The 26th edition of Prowinter, the leading B2B trade fair for the outdoor and winter sports sector, concluded yesterday with a highly positive result. From 11 to 13 January, Fiera Bolzano hosted 5,400 admissions, with visitors from 35 countries, marking another concrete step forward in the event’s growth path. Prowinter is increasingly recognised as a dynamic, practical and strategic professional platform for the entire winter mountain supply chain.

An integrated, high-quality format combining exhibition, on-snow testing, training and networking was reflected in the direct feedback from exhibitors and industry professionals. Today, Prowinter confirms itself as a dynamic trade fair, thanks to its ability to intercept market evolution; practical, for the real value of the relationships and business opportunities generated; and strategic, for its increasingly central role within the European trade fair landscape for the sector.

On the international exhibitor front, Prowinter 2026 recorded significant and tangible growth. With 230 exhibitors representing 400 brands – 30% of them international – the fair consolidates a concrete expansion of its offering, strengthening its positioning as a key reference point for business related to winter sports and outdoor activities.

Visitor data also highlights a positive and steadily evolving trend. The qualified participation of retailers, rental operators, buyers and professionals from Italy, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, the Benelux area and Eastern Europe confirms that demand is coherently following the development of the offer. Clear signals point towards further internationalisation in the future, built on solid and high-quality foundations.

A distinctive element of this edition was the opening of a new pavilion entirely dedicated to outdoor, featuring the debut of the Scandinavian Village alongside the Italian Outdoor Village. This strategic expansion, designed to respond to market evolution and the growing integration between seasons, fostered dialogue between Northern and Southern Europe and showcased increasingly cross-seasonal and versatile collections.

In the new outdoor area, numerous international brands chose to participate with their headquarters and European teams, for a total of 90 exhibitors, further reinforcing Prowinter’s role as a privileged meeting place for industry decision-makers.

Excellent feedback was also received for the Prowinter Test Days powered by ITASNOW and the Prove Libere Retail by Pool Sci Italia. Held on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 January, these initiatives brought professionals onto the slopes of Carezza, transformed for the occasion into a true open-air testing ground. With strong participation – up on 2025 – the tests allowed attendees to preview the latest piste ski innovations for the 2026/2027 season, confirming them as one of the most appreciated and qualifying formats of the event.

Completing the experience was a packed programme of networking and discussion moments – from the Prowinter Après-Ski Party by SuperG to informal meetings across stands, test areas and dedicated spaces – which encouraged direct, practical and continuous dialogue between companies and operators.

Among the key appointments, the Prowinter Lab offered an initial snapshot of the 2025/2026 winter season through data from the traditional survey addressed to Italian retailers and rental operators. Presented by the team led by Alfredo Tradati, the survey involved 120 operators (60 ski rental businesses and 60 specialist retailers).

The results outline a cautious but solid start to the season: 78.5% of operators report a positive or stable assessment, while bookings and sales are largely in line with the 2024/2025 season. Over 63% expect stable or growing turnover. On the operational side, clear signs of dynamism emerge: equipment fleet renewal was almost universal among rental operators, and 54.2% of respondents introduced new brands or services.

Alongside the trade fair, the Winter Sports Sustainability Network Meeting and the Ski Industry Climate Summit took place – two international-level events dedicated to discussion on strategies, innovation and best practices for the future of winter sports.

Sustainability was also a cross-cutting theme throughout the 2026 edition. For the first time, the Prowinter Award integrated a specific criterion related to environmental responsibility, assessed by a specialised ESG consultant, strengthening an increasingly structured and transparent approach.

«Prowinter 2026 confirms the evolution of the trade fair as a dynamic, practical and strategic platform, increasingly international and capable of generating real value for the supply chain» comments Geraldine Coccagna, Brand Manager of Prowinter. «Our primary objective, pursued in constant dialogue with partners and exhibitors, is to guide qualitative growth before quantitative growth, offering a compact, high-quality trade fair focused on business, relationships and sustainability.»

Following this edition, the next appointment will be the Prowinter Season Finale, the end-of-season event dedicated to industry insiders, featuring the presentation of market data and the Festa dell’Atleta, scheduled for April.

The leading B2B trade fair for the winter mountain sector will return to Fiera Bolzano from 10 to 12 January 2027.

INFO: Prowinter