The Expo Real commercial property trade fair in Munich will cover six halls and 64,000 m[sup]2[/sup] of space this year, one hall less than in 2008, according to Eugen Egetenmeir, board member of fair organiser Messe München. This is equivalent to the surface area registered in the growth year of 2007, Egetenmeir said in a statement. ‘This is a more than satisfactory outcome, when you consider that real estate has been one of the sectors most seriously affected by the financial crisis.’

The Expo Real commercial property trade fair in Munich will cover six halls and 64,000 m2 of space this year, one hall less than in 2008, according to Eugen Egetenmeir, board member of fair organiser Messe München. This is equivalent to the surface area registered in the growth year of 2007, Egetenmeir said in a statement. ‘This is a more than satisfactory outcome, when you consider that real estate has been one of the sectors most seriously affected by the financial crisis.’

Registrations from Russia, the Gulf states and the US in particular are down on last year’s levels, Egetenmeir said. ‘Exhibitors are also becoming more cost-conscious and some of them are requesting smaller stands, but they are still taking part in the fair,’ he noted.

Rates for exhibition space will rise by about 2% per square metre this year, a lower increase than at many other fairs, he noted. Messe München is offering attractive community stand options, enabling countries, regions and cities to present themselves as a whole, thereby reducing participation costs, he said.

While not specifying any figures, Egetenmeir said overall visitor numbers are likely to be impacted by the economic crisis. ‘Many companies in the industry are making redundancies, which could certainly have an effect on visitor numbers. Restrictions on travel costs will doubtless also play a role,’ he said.

Key themes at this year’s fair will be the financial crisis and sustainability, including green building certification systems. Egetenmeir: ‘Naturally, the financial crisis will be a big topic. However, Expo Real is not intended for the industry to wallow in self-pity, but rather to seek opportunities despite the crisis.’

Regarding sustainability, he noted: ‘Even if at first glance sustainability does not seem to go together with profitable trading, we intend to investigate the issue from this pragmatic point of view: What do users and developers stand to gain economically from a sustainable real estate business? What added value does sustainability have as a soft factor in improving the image of a company?’

The 12th edition of EXPO REAL will take place in Munich from 5-7 October 2009.