(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)If we run down the list of major trade fairs being held in Germany we'll be here forever.
So this may be the only thing you need to know: Europe's largest economy - long known for its technological innovation and precision - is indeed a force to be reckoned with in the space. Some of the largest and oldest trade fairs in the world are being held in Germany. The Hannover Messe the world's biggest industrial fair started in 1947. The IFA has been on since 1924. The ILA Berlin Air Show kicked off in 1909. And if that's not enough for you the Leipzig Trade Fair had its beginnings in 1165; yes you read that right. For comparison the Consumer Electronics Show began in 1967 in New York City the Canton Fair in Guangzhou started in 1957 the Tokyo Motor Show kicked off in 1954 Britain's Farnborough Air Show traces its roots in 1920 and the Paris Air Show took off in 1909. Two of Dubai's major expos the Dubai Airshow and Gitex were rolled out in 1989 and 1981 respectively. And get this: six of the world's largest trade fair grounds are in Germany with the largest the Hanover Fairground boasting a ridiculous 496000sqm alone of indoor floor area - bigger than Vatican City which is only at 440000sqm - plus 58000sqm of open-air space. Messe Berlin - where the IFA is being held - clocks in at 160000sqm. For the sake of comparison the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre is at a modest 35000sqm. "Germany is a central European hub with excellent global connections" said Anthony Peter director of the corporate communications and operations division of Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa. "The major electronics shows are located in strategic countries and well-spaced out with their schedules" Peter says. Which brings us to one of the most important events on the German calendar IFA Berlin - Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin or "Berlin Radio Show" - which always lives up to its slogan "Consumer Electronics Unlimited". As mentioned above it began in 1924 under the name "Grosse Deutsche Funkausstellung" - the "Great German Radio Exhibition"; that's technically nine decades but World War 2 forced it out of action from 1940-49. Until 1939 it was held annually; when it returned in 1950 it became a bi-annual under the name "Funkausstellung" rotating between Frankfurt am Main Stuttgart and Dusseldorf but made a permanent return to Berlin under its present name in 1970. Since 2005 it has been held yearly in September. "The IFA is one of the biggest technology events in the world and announcements are eagerly awaited by tech enthusiasts" said Satoru Arai head of Sony Middle East Marketing Company. He adds that the event provides an opportunity to "explore emerging trends and celebrate the premieres of new technologies and products". Peter and Arai agree that despite the fact that the UAE and Germany are 4621km apart the IFA - which also showcases home appliances - has this certain influence in the former's consumer electronics industry. "The Middle East embraces new technological innovations and products that can be seen from the availability of the latest gadgets in this market" Peter points out. "Therefore the IFA definitely is an even earmarked in most tech geeks' calendar." "No doubt" Arai adds "[the IFA and other overseas IT events] have an effect on the purchase choices of many consumers in the UAE." Huge appeal Last year saw the largest number of products debuting at the IFA never before seen in its history. The IFA's official audit report in coordination with GfK - a copy of which was obtained by Khaleej Times - shows that 1538 exhibitors showcased products on 149500sqm of space its largest ever. Orders worth ?4.25 billion (Dh17.5 billion) were forged over six days. Over 240000 guests from 115 countries were welcomed in 2014. Total trade visitors were at 140350 of which 79.3 per cent came from Europe followed by Asia and Australia (16.6 per cent) the United States and Canada (2.4 per cent) Africa (1.3 per cent) and South America and Central America (0.4 per cent). Of course a huge percentage of visitors were interested - determined maybe more aptly - to check out the latest in consumer electronics. "Two out of three visitors saw novelties or innovations which they otherwise haven't noticed" the report noted. Even the media coverage is growing. Last year 5960 journalists reported on the event with over 2600 global Press representatives - Khaleej Times included - flying to Berlin for the event. More than 300 international dailies over 1000 trade publications and 1150 TV and radio journalists reported from 120 countries "a reflection of the high level interest in the IFA around the world". "The IFA is the largest consumer electronics and appliance show in the world" Peter says adding that it gives companies like Panasonic the opportunity to welcome key stakeholders opinion leaders and editors from across the globe to show exactly what industry players have to offer. "The popularity and the reach of the IFA provides technology leaders. an excellent platform to showcase their latest products and technology" Arai says. As always he adds Sony will showcase "the best televisions in the world" at the event. Sony is also expected to announce its new flagship mobile phone at the event on September 2 the same day China's Lenovo will be having its own event for its new products. Other industry leaders such as HTC Microsoft LG Huawei Motorola and Samsung are also primed to announce some really cool stuff. "The IFA is unique because of the fact that it is open to all; the general public can attend. unlike other global shows like the CES" Arai points out. That makes the IFA is even more appealing; it is a can't-miss opportunity for exhibitors to flaunt their products to a wider consumer audience. And with that consider this as a "welcome to the IFA" - even if we're 4621km away here in the UAE. -
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.