Trade fair

A trade fair ( in Switzerland also: Salon ) in the economic sense is a temporary, recurring marketing event. It allows producers or sellers of a good or service to make this flaunt to explain and sell.

Customers have the option to compare the offers of different providers and to get a picture of the market situation at a trade show. Exhibiting companies it comes to the acquisition or renewal of customer contacts, increase the level of awareness and information sharing. Economy as a whole bear fairs in to create market transparency and can trigger regional positive employment effects (see detour return).

• 2.1 Factual distinctions
• 2.2 Industrial Code ( Germany )
• 2.3 Exhibition and Trade Fair Committee of German Business
• 2.4 Other means of distinguishing

• 3.1 Exhibition Grounds in Germany
• 3.2 fairgrounds in Austria
• 3.3 Exhibition Centre in Switzerland

Concept and development

The term refers to trade in the context of medieval history or a once held in several specific days in goods or money market, which stood out from the fair by its national significance.

In order to ensure sufficient demand from trading goods offered, the fairs were initially mostly with a - connected ecclesiastical festival - well-attended by the public. There was commemorated one or more times a year as a rule of its namesake or the patron saint of a church. Hence the name of the Latin missa = emission deduced. Later, the fairs developed into a hub for long-distance trade, which is why they took place generally at geographically particularly convenient locations. Participating merchants privileges were often granted in connection with their trade fair participation, such as escort for the return journey or protection at the exhibition venue. Of particular importance for the commercial practice were the fairs as due dates of loans, among other things, in connection with bills of exchange. The tradition that trade fairs take place in spring and autumn, has been preserved in some cases up to now, but now justified by the rate of innovation of the economy. Church centers on the fair or meditation rooms, which provide, among other prayer rugs available, bring the religious origins back into the game.

Early historical development

A first evidence of a fair provides a dated on October 9 634/635 Donated by the Merovingian King Dagobert I. Saint -Denis, near Paris. Sources of Merovingian or Carolingian period, however, survives only sparse. In Flanders, the measurement of Torhout found (first mentioned in 1084 ), Ypres, Lille (both for the first time mentioned in 1127 ), Messines (first mentioned in 1159 ) and Bruges (first mentioned 1200 ) instead. The best-known medieval fairs are held in the towns of Lagny, Provins, Troyes and Bar-sur -Aube Champagnemessen that as markets held up to the year 1300 of European significance in the Late Middle Ages from the fairs in Chalon -sur -Saône, Geneva and Lyon were replaced.

For the trade of the Hanseatic League, held from August to October on a promontory on the south-western tip of Sweden Scanian fairs were made ​​since the mid-12th century in Skanör and since the mid-13th century also in Falsterbo a year of special significance. The most important commodity was caught in the Öresund herring, came for sale in addition to the other goods from the Baltic region, such as wood, furs, wax and iron. The necessary for the preservation of the fish salt came from old RST and Lüneburg, or from the French Baye de Bourgneuf. In the 15th century, the Scanian fairs lost their meaning and evolved into pure herring markets.

Development of trade fairs in Germany

In Germany created at the intersections of the great trade routes also in the Middle Ages fairs in major cities such as Leipzig, Frankfurt and Cologne. The onset of industrialization in the 18th century demanded new sales and distribution channels, which also influenced the trade fair industry. However, only the now common type of sample mass was from the mid-19th century developed - first in Leipzig, and later also in other places. It sold at the stand no longer directly to the warehouse, but showed patterns which orders were placed. These patterns show with a wide range of investment and consumer goods determined the fair landscape in Germany and Europe well into the mid-20th century. The Leipzig Trade Fair led from 1895 officially named the " fair sample ".

After German unification in 1871 Leipzig was initially the only beyond Germany's borders respected, internationally important fair city. Otherwise, were from the mid-19th century until the First World War, World Exhibitions as the outstanding events. They had a strong economic function, in contrast to today, and were often the venue for the first presentation of important technical inventions. The German Reich and to a large extent, the German industry participated intensively in these events, however, then no world exhibitions in Germany took place.

In addition, were the end of the 19th century, but also in the first decades of the 20th century, numerous exhibitions of national significance held, most of which were associated with a specific topic, such as electricity, health or engineering. They were directed primarily at the general public, but were often held on an irregular basis or even only once. However, some still exist today, such as the ILA - International Air and Space Exhibition, which was founded in 1909 as the airship exhibition.

After the First World War, the Leipziger Messe has continued to play a prominent role in the German Trade Fair Industry. In addition, the Frankfurt fairs and during the 20s, the Cologne trade fairs regained importance. Still were on these shows almost all industries combined. Only in the late 20s was a greater number of trade fairs.

