No longer any desire for Sunday

Around 28,000 trade visitors from 113 countries took part in Spoga+Gafa, the world's largest garden and BBQ trade fair, from 16 to 18 June 2024. On the visitor side, the trade fair was able to grow and recorded an increase in German visitors in particular of over 8 percent, reports Koelnmesse. A large number of visitors also came from the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, the USA and Australia. 1,800 exhibitors from 66 countries presented their products at the event for the global garden industry.

Oliver Frese, managing director of Koelnmesse, was delighted that the trade fair had built seamlessly on the success of the previous year. “The positive response from international trade visitors, the increase in visitors from Germany and the high quality of discussions with our partners encourage us in our commitment to continuously develop Spoga+Gafa.” It was a  response that was also largely confirmed in the halls, in the aisles and on the exhibition stands. Overall, the exhibiting companies expressed their satisfaction in conversation with the diy trade magazine; for many exhibitors, a visit to Spoga+Gafa is still a must-do event in the course of the year. Although the mood on Sunday was still rather subdued, this would change on the second day of the fair - Monday is usually well attended - in the halls and at the exhibitor stands.

Only the start of the trade fair programme on Sunday, which has become an established tradition, is increasingly coming in for criticism. There are many reasons for this, some of which are interrelated: for some years now, Sunday has seen a low number of visitors, which in turn simply does not justify the personnel costs for many companies. Employee protection laws on weekend working would in any case contradict this, as would changing conditions in society. The historical justification of giving the operators of owner-managed garden centres the opportunity to visit is now largely obsolete. According to some, Sunday has simply become outdated; many exhibitors would prefer a regular weekday to start with, but would stick to the three-day format. Koelnmesse, for its part, has responded to the industry's wishes: from the next edition in 2025, Spoga+Gafa will take place from Tuesday to Thursday.