According to the positive feedback following Interzoo 2018, almost all visitors want to attend the next Interzoo as well. The event gave 38,656 trade visitors (2016: 39,075) from 126 countries the opportunity to learn about the latest in pet food and grooming supplies, accessories and services for pets. The number of exhibitors increased by ten percent, with German companies contributing to this growth with additional seven percent compared to the previous event. This year, the world’s leading fair for pet supplies attracted a total of 1,989 exhibitors (2016: 1,818) from 66 countries (2016: 61 countries). At the same time, the overall exhibition area in the 13 exhibition halls used by the fair grew to more than 120,000 m².
“Interzoo once again reinforced its position as the world’s leading fair in this field, and has become even more professional and international,” commented Hans-Jochen Büngener, Chairman of the Interzoo Exhibition Committee. “Many exhibitors reported that they found Interzoo different this year because of the new sequence of the trade fair days, but at the same time, they felt it was extremely successful.”
This is confirmed by the admission data: the proportion of trade visitors from outside Germany rose from 70 to 74 percent. Italy accounted for the highest number of foreign visitors (2,161), followed by Spain (1,438), France (1,323), the UK including Northern Ireland (1,320), the Netherlands (1,211), the Czech Republic (1,193), China (1,154) and Poland (1,113). Visitor totals from Germany declined by just under 15 percent, to 9,934.
Norbert Holthenrich, President of the German Pet Trade & Industry Association (ZZF), is not surprised by the decrease in German visitor numbers: “This reflects the structural change in the pet market in Germany. The growing international background of the visitors is a gratifying sign when it comes to preparing new business contacts and international trade. But as the association representing the German pet trade and industry, we still need to consider which products and services we can offer at Interzoo for the German pet and garden trade, for boutique operators and biologically appropriate raw food shops, to ensure that the fair continues to be an inspiring business platform that they find worthwhile.”
A total of 29,530 visitors came from within Europe. Looking at the rest of the world, most of the professionals came from Asia, with 4,733 from South-East/Central Asia and 1,256 from the Near and Middle East. North America was home to 970 visitors, while 1,282 market players attended from South and Central America. Africa was represented by 558 visitors, and Australia and Oceania by 327.
Trade visitors keen to return
According to the visitor survey, more than 96 percent of the visitors were happy to very happy with their visit to Interzoo. Ninety-seven percent of the trade visitors said they achieved good results by participating in the fair.
More than half of the trade visitors came to the world’s leading fair for pet supplies to learn about new developments. Thirty-eight percent aimed to cultivate business contacts, and 34 percent wanted to gain a general overview of the market. More than one-third were looking for new business contacts, and 28 percent wanted to share information and experiences.
Almost all the visitors (97 percent) were happy with the general range of products and services on offer. Eighty-nine percent were particularly happy with the range of new developments and innovative trends. More than 88 percent of the visitors were happy to very happy with the market-leading companies that were present. The opportunities offered for information and making contacts met expectations for 97 percent of the visitors.
In addition to the high-quality exhibition stands and items displayed by the exhibitors, the supporting programme of events like show acts, country sessions and the sustainability conference met with a positive response from 88 percent of the trade visitors. According to the survey, nine out of ten visitors praised the Product Showcase as a special display area with particular appeal. It was therefore no surprise that more than 96 percent of the visitors said, immediately after the event, that they would probably come back again to attend Interzoo 2020.
Trade visitors: decision-makers from the pet retail sector
Most of the trade visitors who expanded their knowledge at Interzoo 2018 held decision-making roles in their companies. This was confirmed by the results of the visitor survey: the largest groups of trade visitors at Interzoo 2018 were independent traders (49 percent), managing directors/CEOs (12 percent), area or branch/subsidiary heads (9 percent), heads of department (10 percent) and other employees in specialised positions (13 percent). Ninety-four percent of the visitors were involved in making the procurement decisions in their respective businesses.
In the exhibitor survey, the exhibitors at Interzoo 2018 reported that 60 percent of the visitors to their stands came from the speciality pet retail and pet grooming sectors, and more than 28 percent represented pet departments in diy markets, garden centres and the agricultural trade. Twenty-three percent of visitors were online traders. Other important visitor groups were manufacturers, veterinarians, the foodstuffs trade, chemists and discount stores.
Nine out of ten exhibitors expect post-show business
The exhibitor survey shows that 89 percent of exhibitors positively rated the quality of the trade visitors to their stand. Ninety-three percent of companies reached their main target groups with their products and services. More than 93 percent made new business connections. It is therefore no surprise that nine out of ten exhibitors expect post-show business from the contacts they made.
Businesses were as happy with the overall outcome of Interzoo as they were two years ago: this year, 88 percent were happy to very happy with the result. More than 87 percent of exhibitors achieved their specific objectives at the fair.
New schedule
Eighty-seven percent of the trade visitors were happy to very happy with the new Tuesday-to-Friday schedule for the fair, while 72 percent of exhibitors in turn described themselves as happy to very happy. Foreign companies in particular viewed the change of schedule positively.
The next Interzoo will be held once again in Nuremberg, from Tuesday 19 May to Friday 22 May 2020. This will span Ascension Day (21 May). > www.interzoo.com
European Trade Shows, Fairs & Exhibitions 