After 1933, exhibitions were mainly used as means of so-called " public enlightenment " propaganda. Masses were less seen as a marketing tool, but as a " performance shows of the national community ." The trade fair and exhibition industry was assigned to the Reich Propaganda Ministry at this time.

The end of the Second World War represented a turning point in the development of the German trade fair and exhibition industry; they had to in a bipartite since 1949 Germany completely regroup. The almost completely destroyed fairgrounds had been rebuilt, new priorities are set in the show work.

Leipzig tried to recover as the central exhibition center in the German Democratic Republic its leading international position and took up in the 80s an important role in East -West trade -in.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, International trade fairs in Frankfurt and Cologne in 1947 and 1948 to their work again. Added to this was founded in 1947, German trade fair and exhibition AG in Hanover. Other, hitherto somewhat small exhibition centers such as Berlin, Dusseldorf and Munich gained significantly in importance. At sites such as Stuttgart, Hamburg, Nuremberg and Essen, which initially had more regional importance, including individual international trade fairs were established.

The '50s and '60s were as characterized by a spatial and thematic decentralization. It was mainly triggered by the numerous trade issues that were previously part of the Leipzig Fair, were now to establish in West Germany. In this way, numerous specialist masses for well-defined industry segments.

In addition, the former occupying powers, but of course the economy itself had great interest that the German industry quickly regained her old strength in exports. These internationally -fed fairs were an excellent vehicle in Germany. This view coincided with the efforts of the German trade fair companies to profile themselves internationally and, accordingly, to open their exhibitions for visitors from around the world.

It was that organizers societies organize an important feature of the German trade fair industry on its own grounds professionally oriented trade fairs and exhibitions with international participation, which are supported by the respective associations as honorary sponsors or co-organizer.

Today, all major trade fair companies owned by cities and states, but private law companies engaged in intense competition with each other. Around 75 % of international trade fairs in Germany are carried out by operators in public ownership, the rest of associations or organizers in private ownership. The organization of trade fairs and exhibitions is not regulated by the state, but is the free decision of the organizer left.

With progressive diversification of the economy and the integration of West Germany into the world economy also increased the number and international significance of German fairs. Thus, the number of international fairs alone doubled from 1970 to 1990 to around 100

After the unification of Germany in 1990 in particular had to find a new role in the all-German trade fair landscape Leipziger Messe. To this end, the exhibition program has been divided into numerous trade fairs. The East German companies have quickly recognized the importance of trade in a market economy and made ​​extensive use of Western and Eastern German trade fairs. Accordingly, a series of exhibition venues of regional significance have emerged in the new federal states.

Today, many German trade fair organizers are active as an organizer and abroad. While there was hardly such fairs around 1990, there were already 226 in 2010 from the world's leading trade fairs for individual industries today find almost two-thirds in Germany. Around 150 international trade fairs and exhibitions with up to 170,000 exhibitors and 9 to 10 million visitors are held annually. About 50 % of exhibitors and 25% of visitors now come from abroad, so that Germany is currently regarded as the world's most important trade fair country.

Conceptual distinctions

Factual distinctions

Was it at fairs originally for sales events (trade fairs), who served the direct purchase and sale of goods, today dominate pattern fairs where products can be ordered on the basis of patterns. In addition, fairs serve today rather the preparation of future financial statements, ie at the fair dominates the information about products and services and the associated personal communication.

Historically hot places with traditional universal and multi- sector trade fairs often fair city. The best known examples are Leipzig and Frankfurt, as well as Hanover, although the German trade fair and exhibition AG was founded in 1947 (now the German Messe AG ). Leipzig led until 1945 known as the " Empire Fair City".

In the diversified exhibition industry to individual industries specialized fairs ( trade fairs ) have enforced and more trade fairs largely displaced. Examples of Multi-Branch Trade Fairs today are the consumer goods fair Ambiente in Frankfurt and Hannover Fair for the capital goods sector, with both shows have clearly defined and limited supply priorities.

Part, the term fair is not used for delineation of Universal Fairs, but to express that the event is aimed at professionals rather than to a general audience, thus the target group of a public exhibition forms, which is also called consumer fair. However, the unique antonym of public exhibition is for trade visitors.

Industrial Code ( Germany )

According to § 64 Section 1 Sentence 1 of the German Commercial Code (GewO ) is a fair one " generally recurring event" where the " exhibited substantial range of one or more sectors of industry and mainly by patterns to commercial resellers, commercial end users or bulk buyer " is distributed. To a limited temporal extent " final consumer " can be allowed to purchase.

An exhibition ( § 65 Industrial Code ) is not necessarily temporally repeated basis, the "representative" (not the main ) issued offer an industry without special differentiation of the audience and / or distributed.

