interbad 2028: swimming pool, sauna and spa trade fair
interbad is Messe Stuttgart’s international trade fair for swimming pool, sauna and spa facilities, accompanied by a congress and supporting programme. The next edition is scheduled for 10–12 October 2028 at Messe Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany. The fair brings together the pool, sauna, spa and wellness sectors. It is more than a product display: operators can assess solutions for existing facilities and planned projects, while builders, specialist retailers, architects, planners and suppliers can compare requirements and technologies in a professional setting.
interbad 2028 at a glance
| Item | Information |
|---|
| Event | interbad Stuttgart |
| Full name | International Trade Fair for Swimming Pool, Sauna and Spa with Congress |
| Edition | 2028 edition; ordinal edition number not stated |
| Event type | International trade fair with congress and supporting programme |
| Category | Specialised trade fair for swimming pool, sauna and spa facilities |
| Dates | 10–12 October 2028 |
| City and country | Stuttgart, Germany |
| Venue | Messe Stuttgart, Messepiazza 1, 70629 Stuttgart, Germany |
| Organisers | Messe Stuttgart and Deutsche Gesellschaft für das Badewesen e. V. (DGfdB) |
| Main sectors | Swimming pools, saunas, spas and wellness |
| Main audiences | Pool, sauna and spa operators; pool builders; specialist retailers; hotels; architects and planners; exhibitors and suppliers |
| Latest published scale | 2026 organiser figures: around 7,500 trade visitors, around 300 exhibiting companies and 26,000 m² of exhibition space |
The 2028 dates and venue are published. The figures above describe the 2026 edition; the 2028 programme and visitor arrangements should be checked as the organiser releases them.
Why interbad matters to pool, sauna and spa professionals
Evaluate facility solutions
Pool, sauna and spa projects combine visitor experience with technical and operational decisions. Seeing equipment and concepts together can help operators and project teams frame supplier questions around the needs of a particular facility.
Compare ideas across connected sectors
interbad covers swimming pools, saunas, spas and wellness. Operators planning a broader bathing or leisure offer can use the fair to consider how different facility elements relate, rather than assessing each in isolation.
Connect products with professional knowledge
The trade fair is paired with the DGfdB Congress and other supporting events. The 2026 edition included an expert programme and product presentations in the exhibition hall; these formats bring practical discussion alongside the displayed technologies.
Latest published figures, 2026:
- Around 300 exhibiting companies, as reported by Messe Stuttgart.
- Around 7,500 trade visitors, as reported by Messe Stuttgart.
- 26,000 m² of exhibition space, published in the event’s quick facts.
These are organiser-published figures for the 2026 edition. The reported professional audience and exhibition scale support focused comparison across the event’s specialist sectors.
Exhibition sectors and product groups at interbad
The fair’s core areas are swimming pools, saunas, spas and wellness. The groups below organise those sectors into practical areas to explore; individual exhibitor and product listings can change between editions.
Pool construction and facility design
- Public and commercial swimming-pool concepts
- Pool structures and interior finishes
- Pool-edge and surrounding-area solutions
- Planning and design approaches for bathing facilities
- Indoor, outdoor and combined-use facility concepts
Pool technology and water systems
- Pool circulation and water-treatment equipment
- Filtration and water-quality systems
- Technical equipment for pool operation
- Solutions for maintaining bathing-water conditions
- Facility technologies for new-build and refurbishment projects
Sauna cabins and equipment
- Sauna cabins and installation concepts
- Heating and operating equipment
- Interior materials and furnishings
- Products for sauna and bathing environments
- Facility concepts combining sauna with pool or spa use
Spa and wellness environments
- Modern spa concepts and furnishings
- Wellness areas for commercial facilities
- Relaxation and treatment-space concepts
- Design ideas for guest-facing spa environments
- Integrated pool, sauna and spa experiences
Facility operation and supporting technologies
- Technologies used in pool, sauna and spa operations
- Digital and smart-facility approaches discussed by the sector
- Energy-conscious facility concepts
- Operational considerations for public and commercial baths
- Products and services listed by participating companies
Who should visit interbad?
Public and commercial swimming-pool operators
Useful if you are responsible for a public bath, commercial pool or swimming facility and are evaluating equipment, refurbishment priorities or future projects.
