Country focus
Italian exhibition elan
EW taps into Italian tradefair association AEFI’s research and helps
discern some trends, as well as a unique national form of festivalisation
espite the slowdown of markets
and the economy worldwide,
the Italian exhibition sector
appears to be doing well thanks
to the capacity of its exhibitions to innovate
and evolve.
The tradefair format is responding to
the changing requirements of exhibitors
and visitors, offering a full spectrum
experience with the proper combination
of exhibitions, training and digitalisation.
This means revolutionising spaces,
transforming formats, organising targeted
and personalised events and increasing
interaction between exhibitions and
conferences, because exhibitions are also a
place where professionals expect to learn
and refresh their know-how.
Indeed, tradefairs are ever less physical
spaces in which exhibitors showcase their
solutions, and ever more partners and
consultants for businesses.
Three-quarters (75.3%) of Italian
businesses understand the fundamental
role played by exhibitions in their growth
as an indispensable promotional tool
in approaching international markets,
according to national tradefair association
AEFI. That is a high recognition figure.
No.2 in Europe
Every year, around 1,000 exhibitions are
held in Italy, which AEFI estimates attract
around 200,000 exhibitors and 20m visitors.
Italy’s total available exhibition
space is around 4,200,000sqm, of which
2,270,000sqm is under cover, which
contributes to making Italian tradefairs
the second largest in Europe and 4th
worldwide.
Figures from AEFI show that Italy has 43
exhibition centres with more than 5,000sqm
of exhibition area: six of which have more
than 100,000sqm.
Over the years, Italy’s exhibition venue
owners have also become organisers, and
52
Issue 2 2019
more than 51% of international fairs are
now organised by AEFI members.
The 200 international tradefairs expected
to take place during 2019 focus mainly
on the textile-clothing-fashion sector
(15%), sport-hobbies-entertainment-art
(12%), jewellery-watches-accessories (9%),
food-drinks-hospitality (9%) and industry-
technology-mechanics (7%) sectors.
Trends
2018 was a good year for the industry: the
indicators measured by the AEFI survey
(exhibition surface, exhibitors, visitors and
turnover) all have positive totals and there
is also a significant relationship between the
growth in foreign visitors (+17%) and the
more than proportional increase in Italian
exports (+22%).
Investments
Internationalisation of Italian tradefairs
is also supported by funding from MISE
(Ministry for Economic Development) and is
written into the Extraordinary Plan for the
Made in Italy Brand.
There is an increasing trend of exhibition
centres organising their own events, better
to align the events with their requirements
and more than half of international events
are now organised directly by centres.
Brand Italy, of course, is a hug draw for
foreign visitors.
Italian exhibition centres are innovating
in digital services, include profiling visitors,
extending contacts beyond the event itself
and spreading awareness about products
and sectors, with digital matching of
demand to offer.
The country’s most prestigious sectors
have long been fashion, furnishings and
agrifood, but mechanical engineering,
automotive, rubber and plastic goods, and
pharmaceuticals are also becoming major
players as far as international tradefairs in
Italy are concerned.
Economic Observatory
The 39th quarterly survey of trends
run by AEFI’s Economic Observatory
for the period October-December 2018
showed an overall positive situation
for the Italian tradefair sector - both
relative to the previous quarter and in
comparison with the same period of the
previous year.
The sector has been so far able to
resist the general economic downturn
affecting the Italian economy.
The number of exhibitions started
to grow again over the last quarter
(42.29% of the districts in the survey
hosted more shows and 46.18%
recorded a static situation). The total
+31% growth is higher than that of the
third quarter of 2017, at +15%.
The number of exhibitors has also
increased significantly, the Economic
Observatory reported. Half (49.99%)
of the 26 members who took part in
the survey reported an increase, while
19.22% of them reported a downturn.
The balance of +31% – the difference
between those who foresee an increase
and those who foresee a decrease –
indicates a positive performance, in
line with the end of 2017 and slightly
increased over the previous quarter
(+29%).
An analysis of exhibitor countries
shows that both Italians and Europeans
are growing their participation (+27%
and +23% respectively). The totals for
non-EU country exhibitors are still
positive, although somewhat less so
(+8%). >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (p.54)
w w w.exhibitionworld.co.uk