Growth for Glee

Just under 25 900 trade visitors travelled to Birmingham at the end of September to attend the garden trade fair, an increase of almost six per cent compared with the previous year’s event. The fair attendance figure breaks down into 23 559 visitors from the home country and 2 327 from abroad. The organisers, Trade Promotion Services, appeared especially pleased with the increase of more than 16 per cent in international visitors. These were present in large  numbers from Ireland, the USA, the Benelux countries, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Sweden and Spain in particular. The number of visitors from the national scene was “only” up by just under five per cent on last year’s fair.
The number of exhibitors also showed positive growth, increasing by eight per cent from 1 412 in the previous year to a total of 1 528 this year. Fourteen per cent of these were international companies from 27 different countries. Present at the fair alongside exhibitors from Europe and the USA were companies that had come from Australia, Japan, Mexico, South Africa and Canada.
Water in the garden” was a segment that occupied a great deal of space in Birmingham.
The organisers of Glee interpret the rise in both visitor and exhibitor figures as a clear indication that their fair concept, which is geared towards providing fresh inspiration for the garden industry by means of an exclusive, top-quality range of products, is paying off. As part of this strategy they have been concentrating in particular on up-to-date niche product areas. Which means that categories like landscape gardening, giftware and leisure products have a significant role to play at Glee, in contrast to Gafa, the garden trade fair held in Cologne. “Water in the garden” was another segment that occupied a great deal of space in Birmingham. It can now be seen that last year’s decision to integrate Petindex, the fair for the pet trade, into Glee has proved to be the right one. A permanent fixture again this year was the awarding of prizes to the most innovative products displayed at the fair. The selection process involved more than 350 new products. The competition was divided into 13 different categories, with one product chosen to receive an award in each.
The next Glee will again be held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and from 19 to 21 September 2004.