- Compare pool and water-system solutions against the facility’s operating needs
- Identify questions for equipment suppliers and project partners
- Explore how pool facilities connect with sauna, spa and wellness offers
- Consider operational and energy-related themes raised by the sector
Sauna, spa and wellness facility operators
Useful if you manage a sauna, spa, hotel wellness area or related commercial facility and want to review products and concepts for guest-facing spaces.
- Explore sauna and spa furnishings and facility concepts
- Compare ways to integrate wellness areas with pool facilities
- Assess product fit against your layout, operating model and visitor profile
- Discuss practical requirements with relevant suppliers
Pool builders, specialist retailers and technical suppliers
Useful if you design, build, equip or sell solutions for swimming-pool facilities and want to review products across the pool, sauna and spa sectors.
- Compare equipment and product ranges for customer projects
- Review the needs of public and commercial facility operators
- Identify complementary products for a broader bathing or wellness offer
- Discuss specifications, service needs and project fit with manufacturers
Architects, planners and consultants
Useful if you plan or advise on swimming-pool, sauna or spa facilities and need a concentrated view of products and facility concepts.
- Review materials, equipment and spatial concepts relevant to active projects
- Compare supplier approaches for pool and wellness environments
- Use the congress and supporting programme to follow professional discussion
- Prepare project-specific questions before speaking with exhibitors
Manufacturers and companies considering exhibiting
Useful if your company supplies products, equipment or services for pool, sauna, spa or wellness facilities and wants to assess the professional audience and sector fit.
- Evaluate whether your offer serves the event’s operator, builder or retail audiences
- Review how your products sit alongside adjacent facility sectors
- Prepare a clear explanation of applications, specifications and service requirements
- Check participation planning and stand information with the organiser
Why visit interbad?
- Compare pool technologies: identify products relevant to an operating facility, refurbishment or planned build.
- Review sauna and spa concepts: assess equipment, furnishings and design ideas against the requirements of your site.
- Connect related facility decisions: consider how pool, sauna and wellness areas may work together in a commercial or public-bath setting.
- Meet relevant suppliers: use the exhibitor directory to shortlist companies and prepare focused questions before attending.
- Follow professional discussion: review the DGfdB Congress and supporting programme when the 2028 details are published.
- Make project decisions more concrete: compare product claims with your facility’s specifications, operating constraints and procurement timetable.
Why exhibit at interbad?
Manufacturers, technology suppliers and service companies whose products serve swimming pools, saunas, spas or wellness facilities may consider interbad when they want to present their offer to a professional trade audience. In 2026, Messe Stuttgart reported around 300 exhibiting companies and around 7,500 trade visitors. Those organiser figures describe the previous edition, not a guarantee of the 2028 audience.
Exhibitors can use the event to demonstrate how products work, explain technical requirements, compare their offer with adjacent solutions and discuss applications with operators, builders, retailers, planners and other professionals. A clear product story and well-defined target list can help make participation purposeful.
Before committing, assess the German market and the project types you want to serve. Public-sector refurbishment and new-build projects may involve budget constraints, project-specific procurement and technical requirements. Confirm relevant standards, approvals, tender conditions, service capacity and commercial terms for each product and customer before making market-entry decisions. Participation planning and registration information for 2028 should be checked with Messe Stuttgart.
What makes interbad different?
interbad brings the swimming-pool, sauna, spa and wellness sectors together with an associated congress.
The event’s focus is on the interests of pool, sauna and spa facility operators, with builders, specialist retailers, hotels, architects and planners also represented in its visitor profile. In 2026, the trade fair combined product presentations in the hall with the DGfdB Congress and supporting association events. The 2026 programme is a previous-edition example; the 2028 schedule has not been confirmed on the pages reviewed.
What should you try to achieve at interbad?
A useful visit starts with a defined facility or business question, not simply a plan to browse. Set one or two measurable objectives before choosing which exhibitors and programme items to prioritise.
If you operate a pool or public bath
Identify the equipment and supplier questions that could inform one defined operating or refurbishment decision.
If you manage a sauna, spa or hotel wellness facility
Shortlist concepts and products that fit a specific space, service offer and operating model.
If you build, design or specify facilities
Compare solutions for a live project and record the technical information needed for the next design or procurement step.
