The growth of FIBO China 2017, which saw attendee numbers rise by 28 per cent, has led organisers to move the Shanghai show to a larger venue for 2018.

Visitor numbers at this year’s event, which took place from 7-9 September at the Shanghai Convention and Exhibition Center, rose to 20,589 from 16,097 in 2016.

Attendees to the fourth edition of the event came from 47 countries, and 80 per cent were trade visitors.

“With that, we can quite rightly say that FIBO China has become established as a fitness industry platform,” said FIBO director Silke Frank. “Not just in China but in Asia as a whole.”

Some 1,131 people travelled to China – primarily from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and India, but also from Saudi Arabia, Russia and the US.

A record 131 companies with 300 brands exhibited at the show, which was organised jointly by Reed Exhibitions Deutschland and Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions.

Next year’s event will take place at the Shanghai National Expo and Congress Center.

As part of widening its worldwide presence, the first FIBO Fitness Business Summit South Africa will take place in Cape Town on 7-8 November.