Frankfurt, November 10, 2009:
- Recovery phase for European exhibitions
   longer than expected
- Investment in services, customer retention
   and new products as ways out of the crisis
- Public exhibitions surprisingly positive
- EMECA approves energy efficiency study

The restrictive lending policy of the banks as well as the partial or total cut-back of export promotion measures by the countries and regions are making it difficult for small and medium enterprises throughout Europe to take part in exhibitions. This was the unanimous complaint voiced by the 18 leading European exhibition centres – the members of EMECA (European Major Exhibition Centres Association) – at the autumn conference in Frankfurt that ended today. “For small and medium enterprises in particular, exhibitions are the most important part of marketing and sales activities,” explains EMECA President René Kamm, CEO of Swiss market leader MCH Group. EMECA fears that the emerging recovery will not take place for many European companies if this practice continues.
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Milan (akm) - The 2nd edition of the N.O.W. Fashion Exhibition, hosted at Fieramilanocity from February 26 to March 1, 2010, closed with an attendance of 7,223 visitors. Products by 27 international brands were showcased at the four-day event that presented pre-planned ready-to-wear and season capsule collections and with that the trade show reacts to changed purchase needs. Organisers Fiera Milano Rassegne and M. Seventy also for this edition renewed their strategic synergy with Mi Milano Prêt-à-Porter, showcasing a global range that made the most of respective specificities.

Berlin (akm) - Who said that it's always opening ceremonies that have to be magnificent? The world's leading travel trade show ITB Berlin has plans to stage a grand finale on March 14 of this year. In cooperation with the International Delphic Council, performers and creative artists from all over the world will present their countries and art in a show program at the Palais am Funkturm.

Klagenfurt (akm) - The hotel and catering trade fair Gast Klagenfurt is being expanded by a whisky exhibition. The 42nd edition of Messe Klagenfurt?s International Trade Fair for the Hotel and Catering Trade in Austria takes place March 14 to 17, 2010. Staged concurrently with Gast will be the wine fair Intervino and the World Spirits Festival.