Strong engagement a feature of 2025 Pool Spa Life Expo season

“Pool Spa Life season has been amazing so far,” says SPASA commercial executive manager Declan Gillard-Martin, who spoke with SPLASH! at the Sydney expo.

“The feedback is that the visitors that came in have good intent, are really engaged and ready to buy, so we’ve targeted the right audience and brought the right people through the doors. Hopefully the exhibitors can capitalise on that.”

Gillard Martin says while the New Zealand show wasn’t happening this year, it should be on again next year.

“The New Zealand show in 2025 hasn’t gone ahead, but in 2026 it is likely to go ahead – we’re currently contracting to the venue at the moment and speaking with prospective exhibitors about who, what, when, where and why.”

SPASA CEO Lindsay McGrath says that it is clear that the Pool Spa Life Expo continues to be an essential event in the calendar for both consumers and industry professionals.

“Though the market faces challenges, the expo’s ability to attract qualified buyers highlights the ongoing strength of the industry. We are excited to continue supporting our members as they adapt and find new ways to connect with consumers.”

Although overall attendance was slightly lower, he says that digital engagement in the lead-up to the expo tells a different story.

“Marketing metrics indicate a significant increase in online traffic and consumer intent resulting in a 42 per cent increase in visitors to the website throughout the campaign period.”

The number of people clicking on the Grab Your Ticket button (showing real intent to attend) had a 21 per cent increase in high-intent engagement.

“These numbers indicate that while fewer people ultimately attended the event – perhaps influenced by ticket prices which deters casual visitors – those who did come were serious about making a purchase. This strategy ensures exhibitors connect with high-quality prospects, delivering stronger business outcomes.

Giving away a pool

Masterbuilt Pools, who ran a summer competition in which their customers went into a draw for a chance to win their pool for free.

“We ran it over December, January and February, and it just ended last night,” says Ben Silver.

“They also got a free upgrade to Mineral Swim, which is the experience with the Dead Sea minerals, and a free variable speed pump as well from Maytronics, who has been our partner in the summer promotion.

“The winning prize was an eight-metre classic pool, valued at around $18,000, plus the free equipment upgrades. It’s been really good. We wanted people who were already getting a pool to go in the competition – we wanted to give them a reason to choose us,” he says.

“It was great not just for the winners, but everyone, it was something fun and pretty good odds, 15-to-one! I updated people as they signed, you know, you’re five-to-one, or six-to-one. The ones who won were very excited. They even had the date of the draw planned in their calendar.”

Comments from exhibitors

“What a magnificent pool and spa Show,” says Mike Griffin of Pool Ranger. “We had so much interest in swimming pool and spa equipment, from SplashMe Pool automation to chlorination to pumps, filters and heating. Many Thanks to SPASA. Lots of work ahead next weekend helping customers we met over the two days.”

Jade from Just Spas said they have exhibited at the Sydney pool and spa expo for more than 15 years, and it keeps getting better.

“The advertising is outstanding, driving strong attendance and quality leads. This weekend’s sales have been solid, and the prospects are highly promising,” she says.

Thomas from Achievable Pools & Spas says the quality of buyers this year was very good.

“We’re seeing increased interest from people asking technical questions, and the overall quality of enquiries is better. Compared to previous years, the number of attendees seems lower, but from our company’s perspective, the quality is significantly higher,” he says.

“We take the expo very seriously every year, as it’s our key opportunity to build brand awareness and connect with the community. Now in our third year, it’s great to see so many companies here supporting the industry, and consumers looking to invest in pools.”

Kristin Cassidy from Sapphire Pool and Spa says one of the key advantages of the expo is the ability to foster strong industry relationships, highlighting the value of the event beyond just consumer interactions:

“This event is the perfect opportunity to network with suppliers, tilers and outdoor living companies, allowing us to build strong relationships from start to finish. While here, I even gained a new customer in our area.”

The next Pool Spa Life Expos are at Adelaide on March 29-30, Brisbane on May 17-18, followed by the Perth Home Show in on June 20.

MAIN IMAGE: Jordan Forde and Ben Silver of Masterbuilt Pools