair. This year Wegter Brands was represented again with a booth in the hall for interior and inventory. You could also admire our product range in a demonstration villa on the inspiration square. We spoke to many acquaintances from our network, which made the busy fair days very valuable. Of course, we ourselves discovered the trends of the moment at the fair. In this blog you can read the four trends that caught our eye.
"Autumn is the excellent time to make plans for the upcoming (summer) season of 2025. The trade fair for the recreation sector has therefore been a regular meeting place for our customers and relations for many years,'' account managers Annemarie ter Grote and Cindy Weinreich look back.
Varied offerings and inspiration innovations in recreation
Spread across the six halls in Hardenberg was a very extensive mix of products, services and facilities for recreation entrepreneurs. From digital and animated park maps to circular wooden playgrounds, automated electric bicycle rental to, of course, our specialty: inventory for every type of vacation home. The fair also offered plenty of space for innovative accommodations. Think sustainable wooden tiny houses and hardy insulated glamping tents. These were set up especially for the occasion in an exhibition hall or on the outside grounds.
The trends of the moment
What trends have we spotted at the 2024 Recreation Trade Fair? The first trend we see is the further development of safari tents. For about 10 years we have seen 'glamping' popping up on parks with a new generation now making inroads. More recently we also see an increase in tiny houses and pods. These two trends align closely with consumers who crave special experiences. A third trend we spotted was the use of luxurious but natural materials combined with "Japandi. The fourth trend is the increase in all-in-one catered concepts with which the recreation entrepreneur experiences convenience above all else.
We are happy to explain trend by trend to you.
The evolution of glamping: from seasonal glamping to luxury comfort
At many recreation parks, a decade has seen a more diverse range of accommodations and a safari tent is now a "normal" sight. Those who have been visiting the fair for several years see that the safari tent recreation market continues to evolve. First of all, in terms of extending seasons. For example, new models are better insulated, making a stay as comfortable as possible even in winter. There is also a focus on greater comfort such as private bathroom units and luxury upgrades such as air conditioners, solar panels and bathtubs. Of course, for the more luxurious glamping tent with upgrades, the entrepreneur can charge a higher price than for a standard tent.
The rise of tiny houses: sustainable and profitable
Even tiny houses have now been fully embraced as recreational homes. At the fair, several new brands presented themselves on the market with model names such as Nordya, Klapkot, Tiny and Wraphouse. Full of admiration, we looked inside the demonstration models. Nordya is a combination of a tiny house and glamping experience. Made of aluminum and PVC cloth, the accommodation has an open layout that feels airy and light. Especially in a seaside setting, it would be very much at its City . The Klapkot is a wheeled mobile vacation home that can be given extra space through clever slide-out systems. Tiny offers high quality wooden models of tiny houses on wheels. Although there are standard models, there is plenty of room for customization. Wrap houses are also wooden element houses that maintain a strong connection to forest or nature due to the large windows. Sustainability is certainly a factor influencing the growth of tiny houses. However, the main driver is the demand from guests for special "offgrid" experiences close to nature. The interesting ratio of investment versus return is also what the providers used at the fair to present themselves to the recreation entrepreneur.
Japandistyle: wood and luxury materials
In both safari tents and tiny houses, "Japandi" (an amalgamation of Scandinavian and Japanese) design formed the abundance in the demonstration models. This style has a strong foundation of minimalism, provides tranquility and feels spacious. With an abundance of wood and light colors in the interior, keeping a strong connection to 'offgrid' and nature. At the fair, this was on display in light-colored furniture including felt and sheepskins as accessories. In the field of tableware and tableware, this trend is not new, but these go hand in hand. The trend of many natural materials and wood also connected well with our own demonstration on the innovation square.
Convenience for the recreational entrepreneur
The latest trend is an increase in more and more full-service concepts. The number of exhibitors at the trade show was high, and of course each supplier has its own specialty. Entrepreneurs are looking for more convenience and service at this time. They don't want to shop separately from dozens of suppliers but an "all-in-one" concept. Several project developers slim capitalized on this at the fair. In this trend, we obviously also see an opportunity for Wegter Brands to work more closely with other suppliers and project developers. With our inventory packages for the recreation sector, we fit in well with the trend of full-service. Of course, Wegter Brands always has attention and room for customization and innovations. We also continue to broaden our range of products and services. Therefore we have added a collection of wall decorations to our range so that we can also provide accommodations with extra decoration and atmosphere. Think of beautiful photographic images of nature, the coast or stylishly photographed food. But of course customization is also possible. Ask for our possibilities.
Did you miss us at the fair?
Although we spoke to many relations at the show and inspired them there, we may have missed each other. You can always visit our renovated Wegter Brands showroom in Oldenzaal by appointment. View our assortment online or take a look at one of our catalogs. For more information contact our account managers Recreation: Annemarie ter Grote ([email protected]) and Cindy Weinreich ([email protected]). Our Recreation account managers would love to hear from you!