Tackle Trade World - May 2024

MAY
2024
TackleTrade
www.tackletradeworld.com
EDITORIAL
Editor:
John Hunter
04
+44 7990 542958
john.hunter@dhpub.co.uk
A journalist all his life and with 20-plus years
of international business magazine experience,
John was the founding editor of TTW and has
now returned to the helm. He has helped
many brands launch and grow over the years
through B2B publications and via his own
consultancy business.
ADVERTISING
North America:
Bart Manganiello
+1 914 722 7601
bartalm@optonline.net
For over 38 years, Bart has been working with
trade magazines, 34 in the tackle industry.
Since 2001, he has been TTW’s North American
Director, providing the best communication
programs to companies, helping them connect
with current and prospective trade partners
around the world.
Rest Of The World:
Guido Knegt
+39 3475036436
guido.knegt@dhpub.co.uk
A born and bred Dutchman, he spent five
years travelling the world as a scuba-diving
instructor and English teacher before settling
down in Sardinia. Guido previously worked for
TTW between 2014 and 2017.
China: Robert Li
Li Ziwei
+86 13451914155
robert.li365@gmail.com
Li Ziwei (Robert) has been working as news
editor for over 20 years. He founded the most
influential Chinese fishing forum in the Straits
and successfully organised many industry
events. His love for culture and tourism has led
him to devote his entire life to the exchanges
between China and southeast Asia.
Magazine Manager
Justin Fox
+44 7813 327966
justin.fox@dhpub.co.uk
A hugely experienced communicator with
more than 20 years at parent company DHP,
Justin knows what it takes to grow brands
and businesses across the tackle sector.
Sub Editor: David Haynes
Art Editor: Paul Evans
Editorial Design: Brad Sharp
DHP LTD
Editorial, administration, subscriptions and
accounts to: DHP Ltd, 1st Floor, Nene House,
Sopwith Way, Daventry, NN11 8EA, UK
www.tackletradeworld.com
THE SUMMIT OF
OUR BUSINESS
EXPECTATIONS
It seems that angling summits are the latest
‘thing’ doing the rounds in the tackle trade.
We can’t move for them!
While the American Sportfishing Association
has been running its Sportfishing Summit in the
USA for over two decades to great acclaim, the
concept is a little newer for two other industry
organisations.
After a poorly backed Confluence trade
show in Salt Lake City in 2023, the American
Fly Fishing Trade Association (AFFTA)
is dispensing with the show element for
its 2024 Confluence, instead introducing a
similar summit concept, offering networking
opportunities and business seminars and
discussions.
And now it seems the European Fishing
Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) will be
exploring the idea too, perhaps towards the
end of this year, before adding into its own
EFTTEX 2025 trade show offering the
following year.
So will these work? Well, the ASA has
actually been holding meetings for its leadership
and members since 1933, although it was back
in 2002 that the gathering was revamped and
rebranded as the Sportfishing Summit.
The concept was simple – throw open your
doors to the wider sportfishing trade community,
encourage more meaningful conversations at all
levels about the future of our sport and how we
can all derive greater benefits from our efforts.
At the same time, throw in a good few social
and educational events and you can attract a
veritable who’s who of the industry.
The Confluence NOLA 2024 (it’s being held John Hunter
in New Orleans, Louisiana) will be a place for Editor
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6,466
the fly fishing industry to come together, have
those important conversations as a whole and
individually, while strengthening the industry
and businesses, with educational talks and a
sounding board for AFFTA to hear thoughts
from its members.
Naturally, both of these summits usually also
take place in cool places where the fishing is
good and visitors can appreciate the natural
environment which the organisations are
constantly championing – it’s a smart way of
encouraging attendance.
Quite what the plans are for EFTTA’s
Angling Summit later this year, few details have
yet been released.
But I suspect it will be in a popular central
European location, making it easy to get to,
with a mix of round-table discussions, business
advice and talks and perhaps even a few industry
awards thrown in.
It will be interesting to see if the European
tackle trade embraces such a concept and is
willing to get into its cars or jump on trains/
planes to attend.
While EFTTA and the ASA plan on backing
or running trade shows in addition, AFFTA’s
Confluence follows the demise of the IFTD
show.
However, I wouldn’t mind betting it won’t
be long before brand representatives there are
encouraging attendees to spend a little time
discussing or looking at their new products or
launches.
Maybe things will go full circle...