A Hidden Realisation From The 2025 Pool & Spa Awards Show 🌊

I drove up from South East London on my own, early start, quiet roads, plenty of time to think on the way. No team with me. No checklist. No pitch. I went with one simple intention, to be around the pool and spa industry properly and speak to the people who are actually in it.

Walking in, it didn’t feel stiff or overly corporate. It felt busy, social, and welcoming. People were open to chatting, swapping stories, and sharing what they were working on. That set the tone straight away.

I spent most of the day just approaching people and starting conversations. Some brands I already recognised from the online space, others completely new to me. I spoke with teams from Alukov, Hot Tub Oxfordshire, Aquae Warehouse in Essex, Panoramic Pools, the Johnsons Wellness team, Hot Tub Rocks, One Pool & Spa, Plastica, Golden Coast, ISPE, and a fair few others. I also chatted with the hosts of the event and met faces I know I’ll be seeing again at future industry events.

There was a lot of information being passed around, but nothing felt forced. Conversations drifted naturally between projects, the state of the industry, how busy people were, and marketing too. I was genuinely intrigued by how different businesses were using the avenues available to them, some leaning into online visibility, others into branding, partnerships, or simply consistency and showing up where their customers are.

One moment that really stuck with me was watching a lady receive a special award for being in the industry for 50 years! That was quite something. Fifty years in the same space, adapting, evolving, and still being recognised. She’s been in the industry for more than double my age, which definitely put things into perspective. 😂👏

Another thing that kept coming up casually in conversation was how the online landscape is starting to shift, especially with AI playing a bigger role in how people find local businesses.

Not in a dramatic overnight way, but enough that you can feel the change happening. It’s becoming less about who shouts the loudest and more about who shows up clearly and consistently when someone is actively looking.

By the time the evening wrapped up, the tone of the whole day had really sunk in. It wasn’t rushed or surface-level. It felt grounded. Real conversations, real perspectives, and a proper look at where the industry is heading.

By the time I headed back to the hotel, I felt bootstrapped with knowledge and, honestly, a real sense of pride in what I’d done by putting myself in that room. Going alone, starting conversations, listening more than talking, and coming away clearer on both the industry and my place in it.

What I really walked away with, just from simple pattern recognition, was something that became obvious without anyone needing to spell it out. The businesses that were consistently winning awards were also the ones that already show up online. They’re visible. Familiar. Easy to understand when you search for them. They’re not hiding behind the work, they’re backing it up by being present.

It didn’t feel like I’d just attended an awards event. It felt like I’d spent the day inside the industry, properly experiencing it, and that made all the difference.

If you’re in the pool or spa space and you’ve ever wondered how to stand out online without, it’s worth having a conversation.

🔱 Euan