FRENCH CONFIRMED WORLD LEADERS

SCPWAS ONE OF 1,272 exhibiting brands at the Lyon Piscine Europe event.
SCP WAS ONE OF 1,272 exhibiting brands at the Lyon Piscine Europe event.

Stalled for four years by Covid, Piscine Global Europe, the undisputed leading global event in the pool and spa sector, was back at its Lyon home in November and did not disappoint. The 1,272 exhibiting brands and companies and the 24,903 trade visitors who attended were finally able to gather again in the familiar show setting with all the benefits of doing business face-to-face.

The exhibition shone a spotlight on 71 new products via the Pool Showcase area and the Piscine Connect app. Innovative products in the sector were also honoured through the Pool Innovation Awards with winners were selected from among the 66 innovative entries by a panel of international judges. The three 2022 winners were:
• First prize – the ISI SKIM universal skimmer basket from ABP Aquilina Bouvier Pool
• Second prize – the CHLOR’IN chlorinator that treats pool water without adding salt, from Fluidra
• Third prize – the TRIKLO’LIVE from Syclope Electronique
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Organised in partnership with the French Federation of Pool and Spa Professionals (FFP), Piscine Global Europe is now more than ever a strategic international event for the sector, a major gateway to the European and world markets with nearly half of its visitors drawn from outside of France. In 2021, France passed the milestone of three million private swimming pools, an increasing part of French everyday life.

Pool professionals are operating in a flourishing market with very promising prospects, despite the soaring costs of raw materials and energy. There are now 3.2 million private pools in France of which 1.55 million are in-ground and 1.64 million above-ground, the equivalent of one family pool for every 21 inhabitants. Forecasts are for 230,000 new in- ground pools to be built in France by the end of 2024 (survey conducted by Décryptis consultants in February/ March 2022) 22% more private pools built in 2021.

France boasts more than 4100 public pool facilities with 6000 swimming pools while nearly half of French camp sites offer a swimming pool, 1077 a water slide and 724 a spa or hot tub (6.5%). Some 28 water parks operate in France, 10 along the Mediterranean coast and six on the Atlantic coast. France has 9000 spas, making it the world’s fourth largest market.

SLATTED POOL cover specialists, OASE, reported steady enquiries throughout the four-day event.
SLATTED POOL cover specialists, OASE, reported steady enquiries throughout the four-day event.

In France, six in 10 five-star hotels offer access to a hot tub. Piscine Global Europe is also a forum designed to anticipate trends, accompany developments and respond to the challenges facing the sector, whether in terms of training and employment, sustainable development, digitisation or innovation. Over the four days, Piscine Global Europe gave pool and wellness industry players a host of opportunities to reflect on and discuss the key challenges they face, through the programme of seminars and workshops proposed.

The issue of recruitment, training and the development of team skills, in a context of strong growth in the sector and increased recruitment needs, was the key focus for the Pool Campus and the seminar workshops in the Pool Arena, a new area set up at the heart of the exhibition which proved to be a huge hit throughout the four days. Sustainable development, a key social issue for the sector, featured prominently at this year’s exhibition.

Optimising energy consumption, managing waste, and renovating and maintaining pools are just some of the topics addressed through innovations and during seminars and workshops focusing on this theme, inviting exhibitors and visitors to think together about ways to go even further in reducing the environmental impacts of private and pools.

Issues relating to digitisation of the industry and its products and services were also a key focus for the discussions, whether in terms of technologies to be harnessed, skills to be acquired. Piscine Global Europe returns to the Eurexpo-Lyon from November 19 to 22, 2024.