f.re.e 2025: More than 120,000 visitors get inspiration for travel and leisure

Around 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries presented their innovations and trends from the travel, caravanning & camping, cycling, water sports and outdoor & fitness sectors from February 19 to 23. Together with the International Motorcycle Exhibition IMOT, Bavaria's largest travel and leisure trade fair attracted more than 120,000 visitors.

“Despite challenging economic conditions, demand for vacation and leisure products was once again impressively high,” says Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Managing Director of Messe München. “In spring-like weather, visitors to f.re.e were open to finding inspiration for the new season. With the Bavarian Forest, we also had a partner region at our side that reflected all exhibition areas and enriched f.re.e perfectly.”

In the five exhibition areas—Travel, Caravanning & Camping, Bicycles, Water Sports and Outdoor & Fitness—visitors were able to get advice, listen to exciting presentations and also take part and try out lots of things. “From cruises, short and long-distance destinations, canoes and snorkeling to bicycles, campers and hiking equipment, f.re.e offers the whole world of travel and leisure in eight exhibition halls,” says Project Manager Katrin Leideritz. In addition, celebrities such as Sebastian Ströbel (ZDF, ”Die Bergretter”), Ralf Bauer (ARD, “Gegen den Wind”), winter sports legend Markus Wasmeier and canoeing Olympians Sideris Tasiadis and Hannes Aigner provided personal insights into travel and leisure.

The wide range of products and services at f.re.e. was also rated positively by visitors, who awarded top marks across all subject areas in the visitor survey. 95 percent rated the trade fair as excellent to good. Likewise, 95 percent of visitors stated that they would visit the trade fair again next year.

Arousing enthusiasm for the Bavarian Forest

Whether cycling or water sports, camping or wellness: the Bavarian Forest has so much to offer. The region also attaches great importance to a harmonious combination of comfort and resource awareness. The region presented itself with this concept at f.re.e 2025 and did so successfully, as Dr. Michael Braun, CEO of the East Bavarian Tourism Association, emphasizes. “The trade fair visitors came to our stands in Eastern Bavaria and the Bavarian Forest in particular with a keen interest in travel. From the Bavarian Forest National Park to the Furth im Wald State Garden Show, whether hiking, wellness or mountain biking, the Bavarian Forest was able to present its many facets excellently.”

New cooperation between f.re.e and Tourismus Oberbayern

During the trade fair, f.re.e decided to intensify its cooperation with another Bavarian region: Upper Bavaria. This is because f.re.e, as a major travel and leisure trade fair, and the Tourism Upper Bavaria Partner Network have a common goal: to raise awareness of the great travel and leisure opportunities on their own doorstep. The newly founded, expanded experience partner network creates valuable synergies, particularly in tourism marketing. “For us, f.re.e is not only an important tourism trade fair, but also the industry and end consumer platform for leisure experiences in Upper Bavaria,” says Oswald Pehel, Managing Director of Tourismus Oberbayern. ”We are delighted to be a permanent experience partner region with solutions for sustainable mobility.”

New trade fair highlights immediately accepted by visitors

The new highlights introduced this year met with a great response from visitors. Both the camper advice service, the new travel stage and the f.re.e stage in cooperation with Radio Arabella were very well received.

The exhibitors from all five themed areas were delighted with the great interest in their products and good discussions at the trade fair stands. “Our first appearance at f.re.e was a complete success! Our acoustic panels, which were specially developed for camper van conversions, aroused great interest and inspired many visitors,” summarized Celine Sochor, Marketing Vöhringer. Caravan Gérard has been represented at f.re.e for more than 50 years. This year too, Managing Director Marie Gérard draws a positive balance. “We had great conversations at f.re.e 2025 and also a lot of new customers.”

Exhibitors in the cycling sector can also look back on the trade fair with satisfaction. “f.re.e is once again a complete success for Hercules Bikes. We were able to present our new products for the 2025 season to a large audience again this year and look forward to returning in 2026,” says Steffen Rein, Area Manager Bavaria. The voices from the water sports sector sound similar. Torsten Gläßer, owner of Tauchsport Gläßer, is delighted with the large number of interested visitors and the great atmosphere on site. “f.re.e was a complete success for us as exhibitors and organizers of the trial diving event," he says. "Despite school being out on weekdays, we are delighted with the positive response to the trial dive and the good sales figures.”

Successful cooperation with IMOT

The IMOT—International Motorcycle Show—took place parallel to f.re.e from Friday to Sunday. “We were able to present all major motorcycle manufacturers to our visitors in a direct comparison, entertain them with strong special shows and provide action with hands-on activities,” says IMOT Managing Director Petra Zahradka. “The double pass with the Munich leisure trade fair f.re.e proved its worth again. Visitors to both trade fairs benefited from the combined ticket and were able to get perfect inspiration for summer 2025 at the other event.”

The next f.re.e will take place from February 18 to 22, 2026 at the Munich exhibition grounds.