"Celebrating Business Together" was the motto of this year's mega trade fair for the global consumer goods industry, consisting of Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld. A festival of records: with an increase of ten percent, 4,928 exhibitors presented their new products on over 360,000 gross square metres. Despite a rail strike lasting several days, around 140,000 visitors from all branches of trade and sales channels were inspired by a wealth of trends and innovations at the biggest event in the history of Messe Frankfurt. As international networking and ordering platform, the industry's one-stop shop with over 170 participating countries and regions provided orientation, inspiration and solutions to current challenges in the market.
'Mission accomplished! Together with around 5,000 exhibitors and participants from over 170 countries and regions, this top-class trade fair trio strengthens the consumer goods industry in uncertain times,' summed up Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt.
The Frankfurt trade fair trio with international appeal has once again proven to be a leading event that provides orientation for retailers and manufacturers. 'Once a year and only here in Frankfurt! The economy is under enormous pressure in the face of increasing global tensions. That's why personal encounters, new solutions, inspiration and the development of new export markets and sales channels such as Hospitality and the contract business are irreplaceable,' emphasises Detlef Braun.
Top marks for internationality, quality and quantity
In view of the new trade fair records, expectations were correspondingly high. These were more than fulfilled: Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld were characterised by new contacts with purchasing decision-makers, global business contacts and worldwide visitor flows. Internationality has increased: Three out of four trade visitors came to Frankfurt from abroad. With a five percent increase in international visitors compared to the previous year to a current 71 percent, the mega trade fair topped the previous year's result. Germany spearheaded the list of visitor nations this year. Italy and China took second and third place in the top five visitor countries, followed by the Netherlands and the USA. Together, they once again emphasised the importance of the leading trade fairs as the world's most international event for the consumer goods industry. As expected, the flying-in foreign countries were more strongly represented than visitor nations that, like France and the Alpine republics, travelled to the event by rail.
The entire spectrum of the specialised retail trade was represented in Frankfurt. In addition, the three trade fairs attracted well-known major buyers. Important distributors of hotel and catering supplies from all over the world and real estate developers were also in the halls, as were representatives of hotel groups. The fact that the trade appreciates Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld as a successful platform is also substantiated by Messe Frankfurt's visitor survey. In terms of satisfaction with the range of exhibits, this year's trade fairs also surpassed last year's: 94 percent of visitors were satisfied with the quality and range of exhibitors compared to 93 percent last year.
One-stop shop with premieres, impulses, answers and solutions
Design, digitalisation in retail and production, lifestyle and sustainability, new work and future retail - the global themes of the industry were in the focus of the trade fairs. The supporting programme, restructured into themed days, was a valuable source of inspiration across all target groups. Lectures, special presentations, workshops and guided tours ran consistently through the five days of the trade fair and could be explored in greater depth on the themed days. With the new Designer Day, a networking event for designers, and the newly created Ambiente Designer title, which will be awarded annually in future, Ambiente is emphasising its global relevance as the quintessential meeting place for the design industry.
The charismatic Milanese artist and product designer Elena Salmistraro kicked things off as the Ambiente Designer 2024 and presented her vision of a lounge at the thematic interface between design, HoReCa and contract business with her special show The Lounge - A Serious Game. With the newly introduced Hotelier’s Day, Ambiente is focussing on the hospitality industry and further developing the growth areas of Hospitality and Contract Business. This way, it opens up new business opportunities for industry participants aiming at commercial end consumers. Sustainability was and remains a meta topic of global importance, which the trade fair trio consistently highlighted in all product segments, in the fringe programme and in the overall special interest Ethical Style.
Trade fair dates 2025
Ambiente, Christmasworld and Creativeworld will continue to take place at the same time at the Frankfurt exhibition centre. They will, however, be moved to the beginning of February to ensure that major global trade fair dates are aligned. In addition, the daily sequence of Creativeworld will be optimised in consultation with the industry. All three leading trade fairs will start on Friday. Creativeworld will continue to run for four days.
Ambiente/Christmasworld: 07 to 11 February 2025
Creativeworld: 07 to 10 February 2025
More information:
Ambiente
www.ambiente.messefrankfurt.com