NSSF Hosts Largest SHOT Show to Date Following Two-Year Hiatus

March 11, 2022

The 2022 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show(SHOT Show), owned and operated by the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF) made a strong return to Las Vegas, drawing more than 2,400 exhibitors and more than 43,000 attendees from 100 countries and featuring its largest floor plan in history.

Held Jan. 18-21 at Caesars Forum and The Venetian Expo, the 44th SHOT Show brought the firearm industry together in-person again after holding it’s 2021 edition virtually. As the fifth-largest trade show in Las Vegas, the SHOT Show provides an estimated $88 million in non-gaming revenue to the city.

The show’s attendee turnout and vast size this year, covering more than 800,000 net square feet, an increase from the 692,000 net square feet of the 2020 show, demonstrated a willingness to push forward amid the pandemic, make meaningful connections and conduct business while paying close attention to health and safety precautions, according to Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief customer officer of NSSF.

“This is a very tactile business, and it means a lot to buyers to be able to see and handle our industry’s products in person,” Dolnack said. “To our exhibitors, buyers, media and everyone associated with making this year’s show a success, we extend our sincerest appreciation.”

The show put a huge range of products for target shooting, hunting, outdoor recreation, personal defense and law enforcement purposes on display, keeping in mind the back-to-back record-breaking years for firearm purchases. From 2020 through 2021, background checks related to firearm sales reached 40 million, with more than 11 million Americans purchasing a firearm for the first time for reasons of personal security, target shooting and hunting.

Positive Feedback

The show’s new venue, Caesars Forum, received high marks from exhibitors and attendees, providing opportunities for more small and mid-size companies to exhibit and spacious areas for the show’s New Product Center and the new SHOT Show eXtra table-top exhibitors section.

“Love the new facility, the comfortable flooring and the lighting,” said Mike Smith of Dead Air Silencers. “From our perspective, the people who are here really wanted to be here. They were really focused on business and also catching up in person.”

The overarching sentiment was that while attendance was somewhat down from the last in-person show, there were many positives to take away from this year’s SHOT Show.

“Business is good, and everyone is happy,” said Nathan Robinson of Winchester Ammunition. “We’re not here to see the most people but to see those people who want to do business.”

Tara Yager of ETS Group was pleased with seeing so many international attendees.

“We’ve had lots of international interest in carrying our brand,” she said.

Jonathan Solomon of Redstone Firearms said his company was able to find new solutions, negotiate better pricing and bond with like-minded people at the event. 

“SHOT Show exceeded our expectations,” he said. “This event has definitely helped Redstone with plans to continue to grow in 2022 and beyond.”

Show Highlights

One of the most well-attended special events at the show was the NSSF Governors’ Forum, where six governors discussed the importance of firearm businesses to their economies and their efforts to attract firearm- and ammunition-related companies to locate in their state. Across America, the $7.1 billion firearm industry supports more than 342,000 jobs.

NSSF also announced its 2021 and 2022 Hall of Fame inductees, honoring one woman and five men who left indelible marks in the industry and the shooting sports. The NSSF Hall of Fame was launched at the 2020 show to honor industry leaders for their contributions to NSSF, the SHOT Show and the heritage of target shooting and hunting in America.

At the sold-out “Women of the Gun Event,” champion shooter and firearm safety advocate Julie Golob was named the winner of its first-ever Woman of the Gun Award. The award recognizes Golob’s achievements and contributions to the shooting sports, plus her work to promote the mission and message of the industry’s firearm safety program—Project ChildSafe

The two-day Supplier Showcase featured 540 OEM third-party suppliers meeting with exhibiting manufacturers and exploring their needs for extrusions, fabrication, fabrics, machinery, metal, plastics, software, logistical support and tools.

Supplier Showcase exhibitor Scott Schaffer, president of Gun Snot, said the showcase generated an incredible number of good contacts.

“The return on investment is off the charts, and we’re grateful we got into the show,” he said.

Many official show events cluster around the four days of SHOT Show itself, creating “SHOT Week.” Among them was the NSSF/HAVA Golf Classic in support of Honored American Veterans Afield, a firearm industry-run charitable organization that helps the healing of disabled combat veterans through participation in hunting and the shooting sports. Also, Industry Day at the Rangeon the day before SHOT Show attracted more than 1,700 members of the media and buyers, as well as 175 exhibiting companies.

Meanwhile, for the first time in over a decade, the SHOT Show had an expansive outdoor space, where hands-on demonstrations by manufacturers were presented and where a Welcome Back Happy Hour for thousands of show attendees and exhibitors was hosted Wednesday evening by NSSF.

Photo: 2022 SHOT Show (National Shooting Sports Foundation)

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.