Denmark and Sweden: Nordic Countries Beckon

The first thing that pops into most people’s minds when they think about the European exhibition industry likely has more to do with the mighty German messes or perhaps the U.K. consumer show sector than with what’s happening in Scandinavia.

But, with eight venues between just two Nordic countries, Sweden and Denmark, the region has a thriving industry of its own. Senior Editor Rachel Wimberly checked out what each has to offer.

Sweden, the third largest country in the European Union, with a population of more than 9.2 million, may be big in land mass, but it’s low in population density – just 52 people per square mile.

Maybe that’s the reason the country only has two tradeshow venues of note – the Stockholm Intl. Exhibition & Congress Center, in the capital city, and the Malmo Exhibition & Convention Center, located in Malmo, a city situated at the southern tip of the country.

Even so, the Stockholm-based 62,000 square meter (667,362 square foot) venue, which also organizes 60 tradeshows annually, draws its fair share of events to the region.

One of the biggest is the Stockholm Intl. Antiques Fair, a consumer show on tap April 2-5. Arranged in partnership with the Swedish Art & Antique Dealer Assn., the event is expected to draw 30,000 attendees to a 4,700 sq. m. (50,590 sq. ft.) showfloor.

Malmo is Sweden’s third most populous city and, besides tradeshows, its 20,000 sq. m. (215,278 sq. ft.) center also is known for hosting conventions that are able to accommodate more than 3,000 visitors in its 18 meeting rooms.

Denmark, the southernmost of the Nordic countries, bordered on the south by Germany and located southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, may be relatively small in land mass, but it packs a big tradeshow and meeting punch, with six venues.

Bella Center Copenhagen, situated in the country’s capital, is the second largest exhibition center in Denmark, spanning 55,500 sq. m. (597,397 sq. ft.), with 18 halls and 63 meeting rooms.

The center also is an organizer, and one of the shows it produces is billed as “Scandinavia’s Largest Fashion Fair” – the Copenhagen Intl. Fashion Fair on tap Aug. 6-9.

The event is co-organized with the Federation of Danish Textile & Clothing, an association and industrial organization for the commercial houses, manufacturers and suppliers to the companies in the textile industry.

Another show at the busy center is the biennial building and construction exhibition, ScanBuild, scheduled March 31-April 2. In 2007, the show drew 300 exhibitors, of which 50 percent were from Denmark, 40 percent were from Sweden and the remaining 10 percent visited from nearby European countries.

The largest tradeshow venue in Denmark, not to mention the Scandinavian region, is Messecenter Herning, with 110,000 sq. m. (1,184,030 sq. ft.).

Located a three hour-plus drive west of Copenhagen, Messecenter Herning hosts several big shows, such as HI Industri, Sept. 1-4, the region’s premier industrial exposition, as well as Agromek, Nov. 24-28, which serves the agricultural sector, contractor companies and the green sector.

Other venues in Denmark include two more in Copenhagen – Forum Copenhagen and Oeksnehallen – as well as Messecenter Aars in Aars and the Odense Congress Center in Odense.