Destination - CIM

[trade shows product]n Anders. Die Veranstaltungsbranche ist inBewegung und ihre Fachmessen bewegensich mit. Shows fallen weg, andere kommenhinzu. Jeder Messebetreiber versucht seinpassendes Format zu finden, um seiner Zielgruppegerecht zu werden. Doch das wirdzunehmend schwerer. Corporates wägenab, ob sie zu Meetingmessen reisen. „Essind meist die selben Aussteller mit keinenbis wenigen Neuigkeiten“, sagt ManuelaSchmidt, u.a. zuständig für die Planung vonVeranstaltungen der SVG Baden Württemberg.Messeveranstalter reagieren und gestaltenihr Angebot umfangreicher. Es reichtlängst über das Face-to-Face Gespräch fürBuyer und Supplier hinaus. Besucher diskutierenThemenschwerpunkte in Gruppenund bilden sich weiter.Besonders im deutschsprachigen Raumverändern sich viele Messen. Relativ konstantzeigt sich noch die Best of Events Internationalin Dortmund. 9.100 Gäste besuchen 2013die 434 Aussteller. Der Meetingplace Germanyhat konzeptionelle Änderungen vorgenommenund reduziert die Messe am 3. Dezember2013 im Münchner MOC auf einen Tag. „Damithaben wir auf das Feedback unserer Besucherreagiert“, erklärt Projektleiter David Grote.„Der Run ist immer auf den ersten Tag.“ Aufgewertetwird laut Grote seine Show durch ihrRahmenprogramm, aber auch durch den AusstellerschwerpunktÖsterreich: „Sieben vonneun österreichischen Bundesländern undderen Convention Bureaus stellen bei unsaus.“ Das Vortragsprogramm bringt in PraxisforenAnregungen durch Best Practice Beispiele,auf Podien diskutieren Profis Trends.Für die Zukunft planen Grote und sein Teamzwei Messen pro Jahr in Deutschland. Time of changeOrganisers are trying to gain visitors for their meeting fairs with innovativeformats and education programmes rich in variety.Diskussionen zuThemenschwerpunktenbereichern das Angebotauf Meetingmessen.Discussions on keytopics enrich the offer onmeeting shows.Photo: IMEXn Different. The events industry is changing rapidly, and the same applies to trade fairs.Some shows have disappeared, new ones are being launched. Every operator is seekingthe right format to suit their target group. But this is fraught with difficulties. Corporatesthink carefully before travelling to meeting fairs. “The exhibitors are mostly the same andoffer nothing – or nearly nothing – new,” says SVG Baden Württemberg’s Manuela Schmidt,who is responsible for event planning, among other things.In response, trade fair organisers are adding more extras to their shows. This goes waybeyond face-to-face talks between buyers and suppliers. Visitors can discuss focal topicsin groups and can educate themselves.Especially in German-speaking countries many trade fairs are changing now. For Bestof Events International in Dortmund things are still very much the same. In 2013 it welcomed9,100 visitors and 434 exhibitors. And for the 2014 show in four months time the exhibitorcount is already up on the previous year’s figure.Meetingplace Germany has modified its concept and shortened the fair on 3 December2013 at Munich’s MOC to one day. “This is our response to our visitors’ feedback,” says projectdirector David Grote. “The crowds are largest on the first day,” he says from experience.According to Grote the show will be upgraded by its social programme but also by afocus on Austrian exhibitors: “Seven of Austria’s nine provinces and their convention bureauxexhibit at our fair.” The lecture programme offers inspiration in forums through bestpractice examples, and professionals assess the latest trends in panel discussions. In future,Grote and his team want to stage two fairs a year in Germany. An autumn event in Munichand a spring event alternately in Cologne and Hamburg. The dates for 2014 are: Cologneon 4 June, Munich on 12 November.And a new date has been announced for the Mice + Business Travel (MBT) Market for2014. One month before Meetingplace, Deutscher Fachverlag (DFV) will stage its trade fairon 15 October – also at the MOC. The première with 184 exhibitors in February 2013 was attendedby 1,839 people in Munich. In 2014 the Meetings and Business Travel areas are tobe placed on a more equal footing. “We have seen some structural changes,” reports MarkA. Cano, head of DFV, which has gained the journal BizTravel after its takeover of the FVWMedia Group: “This gives us expertise in business travel, as well.” The company has CIM 6/201365