“Guarded optimism” colours Koelnmesse’s summing-up

Practical World, which came to an end yesterday, attracted around 68 000 trade visitors to Cologne (compared with approx. 90 000 in 2002). More than half of the visitors travelled to this city on the Rhine from abroad. Altogether 3 718 companies (3 880 in 2002) from 59 countries presented their products and services there. Coming from Germany were 793 exhibitors and 90 jointly represented firms, and from abroad there were 2 636 exhibitors and 199 represented firms. The organisers, Koelnmesse, talk of a “guardedly optimistic final result for the fair” and emphasises improvements to the services available there. According to the official statement, “Practical World is now set on a promising course and is sure to show its full strength under more favourable conditions.”