If you’re a business, brand or service in the hunting, fishing, or outdoor industry, there’s never been a better time to get face-to-face with your customers again. After years of digital everything, people still crave real connection, real experiences, and real brands they can trust.
That’s exactly why outdoor expos and trade shows have come roaring back, and why smart outdoor brands are making them a top marketing priority heading into 2026.
The Power of In-Person Connection
During COVID, companies had to rely on online ads, emails, and social media to reach their audience. But for the outdoor industry, nothing replaces being there in person. Shaking hands, talking gear, and swapping stories about your last hunting and fishing trip.
Outdoor expos give you the chance to do just that. When someone can hold your product, see it in action, or hear your story directly from you, it builds a level of trust and loyalty no online ad can match.
At events like the Arkansas Outdoor Expo, you’re not just buying or selling a product or service, you’re creating a relationship that lasts long after the event ends.
Hands-On Marketing That Converts
Outdoor enthusiasts are doers. They want to touch, test, and experience what they buy. That’s why experiential marketing, giving customers a chance to physically interact with your brand performs so well in this industry.
At an outdoor trade show, you can:
- Demonstrate new hunting, fishing, camping gear
- Showcase boats, ATVs, and outdoor vehicles
- Promote destinations, short term rentals, lodges, and guided trips
- Build awareness for services like outfitters, taxidermy, and land management
When attendees get to experience your brand firsthand, it’s far easier to turn curiosity into a loyal following and lifetime customer.
Reaching Your Target Audience Directly
Outdoor expos bring together a laser-focused crowd, people who live and breathe the outdoors. Whether you’re promoting hunting products, fishing tackle, boat accessories, lodges and destinations, or outdoor lifestyle gear, you’re putting your brand directly in front of the people most likely to buy from you.
Instead of casting a wide digital net, expos allow you to meet qualified buyers, retailers, outfitters, and passionate consumers face-to-face, all in one place.
Building Community and Brand Credibility
Post-COVID, consumers are supporting brands that feel authentic and community-driven. By exhibiting at regional expos like the Arkansas Outdoor Expo, your company becomes part of a larger outdoor movement that celebrates the traditions, skills, and adventures that unite us all.
Being present at respected events positions your business as a trusted, established name in the industry, especially when attendees see your booth year after year.
Boosting Local Economies and Outdoor Growth
Outdoor expos don’t just connect businesses and buyers, they strengthen the entire outdoor economy. Hosting vendors from across the region helps drive local tourism, supports small businesses, and keeps outdoor recreation alive and thriving.
When your company participates, you’re investing in more than just marketing, you’re supporting the growth of the outdoor community itself.
The Perfect Timing for Growth
After COVID, outdoor participation skyrocketed. Millions of new hunters, anglers, and campers entered the market, and they’re looking for brands to trust, groups to connect in sharing new paths and shared interests.
Trade shows like the Arkansas Outdoor Expo are where these newcomers discover what’s next, from high-end gear and guided experiences to innovative outdoor technologies and family-friendly adventures. For exhibitors, that means a larger, more enthusiastic audience than ever before.
Join the Movement
If your company offers hunting gear, fishing tackle, boats, outdoor services, or destination experiences, you belong at the Arkansas Outdoor Expo!
Meet buyers. Connect with customers. Interact with influencers. Showcase your products in front of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts who are eager to explore, engage, and invest in what you have to offer.
Because at the end of the day, the outdoors isn’t just an industry, it’s a lifestyle.
And there’s no better place to share it than at an outdoor expo built for people who live it.
Ready to exhibit?
Learn more about booth space, sponsorship opportunities, and event details at Arkansas Outdoor Expo Vendors
Join us, and let’s grow the outdoor industry together.