UK TO HOST 2015 EUROPEAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT

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1 PRESS INFORMATION 16 TH October 2104 UK TO HOST 2015 EUROPEAN OUTDOOR SUMMIT The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the contract from The European Outdoor Group (EOG) to host the European Outdoor Summit (EOS) conference in the UK in Following the successful bid to host the event, the OIA has selected the City of Sheffield in Yorkshire as the preferred venue for the 2015 event which will take place on October 13 th 15 th. Sheffield offers a fabulous range of conference, hotel and outdoor sporting facilities and is now embarking on new marketing initiatives to promote and position it as the Outdoor Capital City of the UK. This follows shortly after hosting one of the World s largest sporting events The Tour de France, which placed Sheffield on the world stage as a sporting venue, playing host to international visitors, athletes and support teams from all over Europe. Not only is it famous for The Yorkshire Grand Depart element of the Tour but it sits on the edge of the Peak District National Park where outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy a range of

2 outdoor activities including rock climbing, bouldering and mountain biking within minutes of leaving the city centre. Commenting on the announcement, OIA Chief Executive, Andrew Denton said, We put forward a comprehensive bid to host the EOS and I m really pleased and proud that we have been awarded the opportunity to organise the 2015 event in the UK. Having researched several different venues we feel that the city of Sheffield offers all the facilities that we need and expect, and more! Not only does the Marketing Sheffield team have a great deal of experience in hosting international events but the facilities within the city are fantastic and the team are extremely enthusiastic about getting involved and providing the necessary logistical support for the conference. We are already looking forward with excitement to next year, planning an impressive line-up of guest keynote speakers and a comprehensive programme interactive seminars and workshops. We also hope to showcase to the international audience and to our members, everything that Sheffield and the surrounding Peak District has to offer in terms of outdoor recreational activities. Mark Held, General Secretary of the EOG was delighted to announce the UK as the host country for 2015 and in awarding the organisation of the event to the OIA, said, Following the successful bid by Andrew and his team, we are convinced that the OIA deserve to host the 2015 event and will do an exceptional job of organising a great conference. Their challenge is to push the boundaries yet again and I m looking forward to see how the plans progress during the lead up to October I hope that the wider European outdoor industry and EOG members will support the event again next year in Sheffield.

3 Conference management, organisation and marketing will be handled by specialist outdoor PR and event management agency MCS which already handles all the administration for the OIA. Additional event support is also being provided by the Marketing Sheffield team. About the OIA Ends The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) is the trade membership body that represents manufacturers, retailers and other organisations that provide products and services for the outdoor leisure pursuits market in the United Kingdom. It provides leadership and promotes the outdoors, persuasively representing the industry's interests in all outdoor recreational activities and at every level and is a high profile, campaigning and lobbying organisation that has developed a strong voice and credibility within government. Its objectives include: Supporting outreach programmes to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors Lobbying and informing on issues pertinent to the industry in the UK and Europe Promoting careers and training in the industry Providing up to date and relevant industry research and insight to help inform and direct strategies Promoting and collaborating on sustainability and environmental good practice Providing value for money for members About Sheffield Sheffield lies at the heart of the UK with easy access by: Road using the UK motorway network including the M1, M62 and A1(M) Rail fast connections to London (2hrs), Paris (5hrs by Eurostar) Air serviced by, Doncaster and Leeds/Bradford Sheffield s Climbing Works is the biggest Bouldering Wall in the UK Sheffield is the only core city with a national park within its city boundary: a third of the city lies in the Peak District National Park Sheffield is regarded as the Climbing Capital of the UK with both access to gritstone climbing and bouldering in the Peak District five miles from the city centre Sheffield is home to Steve Peat Downhill Mountain Bike World Champion Sheffield has conference facilities for 15,000 delegates Sheffield has 2,000 hotel rooms within five minutes walk of the main city centre venues About EOS Andrew Denton talks about winning the 2015 bid. Sheffield Host City A short video of the host city

4 The European Outdoor Summit and the EOG The Summit is an initiative of the European Outdoor Group (EOG), the association set up to represent the common interests of the European outdoor industry. As a pan-european organisation the EOG is uniquely placed to support the Summit, which will be held in alternate years in different countries. The national outdoor groups representing these countries will organise each Summit, allowing each event to assume its own identity, content and experience, but with the Summit remaining open to all. For further information please contact: Andrew Denton, Chief Executive Officer andrew.denton@theoia.co.uk Lauren Mackenzie, Marketing & Communication lauren.mackenzie@theoia.co.uk

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