Spoga+Gafa 2018: international scope increases

Spoga+Gafa closed its doors after the three-day show with an increased visitor total. The trends and themed worlds focusing on the garden attracted around 40 000 trade visitors from 114 countries to Cologne, including top decision-makers in the green sector. The growth in attendance came primarily from abroad, due in part to the show's newly introduced VIP programme. Among those attending were 400 trade visitors from Australia. "Overall the international trade visitor contingent increased once more by four per cent to 64 per cent. This growth in foreign visitors impressively underlines the considerable international significance of the event. Both specialist retailers and large-scale outlets were strongly represented internationally at a high level," said Katharina C. Hamma, managing director of Koelnmesse GmbH. "The positive response of the trade visitors and their quality shows that the direction we have gone in with regard to content and concept, with new themes and added value, is the right one." A total of 2 152 exhibitors from 61 countries (85 per cent from abroad) presented the trends and highlights for the next garden season on 230 000 m².In Halls 1 to 10 Spoga+Gafa presented the complete world of the garden and also opened up the outdoor areas between Halls 6 and 7 and 7 and 8 for exhibitors in the garden bbq segment. The range of products offered by the exhibitors was complemented by the show's themed worlds, such as the Outdoor Kitchen World in the garden bbq segment, the Smart Gardening World, the IVG Power Place Akku and IVG Power Place Green in the garden creation & care segment and the POS Green Solution Islands. Highlights in the garden unique segment were the Trendshow Outdoor Furniture and the special event "Icons of Outdoor Furniture". Guided Tours to the garden unique, garden living and garden bbq segments offered further food for thought.