GERMANY - Trade fair figures much improved during first six months of 2010, according to the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA).
International trade fairs in Germany performed well during the first six months of 2010, according to the initial projections. On average, exhibitor attendance at trade fairs during the first half of the year remained constant (compared with a drop of 4.3 per cent in 2009), with more than half of shows reporting an increase on previous editions.
There was also significant stabilisation in visitor attendance, which on average was nearly two per cent lower than at previous events (compared with -8.4 per cent in 2009). Equally, more than half of trade fairs reported higher visitor attendance.
However, during the first six months of 2010 the amount of space rented out still lagged four per cent behind figures for previous events (-6% in 2009 overall). AUMA claims this shows the after-effects of savings measures made by businesses exhibiting at trade fairs were still being felt.
Faced with good economic forecasts for 2010, in particular the prospect of strong and renewed growth in export trade, AUMA anticipates the situation for the industry will improve further during the second six months of 2010.
Looking at 2010 overall it is conceivable that exhibitor numbers at international trade fairs will reach marginally positive figures, with visitor attendance remaining stable.