Exhibition and Trade Fair Committee of German Business

In extension of the definition of the Commercial Code of the fair association used exhibitions and trade Committee of German Industry (AUMA ) for its databases and statistical analysis further categories for differentiation of fairs and exhibitions in Germany.

International Trade Shows then show the main product range of one or more sectors of the economy. They have the visitor side of the region well beyond walking catchment area, usually about 50 % of visitors come from at least 100 km away and 20 % of at least 300 km. They have a foreign exhibitors accounting for at least 10 % and a share of at least 5 % foreign visitors. Measuring the AUMA category nationally show the essential range of one or more sectors of industry. They have the visitor side of the region well beyond walking catchment area, usually about 50 % of visitors come from at least 100 km away and 20 % of at least 300 km. In addition, the AUMA uses the regional category. The measurement of this allocation have mainly on a regional visitor catchment area. As a rule, well over 50 % of visitors come from less than 100 km away. They cover a range that can also go beyond that region.

AUMA differentiated beyond by visitors measuring (measuring, significantly more than 50% of trade visitors ) and public exhibitions. Within the group of trade visitors fairs there are events that are almost exclusively used by visitors (such as engineering fairs or consumer fairs, which often allow trade visitors only ) and those that also have a significant proportion of private visitors (such as tree food). Public exhibitions can almost exclusively to this group set (about boat shows or regional public exhibitions ) or a significant proportion of trade visitors (eg the IFA in Berlin). There are also mixed forms, resulting in almost equal measure addressed to both target groups (eg the FIBO in Essen or the photokina in Cologne). There are also visitors fairs where permitted at certain times of private visitors (eg, the International Furniture Fair in Cologne) are.

The differentiation by measuring described in the Industrial Code (primarily directed at professionals ) and exhibitions (mainly addressed to private visitors ) lost in practice in importance.

Other distinguishing options

Sometimes it is also a distinction between an exhibition as a regional event, which is aimed primarily at private audience and the range of services a region instead of an industry shows (eg Meuse- Rhine ), as well as a trade show as a national event, one the offer or more sectors presented.

Another level is reflected in the terms of trade show and trade fair, makes a distinction between manufacturing and trading.

A formal definition ultimately represents the special form of in-house exhibition, at the present their offers rather than a fair company a provider, often a wholesale company, itself acts as operator and the product which it manufacturers.

Importance and locations in the German speaking

Germany is the leading location for trade fairs and exhibitions. Five of the ten largest exhibition companies in the world come from Germany. All German trade fair companies together achieved in 2011 a turnover of EUR 2.85 billion euros. Between 140 and 160 international trade fairs and exhibitions are held annually, which are used by some 170,000 exhibitors and from nine to ten million visitors.

Exhibition Grounds in Germany

Exhibition companies in Germany to rent the premises to either host or organizer occur even as the organizer. The major German trade fair companies all have a communal ownership structure and therefore differ very significantly from foreign, especially American companies. Examples in which a fair society does not occur even as the organizer, the Frankfurt Book Fair in Frankfurt am Main (annually ), the IAA ( every other year ) and the Achema ( every three years); in Berlin, the IFA Berlin (annually ), the International Tourism Exchange (annually ), the Green Week (annually ) and the International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition Berlin ( every second year ).

The highest hall capacities

Largest outdoor area

Fairgrounds in Austria

The city's major venues for exhibitions are:

• Messe Wels ( 60,230 sqm halls, 97 810 m² outdoor area )
• Messe Center Graz ( Graz Autumn Fair ) ( 60,000 sqm halls, 80,000 m² open area )
• Innsbruck Innsbruck Exhibition 40,000 m²
• Wieselburg Exhibition Centre ( 11,300 sqm indoor own area, 3,600 m² foreign halls, 115,000 sqm open area)
• Klagenfurt Exhibition Centre ( 35,000 sqm halls, 65,000 m² open area )
• Fairgrounds Tulln ( 24,500 sqm halls, 60,500 m² open area )
• Messe Wien ( 70,000 m²)
• Dornbirn Messe ( 34,000 sqm halls, 18,000 m² open area )
• Salzburg Exhibition Centre ( 37 373 m² including Salzburg Arena, 21 777 m² open area )
• Fair Ried ( 30,000 sqm halls, 119,000 sqm open area)

Exhibition Centre in Switzerland

The main exposition center of Switzerland are:

• Messe Basel ( 132,000 m²)
• Palexpo Geneva ( 102,000 m² and 21,000 m² outdoor area)
• Beaulieu Lausanne ( 50,500 m²)
• BEA bern expo ( 34,700 m² and 100,000 m² outdoor area)
• Olma St. Gallen ( 32,500 m²)
• Messe Zurich ( 31,000 m²)
• Messe Luzern (15,000 m²)
• Rhine Valley Fair SG ( 30,000 m²)