ProWein visitors up 7% to 48,000

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 26 March, 2014

Visitors to Dusseldorf's international wine fair ProWein have jumped 7% on last year to 48,000, with twice as many Chinese and Hong Kong visitors compared to last year.

Prowein ProweinVisitors to ProWein were up 7% on last year’s show, reaching 48,000.

The exhibition attracted 4,830 exhibitors from 47 countries, including newcomers such as Japanese wineries showcasing the Koshu grape variety.

Hans Werner Reinhard, deputy managing director at exhibition centre Messe Düsseldorf, said: "This year's anniversary event adds one more chapter to ProWein's success story. The mood in the exhibition halls was the best and the number of international trade visitors from retail and gastronomy has risen once again. ProWein is the worldwide leading trade fair in the sector - a trend show and order platform with international appeal."

While more visitors came from key European markets, the number of visitors from China and Hong Kong doubled compared to ProWein 2013. Reinhard said: "Here we are already seeing the successful synergy effects of ProWine China that celebrated its premiere in Shanghai last November."

About a third of attendees were first-timers, with international wholesale, retail and specialist retail making up the largest group of visitors followed by experts from the restaurant and hotel industry. Over 70% of visitors are in managerial positions, while 97% of those polled said they had achieved their aims of attending the fair.

The major exhibiting countries of Germany, Italy and France proved most popular with visitors. Monika Reule, managing director at the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut - DWI), said: "The mood among exhibitors in the German hall this year was very good. Their wines were in great demand from the many trade visitors from home and abroad. In terms of the quality and professionalism of the trade audience, once again this year ProWein proved itself to be the most important wine fair in the world. In the 2013 vintage - whose white wines formed a particular focus in presentations - German producers showcased fresh, fruity and lean wines, as demanded by the market at present."

Elsewhere James Gosper, general manager of market development at Wine Australia said: "ProWein is a truly international show and the Australian wineries were very happy with this year's event. They were able to do business with buyers from all over Europe - including a very large number from the UK - but also from overseas like Canada and the US."

The show ran over 300 seminars and tastings this year, and over 400 exhibitors came from the spirits industry.

Next year's event will run from March 15 to 17 in Dusseldorf, while from November 12 to 14 ProWine China will get underway in Shanghai.

ProWein 2016 will be held in Düsseldorf from March 13 to 15.

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