spoga+gafa 2016 achieves a significant increase in attendance

Over 39,000 visitors from 106 countries came to the international garden fair in Cologne (+6 percent). Level of internationality confirmed: 60 percent share of foreign visitors, and a growth in the number of German visitors too: +7 percent. Totally geared up for green: spoga+gafa and TAG DES GARTENS attracted 54,000 visitors to Cologne

spoga+gafa closed on 6 September 2016 with a very good result. Over 39,000 visitors from 106 countries came to the international garden fair this year. In comparison to the previous year, an increase in attendance of around six percent was recorded.

“spoga+gafa 2016 was a total success. The international garden fair received top marks both in terms of quality and quantity this year and thus further reinforced its position as the world's leading trade fair for the green industry,” explained Katharina C. Hamma, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. “With a 60% foreign share of visitors the high level of internationality of this event was once again confirmed. It is particularly pleasing that we were also able to record a 7% increase in the number of visitors from Germany. We also had a very positive feedback to the range of offers and the presences of the exhibitors in the halls as well to the supporting programme. This shows us that spoga+gafa is set as an obligatory date within the industry. We are very satisfied with spoga+gafa 2016,” stated Hamma.

With a 60 percent share of foreign exhibitors, spoga+gafa was once again able to increase its level of internationality. In total, 2,032 companies from 57 countries (foreign share: 83 percent) selected spoga+gafa as the platform for the presentation of their new products and presented the entire world of the garden in the Cologne exhibition halls over the three days.

Representatives from the industry confirmed the very good result of the event. John W. Herbert, European DIY-Retail Association (EDRA) / General Secretary, assessed this year's spoga+gafa as follows: “This years gafa was for our EDRA members (European DIY Retail Association) and GHIN members (Global Home Improvement Network an exceptionally successful trade fair. With an absolute record number of member companies visiting spoga+gafa the feedback has been most positive. Not only have our members been again impressed with the globally unparalleled number of exhibitors but also for the excellent and caring service given by the Cologne Trade Fair to our overseas members. This was much appreciated. As a fair representation of the feedback we have received, I spoke to the four members of the our 2nd largest Japanese member Komeri with over 1.000 stores and they were delighted with what they experienced at this years gafa and are now taking time later in the week to look at the stores in the region. The Worlds No 1 company Home Depot were also well represented at gafa with a delegation of buyers from the US and Canada.”

EDRA/GHIN has 121 home improvement retail members operating in 102 countries with over 23,000 stores and members’ sales exceed 230 billion. spoga+gafa is an EDRA/GHIN recommended trade fair.

On behalf of the associations participating in spoga+gafa, Frank Miedaner, Wester-Stephan Deutschland GmbH / Managing Director Germany and Chairman of the Advisory Board of spoga+gafa, summed up: “spoga+gafa is an important trendsetter for the industry. The good frequency of visitors in the exhibition halls impressively substantiated that this year. The high share of international visitors is also extremely positive. Furthermore, the high-quality visitor structure had a very positive effect on the mood in the exhibition halls. In total, spoga+gafa 2016 was a fantastic, successful new products show. The high degree of the product innovations exhibited will have a very positive influence on the spring business.”

A total success

spoga+gafa 2016 covered a surface measuring 225,000 square metres and spanned Halls 1 to 7, 9 and 10. As a result of spoga horse, which is staged parallel, relocating to Hall 11, the four product sections of spoga+gafa were presented along the entire length of the trade fair boulevard without interruption. This condensed representation of the sections garden living, garden creation & care, garden bbq and garden unique, was highly appreciated by the trade visitors also due to the optimised routes. The design of the boulevard of ideas with plenty of living green and large-surface secondary placements as well as the Plant Allee in Passage 4/5 also went down very well with the trade fair guests. The conceptual adaption of the product segment garden unique also paid off: The expansion of the range of products by introducing further top brands ensured a higher frequency of visitors and increased the satisfaction of both the exhibitors and visitors.

Good mood and top quality

The first-class range of offers, optimised routes and design of the event surface overall as well as the target group-oriented supporting programme had a positive effect on the satisfaction level of the visitors, as the results of the visitor survey underlined. 78 percent of the people interviewed were satisfied or even very satisfied as far as achieving the goals of their visit were concerned. As such, the recommendation rate was correspondingly high: 91 percent would recommend a good business acquaintance to visit spoga+gafa. The quality of the visitors also contributed towards the good mood at the trade fair: Around 71 percent of the visitors interviewed are involved in procurement decisions, 38 percent are even decisive in the decision-making process. In terms of the visitor structure, people who work at management level in the companies or businesses or in the buying and procurement departments are the most strongly represented group of visitors at spoga+gafa.

spoga+gafa 2016 in figures:

2,032 companies from 57 countries participated at spoga+gafa in 2016, 83 percent of them came from abroad.

These included 334 exhibitors and 13 additionally represented companies from Germany and 1,667 exhibitors and 18 additionally represented companies from abroad. Including estimates for the last day of the fair, around 39,000 visitors from 106 countries attended spoga+gafa 2016. The share of foreign trade visitors was 60 percent.

spoga+gafa 2017 will be staged from 3 to 5 September

Thanks to TAG DES GARTENS (3 and 4 September), which was once again staged in cooperation with the Industry Garden Association (IVG), and spoga+gafa (4 to 6 September), Cologne was the hub for hobby gardeners and the green industry on this weekend. In total, 54,000 visitors took advantage of the opportunity to inform themselves about the new products and further developments from the world of the garden and transformed Cologne into the hotspot for the garden theme.

TAG DES GARTENS 2017 will be opening its doors to end consumers and trade visitors on 2 and 3 September

Information & images by courtesy of Spoga+Gafa

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