tto_nov_1-28_final

Probably fewer larger travel
fairs in the coming years
Two travel fairs have crucial separated
themselves from all other travel fairs in
Scandinavia.
MATKA in Helsinki with 68,000 visitors,
and the “Danish Travel Show” in
Herning, Denmark, with 63,000 visitors.
From behind come Reiselivsmessen
in Oslo, wich after a decline from 2014 to
2015 now have 43,000 visitors.
How difficult it is to arrange travel
fairs with success is seen in Sweden where
TUR this year tried to make a travel fair in
Stockholm. It was visited by 2,500 visitors
and theTUR fair in Gothenburg also has
problems. So there will be no travel fair in
Gothenburg next year, neither a consumer
trade show or trade fair.TUR becomes an
every second year project and there will be
a consumer trade show in 2017 in Stockholm,
with a new concept.
Greater success has Stockholm Travel
Show B2C at the Central Station in Stockholm,
with 250, 000 visitors per day.
For many years over 40,000 visited the
great holiday fair in Bella Center in Copenhagen.
The travel fair had to be abandoned
after poor management .
The successor in Forum in central Copenhagen
had 7,400 visitors.
Even Aller group, that publishes a variety
of magazines, had problems with its
own travel fair in Denmark. Despite massive
support from the group’s many magazines
only 7,000 visited the travel fair, and
the travel fair is not organized again.
Travel Trade
OuTbOund
Five years
“Five years from now there will probably
be fewer larger travel fairs but smaller and
more specialized travel fairs in Scandinavia.
The business to business segment is almost
gone and the consumers, especially
in the larger cities use internet, trip advisor,
face book and other online tools to get
inspiration.
So there will be more focus on specialized
interactive workshops, meet the experts,
spiced with unique content and well
known speakers,” says Per Ankær, Managing
Scandinavia
Director, International Conference
Services, Denmark and Sweden.
MATKA in Helsinki is with 68,000 visitors, is the largest in Scandinavia
Why do you think many travel fairs have
gone back?
“The online tools are available 24/7, so
it is not enough just once a year to go to
a general travel exhibition. The audiences
are generally not the big spenders, so the
exhibitors do not get enough return on
their investment.”
Some travel fairs have success. What is
the recipe?
“Specialize, interesting key note speakers,
marketing and location.”
How many visitors, should a travel fair
have to survive.
“You have to be focused. Either consumer
or business, depending on the concept
and costs. On business, there may be
down to 200 buyers, if it is the right buyers.
A consumer show should probably have
at least 4,000 participants to specialized
fairs.” says Per Ankær.
Anders Ladefoged, Project Manager,
“Danish Travel Show”, Danish Travel
Show:“I’m sure ‘Danish Travel Show’ also
is an attractive fair in 5 years because - especially
in these online times - the personal
meeting never go out of fashion.
We actually don’t have a goal to be
greatest. Our goal is to be the most preferred
and best holiday fair for the industry
and the public.
On “Danish Travelshow”, we have a model
that fits exactly to our exhibitors and visitors
here in Herning. I do not believe that
there is one recipe for making a good show.
One thing is certain. It is not as simple as
some think,” says Project Manager Anders
Ladefoged.
Secret
“We believe that MATKA’s success lies in
the diverse combination of satisfying both
professional visitors’ as well as consumers’
needs. One factor is also the variety of
exhibitors. Last year we had participants
from 90 different countries,” says Antti
Karjunen, Communications Officer, Messukeskus
Helsinki.
How will you continue to develop
MATKA ?
“We have continuously increased the
amount of programme to our B2B clients.
A day before opening of the fair we organize
the Workshop Day.
The public is interested in experiences
and we will continue to produce those
for them. One important aspect is letting
the public know already well before what
kind of programme and experiences will
be ahead, for this we have for example, developed
our own mobile app,” ends Antti
Karjunen.
Travel Trade
OuTbOund
Published by: Traveltrademedia.com, Copenhagen, Denmark. CVR DK29314055
Managing editor:
Carsten Elsted
Travel editor:
Carsten A. Andersen
Contact:
editor@ttoscandinavia.com
Layout:
grafit.dk