If you supply products or plan to exhibit
Identify the visitor groups most relevant to your offer and prepare a concise explanation of applications, specifications and support.
How to prepare before interbad
1. Define the decision you need to make
Write down the facility, project or product question that makes the visit worthwhile. For a pool operator, this may concern water systems, an upgrade or a future facility plan. For a spa operator, it may concern furnishings, layout or a new guest-facing concept.
2. Build a shortlist from the exhibitor directory
The official exhibitor directory lists participating companies, brands, products and services for the edition it covers. Use its search and filters to identify relevant companies, then confirm that the directory has been updated for 2028 before relying on it.
3. Prioritise conversations
Classify companies as A – must discuss, B – useful to compare and C – explore if time allows. Prioritise A companies around your actual project or operating requirement.
4. Prepare technical questions
- Which facility type and operating conditions is the solution designed for?
- What site measurements or system specifications are needed before a proposal?
- How does the product integrate with existing pool, sauna or spa equipment?
- What installation, commissioning and maintenance requirements should be considered?
- Which operating costs, consumables or service intervals should be compared?
- What documentation, testing or product approvals apply to the intended use?
- What lead times and project dependencies need to be confirmed?
- Which parts of a quote are fixed, optional or dependent on site conditions?
5. Check the 2028 visitor information
Opening times, tickets, access arrangements and programme details should be confirmed from the organiser’s updated visitor pages before you travel. The ticket page reviewed displayed information for the 2026 edition rather than a 2028 schedule.
How to make the most of interbad
Use the directory and your target list to navigate deliberately. At each relevant stand, capture information in a consistent format:
Company → Product or concept → Facility need → Technical question → Contact → Next action
For example, when reviewing pool equipment, note the system or facility requirement it addresses, the information needed to assess compatibility and what follow-up documentation would support a decision. For sauna and spa concepts, record the intended facility type, installation constraints and operating requirements. This makes it easier to compare suppliers after the fair instead of relying on memory.
Check the programme information for the edition you plan to attend and protect time for the congress or other sessions that relate directly to your work. The 2028 programme should be confirmed when the organiser publishes it.
Beyond the interbad exhibition floor
interbad combines its trade fair with the DGfdB Congress and supporting association events. The official event description says these programme areas offer training, exchange and professional perspectives. In 2026, Messe Stuttgart also described expert programming and product presentations in the exhibition hall. These are examples from the previous edition, not a confirmed 2028 schedule.
When the next programme is released, compare session topics with your own facility or project priorities. Operators may focus on operational and technical issues; planners and builders may look for sessions that inform project design; suppliers may use professional discussion to understand the questions their customers are addressing.
Networking at interbad
Prepare a concise introduction to your role, facility or product, followed by a specific question. Pool and bath operators can bring basic project requirements; architects and builders can describe the facility type and stage of planning; suppliers can explain applications and support without assuming that every visitor is a prospective buyer.
After a useful conversation, record what was discussed and agree on a realistic next step, such as exchanging technical documentation or arranging a later project discussion. Separate immediate project needs from longer-term market research so that follow-up remains focused.
interbad visitor profile and business opportunities
| Visitor profile | Main interests |
|---|
| Public swimming-pool operators | Pool equipment, facility operation, refurbishment and supplier comparison |
| Commercial pool operators | Technical solutions and products relevant to pool facilities |
| Sauna and spa operators | Sauna systems, spa concepts, furnishings and guest-facing environments |
| Hotels and wellness facilities | Pool, sauna and spa products for commercial hospitality settings |
| Pool builders and specialist retailers | Products and technologies to evaluate for customer projects and retail offers |
| Architects, planners and consultants | Facility concepts, product specifications and professional discussion |
| Manufacturers and suppliers | Presenting products and understanding the needs of professional users |
One day or several days at interbad?
One day
A focused day may suit visitors with a short, well-defined supplier list or a specific product question. Prioritise the most relevant companies and check the programme before arrival.
Two days
Two days may give operators or project teams more room to compare pool, sauna and spa areas and attend relevant professional sessions. Use the extra time for follow-up conversations and cross-sector solutions.
