Messes Find Partners Everywhere

Recently, Deutsche Messe named California an official “partner state” for its gigantic CeBIT computer and high-tech show. Thus, California-based exhibitors will be offered booth packages in their own pavilion and receive other benefits at the show.

But CeBIT isn't the only show held in Germany that from time to time takes a state or a whole country on as a partner.

At Messe Berlin, for instance, the Popkomm music, media and entertainment industry tradeshow and conference, held Oct. 8-10, partnered with Turkey. The Netherlands will be the partner for Intl. Green Week 2009 – Switzerland was the show's partner country this year – and India was the partner for the international aerospace exhibition and conference ILA 2008.

“Berlin fairs' partner countries have the chance to present themselves to a large group of persons who are very interested in the benefits of these countries,” said Michael T. Hofer, Messe Berlin spokesman. “Of course, Messe Berlin helps the partner countries present their offers to visitors and everyone here in the middle of Europe, if necessary.”

Heike Fischer, head of the Leipziger Messe press department, said many of her company's shows also partner with countries, including Spain at this year's Orthopaedie + Reha-Technik orthopedic technology show, with 20 Spanish companies taking part, and Hungary at the next denkmal show for historic building protection and renovations (France partnered on the 2006 show). In March, Croatia introduced itself at the Book Fair with a key presentation aimed at drawing more attention to the Croatian literary scene.

Karen Vogelsang, Messe Essen marketing director and U.S. representative, said her company works regularly with “partnerlands.”

At energy tradeshow E-World in February, Switzerland was the partner.

“Not only did they have a national pavilion, they played an important role in the conferences,” Vogelsang said. “In addition to the traditional companies taking part at E-World, many new companies took part in the pavilion, allowing international visitors to meet new and innovative businesses from the Swiss energy sector.“

At Messe Essen's Reise/Camping 2009 camping and outdoors show, the partner country will be the Czech Republic. In the past, the show has had Holland, Turkey, Canada, Hungary and various regions of Spain as partners.

Leipziger Messe's Fischer said partner countries get the attention of visitors, other exhibitors and the media. And partner country status often includes the official support of its government or other domestic authorities, she added. For example, a ministry could participate in financing the country booth or the conference program.

“The aim of a partner country is to highlight its own economy or special branches abroad and to contact new clients, partners or investors on the international market. A trade fair company supports these aims by choosing a partner country, and Leipziger Messe does so often,” Fischer said.

“For both the organizer and the partnerland, it's a win-win situation,” Vogelsang said. “The partner appears on all advertising, from brochures to large posters. They have a big media presence, due in part to a press tour of the partnerland organized by the partner and the organizer. The partner also profits from a pronounced presence at the show with a grand booth design, various stage performances and their own ethnic catering.”

Of course, the show benefits as well.

“It attracts more international visitors to the show,” Vogelsang pointed out.

Although the partnering programs are the highest-profile examples of how German messes work with foreign countries to promote attendance, they are not the only efforts made.

At its annual IPM horticultural tradeshow, Messe Essen works closely with individual countries to highlight their specialties. Interest in exhibiting from Britain has grown so much that the British Commercial Horticultural Assn. increased its pavilion more than 50 percent this year. Messe Essen works closely with the Southern U.S. Trade Assn., which provides financial assistance to companies from its region interested in exhibiting in the U.S. pavilion at the show.