Economising and uncertainty

– At the moment, it looks like fewer companies are going to attend exhibitions this year than in 2008 and the number of employees travelling to events will also be smaller – says Márta Kakuk, director of Monart and the local representative of the Cologne Fair, where Anuga the biggest food exhibition in Europe is held every two years. Most exhibitors from 2007 have not yet decided if they will attend the event this year or not, although AMC provides substantial support for exhibitors. This year, only 300 square meters have been reserved by AMC. Many of the 82 companies exhibiting in 2007 are preparing to attend Anuga this year as well, but there are many other which seem to be uncertain. A typical attitude is to refrain from making commitments because of the general uncertainty prevailing in the market. In 2007, there were 6,600 exhibitors and 170,000 registered visitors at the Anuga exhibition, which should still be regarded as a practical opportunity for generating future business.