anniversary: 50 years of INTERALPIN

The leading international trade fair for alpine technologies has reason to celebrate: 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of INTERALPIN. What began on a small scale in 1974 has developed into the major meeting place for the ropeway industry over the past five decades. The 25th edition of the trade fair, which is organised every two years, will take place in 2025. 

A look at the early years shows just how rapidly INTERALPIN’s popularity grew. Within just a few years, what was initially just a small exhibition became the place for the whole industry to meet, attracting attendees from all over the world. In 1974, a small presentation of products from the ropeway industry took place at the Kurhaus in Igls, which now falls under the CMI in the form of the congresspark igls, as part of the then “International Ski Congress”. One year later, then taking place at the Innsbruck Congress Centre, the exhibition was given the name INTERALPIN.

In 1977, it was held for the first time as an independent event under the tagline "Trade Exhibition for Winter Service Equipment" with 72 exhibitors and an audience hailing from over 20 nations. In 1978, the number of exhibitors rose again to 84 companies, and in 1980 to 120. “From this point onwards, INTERALPIN’s success story was unstoppable. When Congress Innsbruck was bursting at the seams at the beginning of the new millennium, INTERALPIN moved to Messe Innsbruck in 2002, where it is still held today and is continuously being expanded. In 2023, INTERALPIN welcomed over 35,000 trade visitors from approx. 130 nations with around 650 exhibitors from over 50 countries.