The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show recently concluded four successful days at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, setting new attendance records at the 35th anniversary of the event.
The largest tradeshow of its kind in the world and the fifth largest tradeshow in Las Vegas, the SHOT Show attracted a record overall attendance of 62,371, including a new high for buyers and more than 2,000 media representatives.
Exhibitors and attendees alike said the SHOT Show is critical to the success of their businesses.
“The SHOT Show is the springboard for every new product that we introduce each year,” said Frank Devlin of Otis Technology, an exhibitor at the event. “It gives the industry the opportunity to see our new products and allows us to get feedback from them to know that we are heading in the right direction.”
More than 1,600 exhibitors filled booth space covering 630,000 net square feet, equivalent to the area covered by the New Orleans Superdome or the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The show, which is a trade-only event, attracted industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.
“For the 24 years we’ve been going, the SHOT Show is the most important show we do each year,” said John Anthon, president of GATCO Sharpeners/Timberline Knives, who attended the event. “It is the largest venue globally and the most important. Every important customer comes to the show for that reason.”
The SHOT Show is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs, including promoting responsible firearms ownership and safe storage practices.
The $4.1 billion firearms and ammunition industry supports many small businesses and helps preserve the more than 200,000 jobs associated with the shooting sports.
In conjunction with the show, the SHOT Show Birdies for the Brave golf outing took place last weekend at TPC Summerlin. The tournament raised more than $100,000 for military homefront groups, surpassing last year’s total by 30 percent. Birdies for the Brave is a national military outreach initiative proudly supported by the PGA TOUR. It was founded by professional golfer Phil Mickelson and his wife, Amy.
“NSSF is a proud supporter of this event and thanks all the event sponsors and everyone who came out to the course to show their support for these organizations,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of NSSF.
The SHOT Show will return to the Sands Expo and Convention Center from Jan. 14-17, 2014.