Three days
The fair is scheduled across three days. A multi-day visit may suit visitors with broad facility responsibilities, several projects or a mix of exhibition and congress priorities. Confirm the published 2028 schedule and opening arrangements before planning each day.
interbad is particularly valuable if you have a project
Bring a practical brief rather than relying on general impressions. Useful preparation may include facility type, pool or wellness area, current system details, project stage, intended operating model, site constraints and the date by which a decision is needed. For equipment comparisons, note the specifications and service conditions that matter to your site. For design or refurbishment work, separate confirmed requirements from ideas that still need technical or budget review.
Exhibitors can prepare the same way: identify the facility types their products serve, the technical information visitors need and the next step required to assess an application.
After interbad: turn conversations into decisions
Sort contacts into three groups: A – immediate project relevance, B – potential supplier or partner and C – market or technology information. Follow up with the specific materials needed to evaluate a solution, such as technical data, installation requirements, maintenance details, references or a project quotation where appropriate.
Compare suppliers against the same criteria and record unresolved questions. For a public or commercial facility, test any proposed solution against site conditions, operating needs, procurement processes and budget approval before moving to a purchase decision.
interbad visitor checklist
Before the fair
- ☐ Define the facility, project or supplier decision you want to advance.
- ☐ Review the current exhibitor directory and verify its edition.
- ☐ Prioritise companies and identify programme items when announced.
- ☐ Prepare facility-specific technical and operating questions.
- ☐ Confirm registration, opening times and travel arrangements from current organiser information.
During the fair
- ☐ Record each product, application, technical requirement and follow-up action.
- ☐ Compare solutions using consistent criteria.
- ☐ Attend congress or supporting programme sessions relevant to your objectives.
- ☐ Distinguish immediate project needs from general market observations.
After the fair
- ☐ Follow up with priority contacts and request the documentation needed for evaluation.
- ☐ Compare supplier proposals against the same facility requirements.
- ☐ Confirm approval, procurement and installation conditions before committing.
Is interbad worth visiting?
interbad is most relevant to professionals who operate, design, build, equip or supply swimming-pool, sauna, spa and wellness facilities. Its combination of specialist exhibition sectors and a congress can support product comparison and professional learning. The value of a visit depends on matching the exhibitor and programme information to a real project, operational question or business objective; a prepared shortlist is more useful than an unplanned walk through the halls.
Make your interbad visit count
What decision about a pool, sauna or spa facility do you want to make with better information than you can gather remotely? Set that objective before you attend, and use it to guide the companies, products and professional discussions you prioritise.
Compare. Evaluate. Discuss. Follow up.
Swimming pool, sauna and spa opportunities in Germany
Market size and demand
A September 2026 industry report described Germany as having around 6,000 public swimming pools, with approximately half believed to require refurbishment. This is an indicator of the installed public-pool base and reported renovation need, not a measure of annual market revenue or committed purchasing budgets. The same report described an investment backlog running into billions of euros and noted that local authorities were also advancing new facilities.
Market drivers and commercial opportunities
The reported renovation requirement and examples of new projects point to several areas businesses may investigate: refurbishment equipment for existing pools; technologies supporting energy-conscious operation; integrated pool, sauna and wellness facilities; and equipment or design solutions for multifunctional public bathing sites. The industry report described new projects incorporating solar generation, geothermal systems and district heating, as well as combined sport, leisure and sauna facilities. These examples show project directions, not guaranteed procurement demand.
- Refurbishment: suppliers may assess projects involving existing public pools; project funding, budgets and technical condition will vary by municipality.
- Energy-conscious upgrades: pool-system and facility suppliers may compare their solutions with documented project approaches; performance and payback require site-specific assessment.
- Multifunctional facilities: pool, sauna and spa companies may explore how their products fit new or renewed public-bath concepts; planning, procurement and local project requirements remain decisive.
What this means for exhibitors
Exhibitors could use interbad to explain how products serve refurbishment, operating or new-build applications and to identify the information a German project team needs before evaluation. The industry report’s figures are secondary-reported and do not establish an available contract pipeline.
What this means for visitors
Operators, builders and planners may use the fair to compare equipment and facility concepts against refurbishment or new-build needs, then assess technical compatibility, procurement route and financing within each project. The market indicators are broad public-pool context, not demand figures for a particular product.
Explore Event Opportunities
Use interbad to compare relevant pool, sauna and spa solutions, prepare for a facility project or assess how your company could participate. ilikevents can help you plan a purposeful visit or exhibition participation around your objectives.
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