The trade fair industry in Germany is booming, and officials have released research that examines the high participation enjoyed by German organizers as well as the best practices to use when choosing to exhibit at German events.
According to a report released by AUMA, the German trade fair association, acquisition of new customers and sustaining customer relationships are tied for the top reason exhibition planners said they participate in German trade fairs, many of which are highly specialized events aimed at a particular niche, researchers said.
Each year, somewhere between 150 and 170 international and national exhibitions occur in Germany with a collective 190,000 exhibitors between them. More than 55 percent of those exhibitors are from outside of Germany and one-third of them are from outside of Europe. But important to note, officials say, is that some 85 percent of them are from small- and medium-sized companies, creating a diverse mix on the German trade show floor. Annual attendance at international and national trade shows is between 9 and 10 million people and growing, with 25 percent of attendees coming from abroad. Of those, an estimated 30 percent have executive decision-making authority, with researchers finding that the further the distance traveled, the more likely an individual is to have final buying power.
There are an additional 160 or so events classified as regional trade fairs that attract 6 million visitors and 50,000 exhibitors, the report says. Though the attendees of such fairs are largely local, exhibitors may still represent an international mix of companies depending on the industry.
The full report is available in the downloads section of www.AUMA.de.
