Dortmund. “This has been a very good new start; I wish I’d done it three years ago,” says Best of Events (BoE) organiser Bea Nöhre. 9,100 visitors and 473 exhibitors came to Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund, where the event occupied 11,300 square metres of space in halls 4, 7 and 8 from 20 to 21 January 2010. Welcomed with open arms by the centre’s joint managing directors Dr. Ludwig Jörder and Stefan Baumann, the leading event industry fair is tied to Messe Wesfallenhallen Dortmund for the next five years. The Ruhr conurbation has good transport links, is home to a huge number of companies and is also European Capital of Culture for 2010.
Clearly set out halls and a generous stand layout ensured a positive mood among exhibitors. “We have no problems at all setting up and dismantling everything here,” emphasises Dieter Schimmel, head of group markets at tent company Losberger. “The whole thing has taken on the character of a trade fair. We are considering coming here again next year,” says Kongress Palais Kassel director Dr. Thomas Karsch, although he does also see room for improvement: “The entrance signs need to be improved, and something needs to be done about the long queues to get in.” His opinion is shared by Jérôme Poulalier, who was looking for ideas for an autumn roadshow to promote France as a meeting destination. Congress Center Messe Essen, of the eight-strong marketing alliance Essen Starke Partner, was exhibiting at the BoE for the first time. “We want to appeal to the entire target group here with our comprehensive range of offerings. We feel our conference product is better off at the STB,” says CC Essen sales and marketing director Stefan Bongard.
Another BoE partner is Professor Ulrich Wünsch of Fachhochschule Bad Honnef-Bonn, who ran a workshop on participant management. “Professor Luppold of Karlshochschule Karlsruhe has already agreed to come in 2011,” reports organiser Bea Nöhre, a big fan of free workshops. The symposium Next Event Generation Day on the second day of the fair had a clear focus on upcoming talent. “These are our customers of the future,” declares Nöhre. The next BoE is taking place from 19 to 20 January 2011 at Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund.
