AFFTA is polling its members–manufacturers, retailers, and media–to gauge interest in potentially having the International Fly Tackle Dealer trade show branch off again, apart from the ICAST trade show. If you’re a member and haven’t answered the survey, check your in-box, and make sure your opinions are counted.
To be clear, IFTD is contracted to take place in association with ICAST again this year in Orlando, July 11-14, 2017. Angling Trade will be there, as usual, and we hope to see you there.
There is no denying that the association with ICAST has buoyed the IFTD show when it needed it most, and the most recent shows have been the largest we’ve experienced… last year’s show IFTD sold out of booth space, and was well-attended. That said, we at Angling Trade consistently hear from our readers that the timing of the show in July (in the middle of most fly shops’ peak season) is difficult, and there are places trout shops would rather be than in central Florida in July.
Our conversations with AFFTA and others indicate a wide range of alternatives being considered, as well as different time frames, like May, or October, and different sites, like places where trout live.
Angling Trade is intentionally not going to voice an opinion or try to influence your position. Suffice it to say that we will support you all, and the show. We will take part in IFTD wherever it takes place. And we will report on what goes down there to everyone, whether they choose to attend or not.
We are, however, going to encourage those vested in AFFTA and the show to support AFFTA as it goes through this process. Don’t sit on the sidelines and not say anything, and then complain when a decision gets made.
Kudos to AFFTA for looking carefully at this issue. We are eager to see where it all evolves.
