Expo Real sees visitor numbers edge up to 38,000

Expo Real reported the total number of participants at this year's edition of the fair in Munich rose 3% to a total of 38,000 from 37,000 last year. The number of exhibitors edged up by a slightly higher percentage of 5% to 1,700 from 1,610 last year.

The increase in visitor and exhibitor numbers also underlines the fair´s importance as an international networking platform. 'Germany has always been a "darling" when markets elsewhere were bearish,' noted Jörg Banzhaf, CEO Germany of Dutch retail specialist Corio. David Sleath, CEO of UK-based Segro, added: 'There is a large international element which is great but there is also a very German focus, and as Germany is a core market for us it is absolutely critical we are here.'

Aside from the classical real estate asset classes, interest in new segments is also clearly growing. Following last year's premiere of a dedicated hotel property stand, this year the platform doubled in size. This year's fair also saw the debut of a joint presentation for logistics property. Andreas Fleischer, Regional Director Germany at Goodman Group, said Expo Real 2012 offered an 'ideal' platform for reaching out to the growing number of market participants drawn to logistics properties as an asset class. 'As an international developer of logistics properties and as a European market leader, we reached exactly the real estate industry target groups we wanted to reach in Munich.'

One of the key topics discussed at the five forums at the fair was finance. And that will continue to be the main focus, predicted Dr. Wolfgang Schäfers, CEO of IVG Immobilien AG: 'Alternative sources of finance and above all innovative financing solutions will continue to set the real estate sector’s agenda in the years ahead. But I don’t see the squeeze mooted in some quarters as being on the cards.'

Out of the 38,000 participants, 18,900 were trade visitors (2011: 19,000) and 19,100 were representatives from the exhibiting companies (2011: 18,000). The top 10 countries of origin for the visitors, out of a total of 71 different countries, are – in this order – Germany, the UK, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Russian Federation and the US.

The next edition of Expo Real takes place from October 7 to 9, 2013 in Munich.



EXPO REAL

EXPO REAL, the 15th International Trade Fair for Commercial Property and Investment, is being held at Messe München exhibition center from October 8 to 10, 2012. It is a key networking event for interdisciplinary and international projects, investment and finance. EXPO REAL caters to the full spectrum of the property sector, offering an international networking platform for the key markets of Europe, through to Russia, the Middle East and the US. The fair’s extensive program of conference events, featuring some 400 speakers, gives participants valuable insight into the latest trends and innovations in the property, investment and finance market