On its 10th anniversary, Golf Europe was held, for the first time, at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from Monday 30th September to Wednesday 2nd October 2002 – with great success for the key trade fair of the European golf sector, its exhibitors and trade visitors.
With a total of 22,000 square metres, the new venue provided the International Trade Fair for Golf with far more exhibition space: 321 exhibitors from 31 countries (2001: 278 exhibitors from 29 countries) took part in the event; an increase of 15% compared with the previous year.
Jà¼rgen Lohrberg, director of business, consumer goods fairs, at Messe Mà¼nchen, said, “The move to the new trade fair grounds has given Golf Europe a completely new character. It has made it more international and shows more clearly than ever the great potential of both Golf Europe and the entire golf sector.”
More than 4,500 visits (2001: 4,280) were registered during the three-day event; a slight increase compared with the previous year. The trade visitors came from 47 countries, with non-German visitors accounting for around 41%. Apart from Germany, the largest contingents of visitors came from Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Spain.
Feedback from the companies travelling to the show under the British Golf Industry Association banner was very positive with the majority reporting high quality visitors to their stands and good levels of business achieved. Jacqui Baldwin, secretary to the BGIA, said, “Golf Europe is a great opportunity for UK companies to make new business contacts in Europe and develop existing ones. All of our exhibitors were impressed with the new venue which, although it may lack the intimacy of the MOC, has excellent facilities and provides an opportunity for the show to develop and grow in the future.”
Lawrie Thornton, general secretary of the Professional Golfers’ Associations of Europe, said, “We have some very exciting days behind us: after a sensational Ryder Cup, this impressive premiere on the new trade fair grounds and, at the same time, the 10th anniversary of Golf Europe. For seminars in particular, the New Munich Trade Fair Centre provided excellent conditions for high-quality events and a very pleasant working atmosphere, which was rewarded by excellent numbers of participants.”
Golf Europe 2003 is scheduled at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 5th to 7th October 2003 and will be on the usual days again – from Sunday to Tuesday – with its traditional start on the first Sunday in October, the last Sunday of the Oktoberfest.
Three days beforehand, from 2nd to 4th October, the PGA of Europe is holding its “PGA Teaching and Coaching Conference”. Well known teachers and speakers from Europe and the United States will work intensively in seminars and workshops with around 1,000 international golf pros.
Golf Europe www.golf-europe.com