10 Years of EXPO REAL – Europe´s biggest trade fair for commercial property

23,800 visitors: + 13 percent
• 1,823 exhibitors: + 11 percent
• 63,000 m2 exhibition space: + 20 percent

More visitors, more exhibitors from growth markets and more exhibition space – EXPO REAL, which took place in Munich from 8 to 10 October 2007, attracted 23,800 trade visitors from 77 countries. When compared to last year, this 10th International Commercial Property Exposition recorded a 13-percent increase in visitor numbers. The rise in the number of visitors coming from abroad was even more marked – at 24 percent. “EXPO REAL is the biggest European real estate meeting point,” said Jos Franck, Member of the Executive Board of Bouwfounds Property Development of the Netherlands. Speaking about the ten years of EXPO REAL, Eugen Egetenmeir, a member of the Management Board of Messe München, said: “We have managed in this time to gain the respect and trust of the sector and as a result to grow EXPO REAL into an exceptional success story.”

The top ten countries of origin among the visitors – after Germany – were (in this order): Great Britain, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Russian Federation, France, Poland, the US and Italy.

One of the key themes at the fair was sustainability in the property sector. Dr Engelbert Lütke Daldrup, Undersecretary in the Federal Ministry for Transport, Construction and Urban Development, said in the opening discussion in the conference programme: “EXPO REAL defined the theme of sustainability very early on. Climate change and reliable energy supplies are both important topics which will play a big role in this century.”

1,823 companies from 43 countries exhibited at EXPO REAL 2007 – this was a rise of eleven percent as compared to last year. In addition to the 23,800 visitors, some 15,000 representatives from the exhibiting companies were also present at the fair. This brings the total number of participants to over 39,000. For the first time the event took up six exhibition halls, covering 63,000 square metres of space. Companies from outside Germany accounted for over one third of this total. In comparison to 2006, EXPO REAL this year took up over 40 percent more space. “The rise in demand at EXPO REAL 2007 comes from the international spectrum – from Europe, Russia, the Middle East and the United States of America. We very much appreciate the global reach of the fair, which increases year by year,” said Frank Lamby, Board Member of Hypo Real Estate Holding AG, Germany.

Also commenting on the importance of EXPO REAL, James A. Fetgatter, Chief Executive of the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) from the USA, added: “EXPO REAL is the gold standard of real estate trade fairs. The concentration of real estate business being conducted in one place at the same time would be difficult to duplicate: This is a must-attend conference for serious real estate investors.”

In the 100 or so individual events in the conference programme accompanying EXPO REAL, 400 renowned experts discussed the latest developments in the property market, including the turbulence on the international finance markets as a result of the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the US, the recently introduced G-Reits and newly emerging markets such as India or Turkey.

The next EXPO REAL takes place from 6 to 8 October 2008 in Munich.

Further information: www.exporeal.net

EXPO REAL
EXPO REAL, the 11th International Commercial Property Exposition, takes place from 6 to 8 October 2008 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre. The event is an international platform for networking on projects, investment and finance. It covers the entire spectrum of the property sector and brings together players from all the key markets from Europe, to Russia, the Middle East and the US. An extensive conference programme, featuring around 400 speakers, provides an in-depth overview of current trends and innovations in property investment and finance. Taking part in EXPO REAL 2007 were 1,823 exhibitors from 43 countries and 23,800 visitors from 77 countries. Exhibitor and visitor statistics for the EXPO REAL are audited by an accountant on behalf of the Gesellschaft zur Freiwilligen Kontrolle von Messe- und Ausstellungszahlen (FKM, Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics).

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Press contact:
Petra Gagel
Tel.: +49 89 / 9 49-20244
Fax: +49 89 / 9 49-20249
E-mail: petra.gagel@messe-muenchen.de

Messe München International MMI
Messe München International (MMI) is one of the world´s leading trade-fair organisations. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and new technology. Over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part each year in the trade fairs in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and in South America. With five subsidiaries abroad and 66 foreign representatives covering 89 countries, MMI has a truly global network.

This release was published on openPR.