The Asia Outdoor Show carries forward Mr. Jaeger’s grand vision, forging ahead with unwavering dedication to its founding mission —
In commemoration of the fourth anniversary of Knut Jaeger’s passing.
On January 31, 2015, Mr. Knut Jaeger, the founder of the Asia Outdoor Trade Show (Asia Outdoor Show) and the Asia Bike Trade Show, as well as the former chairman of Beijing Dehmans Exhibition Consulting Co., Ltd., peacefully passed away.
As a pioneer and leader in both the European and Chinese outdoor industries, Mr. Knut Jaeger made outstanding contributions to the development of the outdoor sectors in Europe and China:
In 1976, he founded the globally renowned outdoor brand Big Pack in Germany.
In 1990, he co-initiated the formation of the European Outdoor Group (EOG) with several leading European outdoor brands.
In 1994, during his tenure as Chairman of the European Outdoor Group, he collaborated with numerous internationally acclaimed outdoor brands to establish the OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen, Germany.
In 2006, he founded the Asia Outdoor Trade Show in Nanjing, China.
In 2011, he introduced Eurobike to China and launched the Asia Bike Trade Show.
In 2013, he advocated for the establishment of the China Outdoor Association (COA).
For over thirty years, Mr. Knut Jaeger was deeply involved at the forefront of the outdoor industry, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to advancing the development of China’s outdoor sector. He offered selfless support and care to many Chinese outdoor companies and professionals, fostering the stable, healthy, and vigorous growth of the industry in China.Mr. Jaeger devoted the precious remainder of his life to China’s outdoor cause, and the Asia Outdoor Show and Asia Bike Trade Show are the most valuable legacies he left for China’s outdoor industry.
As a Sino-German collaborative exhibition project, the Asia Outdoor Show has taken deep root in China. Mr. Knut Jaeger had a strong desire during his lifetime: to make the Asia Outdoor Show the world’s largest professional outdoor exhibition. He often said, “China has the world’s largest population, and its outdoor market is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. The potential of China’s outdoor enthusiasts and consumer market is far from being fully realized. At the current pace of development, it won’t be long before it reaches the scale of the outdoor markets in the U.S. and Europe…” However, he did not live to see that day come. Mr. Jaeger’s emails always included a cartoon symbolizing “never give up,” which was a true reflection of his life and legacy — and also serves as an accurate portrayal of how the Beijing Dehmans and Nanjing Yuanya teams continue to innovate, forge ahead, and persevere to this day.
As we honor the memory of our founder, Knut Jaeger, on the occasion of the Asia Outdoor Show’s 14th anniversary, the event will return to where it all began — the Nanjing (Xinzhuang) International Exhibition Center. Upholding his vision, while ensuring the continued development of its original B2B trade show positioning, the show will create new outdoor experience models for the industry, launching in-depth experiential outdoor carnival events for end consumers (C-end), and initiating a nationwide tour to vigorously promote a leisurely, healthy outdoor lifestyle among the general public, thus fulfilling his unfinished mission. No matter how great the challenges facing the industry or the pressures encountered, Beijing Dehmans and Nanjing Yuanya will continue to steadily advance the Asia Outdoor Show, in tribute to Mr. Jaeger’s enduring spirit.
