INNOTRANS: Even before the final day of the trade fair, InnoTrans Exhibition Director Matthias Steckmann told InnoTrans Daily that his conclusions were extremely positive: ‘We expect to have received more than 100 000 trade visitors from more than 100 countries, which would constitute an increase of roughly 20% in comparison to 2008.’ Many exhibitors had reserved special praise for the calibre of the fair’s visitors, Steckmann added, ‘so that all involved are very well satisfied’.
Not only was there a record number of visitors, but the size of the exhibition area had also smashed all records. ‘We are able to continue on our path of expansion in spite of the economic crisis and increase the area of our show by 20%. Nine new halls, seven of these encircling the Funkturm, have been added since 2008’, Steckmann said. As a result, almost the whole exhibition site was booked out, although ‘there is still some space in reserve for 2012’.
The sustained success of InnoTrans has encouraged the exhibition organisers to launch another trade show in 2011: ‘Public Transport / Interiors’. Steckmann stressed that ‘we do not intend to make this a second InnoTrans, InnoTrans will continue to be the main event overall. Public Transport / Interiors is intended to be a supplementary exhibition exclusively aimed at the rapidly growing public mass transit sector and we expect to see up to 200 exhibitors’. The Messe Berlin grounds will also serve as a venue for the show, which is scheduled for 22 - 24 June.
While InnoTrans 2010 closes today for trade visitors, the gates to the outdoor exhibition area will be opened to the general public over the weekend from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Read more from InnoTrans in InnoTrans Daily.
