• GOLF EUROPE 2007 with 5,427 trade visitors and 7% visitor increase
• Internationalization of the trade fair continues to progress
• Top-rate seminar program with lots of participants
• Jan Brügelmann honored with the GOLF EUROPE Legend Award
• GOLF EUROPE Product Awards get positive feedback
The leading European trade fair for golf, GOLF EUROPE, took place on 27,500 sq. m. on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 7 to 9 October 2007 for the 15th time. A total of 5,427 trade visitors were counted on the three trade fair days (2006: 5,067). As a result, an increase of 7% could be recorded compared to the previous year.
With trade visitors from more than 56 countries, the international character of the fair could be expanded further. In addition to the traditional visitor country of Great Britain, a lot of visitors were recorded especially from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Belgium, North Ireland and Greece. The region of Eastern Europe again recorded a big increase. The number of exhibitors also increased considerably to 297 (2006: 267).
Manfred Wutzlhofer, Chief Executive Officer of Messe München GmbH: "We are very happy that we have been able to record a good increase in the number of visitors and an increase of 11% in the number of exhibitors at GOLF EUROPE 2007; we also succeeded in making the trade fair more international with a foreign share of 60% of the exhibitors and 50% of the visitors. These facts underline the status of GOLF EUROPE as a unique competence center for golf business in Europe. We are going to continue to develop the concept of the trade fair and expand its topics to provide the industry with new stimuli and a corresponding platform in the future too."
According to a TNS Infratest study, 76% of the exhibitors evaluated GOLF EUROPE 2007 overall as "good" to "excellent". A total of 88% of the exhibitors will take part again next year. 79% of the trade visitors evaluated the trade fair as "good" to "excellent", and 94% indicated that they will visit the next GOLF EUROPE 2008.
The comprehensive supporting program provided visitors and exhibitors with the chance to expand their know-how. The top-rate seminar program in collaboration with the PGAs of Europe had an especially good response from trade visitors this year. It included tests in actual practice, demonstrations and workshops, among others by Steve Otto, Director of Research and Testing at The Royal & Ancient Golf Clubs of St. Andrews (R & A), who spoke about golf club technology and the laws of physics to which it is subject, and Dr. Karl Morris, Professor for Sports Psychology, who explained the psychological aspects of golf.
Jan Brügelmann, president for many years and honorary president today of the German Golf Association (DGV), received the GOLF EUROPE Legend Award this year. With this, GOLF EUROPE honored a person whose continued dedication to the continued development of German golf has been of decisive significance.
The most innovative products of the golf season 2008 were presented with the GOLF EUROPE New Product Awards for the first time in the categories Hardware, Clothing, Shoes, Accessories and Trolleys. Companies were distinguished here, which promote golf and set standards for it thanks to their dedication to their product development, to which the complete industry is geared.
The trends in the hardware sector, which were shown at the trade fair, range from new drivers with a high moment of inertia (MOI), which prevent twisting of the club when the ball is hit, to drivers with individually balanced weights and all the way to ultra-thin irons with multi-material constructions, which adapt to the different swing profiles and game situations.
Two contradictory tendencies can be observed in the segments clothing, shoes and accessories.
On one hand, liberalization is progressing and young golf fans are creating new silhouettes and cross-looks as well as borrowing elements from college clothing and other sports such as rugby and sailing. As a counterpoint, more traditionally oriented golfers are seeking to set themselves off from such and are turning more strongly to traditional premium products.
The next GOLF EUROPE will take place on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre with the regular schedule of Sunday to Tuesday from 5 to 7 October 2008.
Exhibitor Statements (Hardware):
Mizuno – Eduard Eckrodt, Golf Division Manager
"GOLF EUROPE 2007 was decidedly positive for us. We were able to ascertain a very good mood. We had a lot of visitors at our booth, and we are very satisfied. Our expectations for the trade fair as a platform for sharing ideas were fulfilled. The concept of Golf Europe was good as usual; we use this trade fair as a big get-together. Europe needs such a platform."
Callaway – Timo Regier, Regional Sales Director Central Europe
“The trade fair was very positive for us. We had a lot of visitors at our trade fair booth, and the mood was thoroughly positive among our trade visitors."
Dunlop – David Fearnley, Business Unit Golf
"The mood at GOLF EUROPE 2007 was positive overall, whereby the last two days were the best ones for us. The expectations, which Dunlop had for the trade fair, were fulfilled completely."
Powakaddy – Michael Bärwald, Managing Director
"GOLF EUROPE 2007 was even better for us than last year. We had a good number of visitors at our booth, good quality of contacts and were able to take many orders. We'll be at the next GOLF EUROPE in any case."
Exhibitor Statements (Clothing, Shoes and Accessories):
Golfino – Oya Janoske, Deputy Sales Manager
"An especially positive aspect for us was that we were able to acquire new customers in regions, where we have been represented less strongly in the past. We had very many international visitors at our booth. The trend in golf fashion is going increasingly in the direction of a younger segment. Consequently, we were happy to see an increasing number of young brands at the trade fair."
Backtee – Thomas Knudsen, Managing Director
"This year's GOLF EUROPE was very good for us with a good mood among the visitors. We also detected a lot of international visitors, especially from Eastern Europe. Golf Europe remains the most important trade fair of the golf sector. Our expectations were met in full. We were able to get a lot of orders and even acquire new customers."
Rukka – Isa Manuela, PR Manager
"The trade fair was very positive for us, and we were above all able to establish contact with potential new customers from Eastern Europe. The GOLF EUROPE New Product Awards are a good new feature to communicate innovations even more strongly. This should be expanded further."
J. Lindeberg – Louis Wolcott, Golf Sales Manager International
"Our expectations at the trade fair were met in full. Above all, we were able to make contact with new customers from Eastern Europe. We'll be here next year in any case."
Ashworth/ Sunice – Giles Birkhead, European Sales Director
"We are very satisfied with the trade fair 2007. We had hoped to have more visitors at our booth, but the quality of the visitors was excellent."
Association Statements:
Golf Management Association of Germany (GMVD) – Andreas Dorsch, Managing Director
"There were a lot of people at the trade fair, and the mood among the visitors was excellent. The GOLF EUROPE Product Awards are an interesting new feature in the context of the supporting program."
German Golf Association, (DGV) – Alexander Klose, Managing Director
"GOLF EUROPE 2007 was decidedly positive for us. There were a lot of visitors, and our expectations concerning cultivation of contacts were fulfilled."
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