Lots to look forward to

Anyone visiting Spoga+Gafa this year certainly had a lot to look forward to. There were only four instead of five product segments; some of the halls were arranged differently which meant that product groups and stands were reallocated.
Above all, the German trade fair visitors payed particular attention to two things: First of all the relocation of the Landgard Autumn Plant Ordering Days nearer to the heart of the trade fair activities in Hall 5.1. Landgard, the biggest German plant marketing organisation returned for its second year at Spoga+Gafa.
Secondly, there was great interest in the premiere of the “Tag des Gardens” (Garden Day), an event for end users within the framework of the Spoga+Gafa programme. Although only approximately 15 000 people visited the two day event, only half the numbers expected, the “Tag des Gartens” is still expected to be part of the programme again in 2016.

But this didn’t affect the visitor numbers to Spoga+Gafa, as Koelnmesse had promised. In fact, the leading international trade fair for gardens and leisure time actually retained its visitor numbers with around 37 000 trade visitors from 108 countries; a year ago there were 36 800.
Also the number of exhibitors was slightly above the figure for 2014, with 2 024 companies from 59 countries. The foreign share of exhibitors increased by two per cent to 83 per cent and the exhibition area was laid out over 225 000 m².
The proportion of trade visitors from abroad rose to over 60 per cent. This corresponds with the opinion of many exhibitors who were pleased with the good international contacts, as well as observations made by the DIY sector. According to John Herbert, General Secretary of the European and Worldwide DIY Retail Associations Edra/Ghin, even more foreign DIY trade buyers came to Cologne than in previous years.
On the whole, the Koeln­messe registered the strongest growth of European visitors from France, Switzerland and Turkey and from overseas, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America recor­ded the highest rate of attendance growth.