Share this on

Best in Shows

Tweaks help Nuremberg remain a top stop

By Cliff Annicelli -- Gifts and Dec, 4/1/2010 12:00:00 AM

The Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair Nuremberg more than held its own in 2010. The show's 61st annual edition saw upwards of 76,600 visitors from 104 countries file through its turnstiles, a gain in attendance of 2 percent over 2009—helped, presumably, by the general uptick in visitors to winter shows thanks to rising confidence in a global economic turnaround, and aided more measurably by show organizer Spielwarenmesse's ongoing efforts to tweak its marquee event in ways meant to attract new business from growing segments of the market.

Case in point: In fair's the first three days, nowhere did we see more buyers milling around than in the new or expanded areas dedicated to infant products and back-to-school/stationery items. According to Spielwarenmesse's polling, the show's expanded BabyWorld area was the primary destination of 12.4 percent of this year's visitors, up from 8.3 percent in 2009. There was also greater interest in the fair's educational toys and children's book areas, Spielwarenmesse added.

“Baby will remain a major focus for us, while back-to-school is a strategic focus” Ernst Kick, CEO of Spielwarenmesse eG, told Playthings of the efforts. “Ultimately, we follow the demands of the market.”

Overall, the 2010 show offered attendees the chance to see 2,625 exhibitors, including 280 new ones, and dozens of American toymakers scattered among the show's many halls as well as in the official US pavilion. As in the past, the American exhibitors were most typically on hand not necessarily to sell to retailers, but to kick start or solidify distribution deals with European importers. Said the head of a US toymaker with a 20-year history of exhibiting in Nuremberg: “It's a very active show. It's helped our brand and allowed us to penetrate new markets. Nuremberg gets a very high grade.”

Share this on

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

Journey to Germany?

Dec 1, 2007

Nuremberg co to host space at Middle East fair

Oct 30, 2008

Also by this author

»MORE

Featured Company

FurnitureCore.com

FurnitureCore.com is a dynamic web application aimed at the furniture industry. Retailers and manufacturers alike will find our deep reserve of tools to be exactly what their furniture business needs.www.furniturecore.com... more