Fifteen million persons visit annually the tradeshows organised in Spain

In 2003, 413 tradeshows events were held, only four more than the previous year, and received more than fifteen million visitors, a 2,35% less than in 2002. These are the main conclusions from the Asociación de Ferias Españolas (AFE), that have published these figures corresponding to the events organised by its members in 2003.

Among these data made public by the AFE, some highlights are that the tradeshows received 15,017,846 visitors and that the floor space rented decreased slightly, even though the number of exhibitors increased, in a year in which few biennal tradeshows coincided, and with some of the important tradeshows only occur in the even years, thus the activities are usually stronger during the even years.

In total, there were 115,387 exhibitors, a 0.64% more than in 2002. The direct exhibitors were 66,866 (a 3.41% more than in 2002) while the indirect exhibitors were 48,512 (almost 3% less than the previous year). According to AFE, the results that the indices produced that measure the evolution of the Spanish tradehows are the absolute normality and very acceptable, but have to be precisely known that it has not maintained a uniform and simultaneous growth of all the parameters such as in the previous recent occasions. The association concludes that it has produced two trends during 2003: that the exhibitors reduced the floor space rented and that some of the exhibitors doubled into various co-exhibitors.

The AFE considers that the results show the strengthening of the spanish tradeshow activity “despite that it is more difficult to reach systematically the ambitious objectives of the growing budgets”. The results were presented in the VII UNIFIB Congress, held during the end of May in Lisbon, where tradeshow organisers of AFIDA (Asociación de Ferias Internacionales de América), AFP (Asociación de Ferias Portuguesas) and AFE.

Source:Hosteltur.com