The Intermedia Group News Portal

With the economy picking up again, the signs at the Tendence trade fair were positive, with more exhibitors taking part this year than in 2009.

“A total of 2,130 exhibitors from 57 countries took part in the most international consumer goods fair in the second half of the year,” says Detlef Braun, member of the board of management of Messe Frankfurt.

“That’s 80 more companies than in 2009. Although Tendence is still fighting its way through troubled waters, we see this small increase in exhibitor numbers as a sign we are on the right course,” he says.

For the first time in two years, Tendence made a return to the late-summer time slot and was held from August 27 to 31 in Frankfurt am Main.

This change followed requests from the majority of Tendence exhibitors and visitors, who preferred the fair to be held in the later time slot shortly before the important Christmas seasons.

“Contrary to the expectations created by a poll three years ago, holding the fair earlier in the year did not prove its worth against the background of the recent economic difficulties,” explains Braun.

Thanks to an improved climate, Germans intend to spend more this Christmas than last year, according to a Forsa poll commissioned by Frankfurt Messe.

On the basis of sales last Christmas, which amounted to 73 billion Euros according to the Federation of the German Retail Trade, expenditures are expected to rise by 1.43 billion Euros or around two per cent.