20 Years of the Alpinmesse: Two Decades of Innovation

Since 2006, the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum have been the premier gathering place for mountaineers, manufacturers, and experts. This year, the fair is celebrating its anniversary.

From a security trade fair to a European mountaineering hotspot

When the first Alpinmesse with Alpinforum opened its doors in 2006, the world of mountain sports looked very different. Many developments that we now take for granted were still in their infancy back then. Yet one thing was already clear: mountain sports are constantly evolving and need platforms that bring together innovation, science and practice. It was precisely with this vision that the Alpinmesse with Alpinforum was launched 20 years ago. Today, it brings together manufacturers, brands, mountaineering organisations, experts and a dedicated community from across the Alpine region. The figures speak for themselves: just under 175,000 visitors over two decades. In 2025 alone, the event attracted over 13,500 guests and more than 220 exhibitors.

“For 20 years, the Alpinmesse has been bringing together the people who shape mountain sports. This strong network of manufacturers, mountain sports organisations, academia and practitioners is what makes it unique to this day. This anniversary is an incentive for us to continue developing this platform together with our partners,” explains Hansjörg Stern from the interim management team at Congress Messe Innsbruck.

From the ‘Kaprun Talks’ to the trade fair: a success story

Its roots go back a long way: in 1966, the Austrian Board for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS) launched the ‘Kaprun Talks’. Experts from the fields of mountaineering and mountain rescue gathered there to discuss avalanche science, prevention and accident patterns. This gave rise to the Alpinforum. When the first exhibitors took part at an event in Seefeld, the then ÖKAS President, Karl Gabl, came up with the idea of expanding the exhibition’s scope.

On 3 and 4 November 2006, the first Alpinforum, featuring an ‘alpine safety trade fair’, finally took place in Innsbruck. The conference theme, ‘off-piste skiing’, was already being examined from an interdisciplinary perspective at that time: from legal frameworks and avalanche danger levels to patterns of injury off-piste. At the same time, manufacturers showcased the latest innovations in alpine equipment and safety. This interplay continues to define the event to this day: the Alpinmesse showcases new products and technological developments, whilst the Alpinforum discusses current issues in mountaineering and brings together experts from different disciplines.

Anniversary edition in November

The Alpinmesse with Alpinforum, will take place on 21 and 22 November 2026 at the Messe Innsbruck.