The entire diversity of the garden united in Cologne: spoga+gafa 2023 closes after three successful trade fair days and draws an extremely positive. Around 30,000 trade visitors from 122 countries took part in the world’s largest garden lifestyle trade fair this year. In total, over 1,800 exhibitors from 58 countries presented the trends and highlights of the coming garden and BBQ season from 18 to 20 June. Hence, the show almost matched the record figures of the year 2019. The next spoga+gafa is scheduled to take place in Cologne from 16 to 18 June 2024.
The gardens of the future are sustainable, promote the social exchange and offer more potential than ever as extended living and working space. That is the overriding conclusion of spoga+gafa, which further consolidated its position as the leading global trade fair. The trade fair is on the pulse of time with its key theme “Social Gardens – Places of encounter” and has raised awareness for the positive effects of gardens as social meeting places.
“We are delighted that we were able to follow on from the fantastic results of the year 2019 with spoga+gafa 2023. The exhibitors and the international trade audience were above all extremely pleased with the quality of the discussions and the products. The fantastic atmosphere in the exhibition halls underlined this impressively. With a strong increase in the number of visitors from Germany and at the same time around 70 percent of foreign trade visitors, spoga+gafa once again confirmed its relevance as the industry’s most important international trade and networking platform,” stated Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH.
spoga+gafa 2023 in figures:
1,853 exhibitors from 58 countries participated at spoga+gafa in 2023. The increase in the number of European exhibitors and intercontinental growth above all from Asia and the USA was notable. In total, around 30,000 visitors from 122 countries came to Cologne. As such, spoga+gafa achieved a 20 percent increase in attendance and extended its international reach by 10 nations. In addition to Germany, the countries with the most visitors were in particular Great Britain, Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands. Great Britain, Italy, the USA and Canada experienced the strongest growth in the number of trade visitors.
High satisfaction among the manufacturers and the trade
The exhibitors of spoga+gafa particularly emphasised the significance of the leading global trade fair as an important personal exchange platform and were convinced about the quality of the international trade audience. “spoga+gafa went very successfully for us and our exhibiting members again this year. It has shown that encounters in such a setting are simply not replaceable. One meets up with colleagues, acquaintances and all of the industry’s important decision-makers. It is of huge importance especially for the manufacturers to present their products on such a platform live – so they are experienceable and tangible. We are already looking forward to next year’s spoga+gafa,” stated Anna Hackstein, Managing Director of the Industry Garden Association e.V. (IVG).
In terms of the visitors, the top decision-makers as well as important multipliers of the industry were also extremely satisfied with spoga+gafa. John W. Herbert, General Secretary of the European DIY-Retail Association & Global Home Improvement Network commented: “spoga+gafa is the most important trade fair for our members. The fact that the big brands have flocked back to spoga+gafa proves that the trade fair is indispensable and a must-attend date for the industry. spoga+gafa has gained increased significance as an ordering show and as a means of direct exchange. It serves as a barometer for how the business of the DIY stores is developing and reflects the atmosphere of the market. Here at EDRA/GHIN, we are thus convinced by the relevance of trade fairs and especially by that of spoga+gafa.”
spoga+gafa 2024 will be staged from 16 to 18 June once again at the fair grounds of Koelnmesse.
