Lyon exists as the beating heart of the French swimming pool industry thanks to its run as the host to Piscine Global, the world’s leading trade fair dedicated to swimming pools and wellness. The 2024 edition featured a comprehensive mix of product launches, training sessions, awards and trend forecasting; altogether these gave a pretty detailed profile of the many evolving priorities of a sector that is both facing urgent environmental challenges and seeking long-term growth. What makes Piscine Global so necessary is the breadth of innovations finding its way to the exhibition stage. From high-efficiency filtration systems to app-controlled pool management solutions, exhibitors showcased a wide variety of technologies, the majority of which focused on lowering water and energy consumption while enhancing user experience. The Pool Innovation Awards shone a spotlight on the boldest new developments in the sector, with particular attention paid to sustainable design and renovation of both residential and public pools. Renovation emerged as a key theme. France being one of the leading markets for swimming pools means that there are millions of pools in need of upgrades and the country is seeing a big market for retrofitting existing installations. Lyon’s localized sector was no exception. The main demand was for eco-friendly technologies. Visitors were especially interested in solutions for transforming outdated pools into efficient, compliant, and environmentally responsible facilities. Piscine Global 2024 also addressed the skills shortage facing the industry. The Pool Campus, an area dedicated to jobs and training, hosted the national finals for the “Best Apprentices in France” competition for swimming pool professionals. This focus on vocational development highlighted the industry's commitment to investing in its future workforce. Networking events and informal meetups further helped businesses to meet the right professionals and establish lasting contacts.