Degree of internationality of spoga+gafa 2015 at top level: Share of foreign trade visitors increases up to over 60 percent

After three successful trade fair days, spoga+gafa came to an end on 1 September 2015 with a good result. Around 37,000 trade visitors from 108 countries experienced a host of new products and an attractive event programme at the international garden trade fair.

With a foreign share of over 60 percent, spoga+gafa achieved a positive trend in the development of the international trade visitors. 2,024 exhibitors from 59 countries presented a comprehensive range of exhibits and used the international garden trade fair for the presentation of their new products.

With an 83 percent share of foreign exhibitors, spoga+gafa once again increased its level of internationality by two percent compared to the previous year. “spoga+gafa 2015 once again reinforced its significance as the leading international garden trade fair in 2015. Not only the stable, high key figures corroborate this, but also the high level of quality of the exhibitors and visitors,” summed up Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “The top buyers and decision-makers of the industry selected spoga+gafa as the platform for their orders or for establishing new business contacts. Whereas there was a slight decline in the number of domestic visitors, the strongest growth from Europe was recorded from France, Swiss and Turkey. Overseas, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America, recorded the highest growth rates in attendance.”

The cooperation partner and initiator, the German Garden Industry Association (IVG), and Koelnmesse were satisfied with the premiere of the end user format TAG DES GARTENS, 29 and 30 August 2015. Amid beautiful sunshine, over 15,000 visitors experienced a fantastic garden event in Hall 8, the Grill Park and in the Rheinpark.

At spoga+gafa 2015, the entire world of the garden was presented on 225,000 square metres of space. The new structuring of the exhibition segments down to four, instead of the hitherto five segments, met with a positive feedback from the visitors and exhibitors. Shorter routes and the partial relocation of related product groups on the buyer's side created synergy effects and ensured well-frequented halls. The comprehensive event programme of spoga+gafa also went down well. The Garden Café as the central Speakers Corner offered the perfect setting for amusing information and entertainment with trend lectures, the Taspo Talks and further themes and campaigns such as cooking shows. The diversified programme items were extremely well-attended by the trade visitors. The Grill Park of spoga+gafa 2015 was also well-attended, which convinced the visitors with practical areas, live grilling and lectures on the versatile theme of grills & BBQs. The green lung of spoga+gafa was located in Halls 5.1 and 5.2 this year. Among others, the Landgared Plant Ordering Days ensured there was plenty of living green at the international garden trade fair.

Pure garden event at TAG DES GARTENS

The end user format TAG DES GARTENS took place this year for the first time on 29 and 30 August. The trade visitors of spoga+gafa also showed keen interest in the ‘garden exhibition for everyone’. Over 114 exhibitors from eight countries presented their products and turned the garden theme into an experience in Hall 8, the Grill Park on the outdoor area between Halls 7 and 8 as well as in the adjacent Rheinpark. Especially in Hall 8 and in the Grill Park, there were big synergies to the trade fair spoga+gafa for the visitors. The offer of TAG DES GARTENS comprised of information on the garden market, garden tips, garden inspiration and garden fun and thus offered both the consumers and the trade visitors a high info and entertainment factor. In total, over 15,000 visitors attended TAG DES GARTENS.

Demanded: spoga+gafa achieved good results in the exhibitor and visitor Surveys

The range of exhibits, the visitor structure and the informative accompanying programme had a positive impact on the mood of the exhibitors and visitors. Almost 73 percent of the visitors interviewed were satisfied or very satisifed with the event as a whole. As such, the recommendation rate was correspondingly high: Almost 90 percent would recommend a good business acquaintance to visit spoga+gafa. According to the survey, in terms of the market overview and establishment of new business relations the satisfaction level at the spoga+gafa also increased slightly up to 52 percent compared to around 46 percent in the previous year. The quality of the visitors also contributed towards the good mood at the trade fair: 71 percent of the visitors interviewed are involved in procurement decisions, 41 percent are even decisive in the decision-making process. The résumé of the exhibitors was correspondingly positive: 90 percent would recommend another company to participate at spoga+gafa.

The German Association of the Sporting Goods Industry (BSI), the conceptual sponsor of spoga, also drew a positive balance: “The leisure sports manufacturers organised in the German Association of the Sporting Goods Industry (BSI) are viewing the year 2015 optimistically. Experiences from the past years have shown that the leisure sport industry profits from the ongoing trend towards cocooning and living garden,” explained the President of BSI, Désirée Derin-Holzapfel. “spoga+gafa was satisfactory for the participating companies. Overall the leisure and sports goods industry, both in the camping and leisure segment as well as in the sports sector is enjoying stable demand and a reinforced awareness for quality as well as increased interest in the theme sustainability.”

The German Garden Industry Association e.V., the conceptual sponsor of the gafa, assessed this year's spoga+gafa as follows: “spoga+gafa confirmed its position as the leading trade fair in the garden industry once again in 2015. It convinced again with its high degree of internationality, both in terms of the exhibitors and visitors,” summed up Johannes Welsch, Executive Director of IVG. “Furthermore, we are personally very happy that the IVG Garden Party has established itself as the industry get-together at spoga+gafa. We were able to welcome over 400 guests at the event. Both representatives from the trade and from the industry accepted our invitation. We are very satisfied with spoga+gafa 2015. The visitor structure was first-class.”

In 2016, spoga+gafa will take place from 4 to 6 September

Information & images by courtesy of Spoga+Gafa

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