Good prospects for Christmasworld 2023: Following the expiry of the early-booking discount, the response from exhibiting companies at the leading international trade fair for seasonal and festive decoration has been so overwhelming that the planned layout of the exhibition grounds is being optimized. The companies also welcome the fact that the fair is being held in parallel with Ambiente for the first time, which opens up additional business potential.
The motto "Elevate your business" for the upcoming Christmasworld from 3 to 7 February 2023 expresses the fact that the live experience is crucial when it comes to raising business relationships to a level of trust. The exhibitors agree with this. Christmasworld is also the perfect stage for presenting the success factor of experience at the point of sale with Christmas and festive decorations. Exhibitors are very much looking forward to finally meeting existing and potential new customers from all over the world at their leading trade fair. The feedback on the fair is correspondingly positive. The desire for disproportionately large stand positions for an emotional presentation is still unbroken and continues despite the pandemic.
"We are delighted with the continuing overwhelming response from our Christmasworld exhibitors and are grateful for the great trust placed in us by the market. With the high return of registrations and the extensive feedback from the industry, we have once again optimized the planning of the product areas so that everyone gets a perfect stand position for their product presentation", says Eva Olbrich, Director of Christmasworld and Creativeworld. Due to the great demand, Christmasworld will be held in Halls 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 6.1, and – new -, in addition, in Halls 4.0 and 4.1 in 2023, where the product groups Visual Merchandising & Light and Christmas & Seasonal Decoration will find their new business home.
"This time, we are thus offering an extremely compact as well as attractive international product mix in all product areas at the east part of our exhibition grounds. Everything is within easy reach for visitors, from hand-blown Christmas tree baubles to large-scale light displays for shopping centers and city centers. We consistently think in terms of how to secure short distances for our trade visitors and to ensure synergy-rich proximity to the complementary product worlds at Ambiente", adds Olbrich. For example, Christmasworld trade visitors will also find the Ambiente Giving area with classic gift articles (Gift Ideas) in the directly adjacent Hall 6.2 and modern gift articles (Urban Gifts) and classic products for schools, stationery, and greetings cards (Stationery & School) in Hall 4.2. Conversely, Christmasworld exhibitors benefit from the diverse visitor flows at Ambiente.
"It will be great to meet the customers in person again and present the new collection in Frankfurt. I think the synergy of Christmasworld and Ambiente will make this the most important event of the year for our business", confirms Mart Haber, Shishi AS, Estonia. Christina Mouchali, Fotodiastasi from Greece, agrees: "With our product portfolio of light decorations for shopping centers and city centers, we have always been able to reach an incredible number of new international customers from all over the world at Christmasworld in Frankfurt. There is no substitute for direct contact on site. What's more, our light installations thrive on the live experience. We expect even more new customer potential from the combination with Ambiente – especially from the HoReCa/hospitality sector. That's why we welcome this innovation."
Exhibitors and associations look forward to the trade fair comeback
Touching new products, experiencing trends up close and personal, and meeting business partners – all this is more important than ever after the pandemic experience and the further increasing challenges in the market. In addition, the industry needs an exchange on the most important meta-topics such as sustainability, new work, design, lifestyle, future retail, and digital expansion of trade, which will move all forms of trade in the future. New impulses are needed here, which are actively stimulated by the supporting program via special areas, lectures, or workshops.
In this context, the associations also see great added value for their members in attending Christmasworld: "Nowhere else do we get such a good overview of the industry in one place and at one time. Of course, we have been to showrooms a lot in the meantime, but that is no substitute for the trade fair because here you see the world, which means the inspiration is immense, and you enjoy all the more the personal exchange and the haptic product experience – I am particularly looking forward to this. With Ambiente in our luggage, we are excited about additional target groups," emphasizes Martina MensingMeckelburg, President of Verband Deutscher Garten-Center e.V.
The new trade fair constellation is also welcomed by Dr. Peter Wüst, Managing Director of the DIY, Construction and Garden Trade Association (BHB): "Buyers in the DIY sector are currently facing enormous challenges, such as non-functioning supply chains, a shortage of raw materials or the need for a far greater number of supplier meetings. In this situation, the ‘trade fair triple’ represents a significant relief and creates the possibility of a very effective information and ordering opportunity. The meta-topics mentioned will occupy customers now and in the future. The DIY trade must and will change in this direction – in addition to sales competence, this requires the concentrated power of innovation on the product and information side, for which the trade fair alliance stands".
On the subject of meta-themes, John W. Herbert from the European DIY Retail Association (EDRA) and Global Home Improvement Network (GHIN) joins in and concludes with a positive outlook on industry developments. "Simply, every retailer is looking for products that fit the six meta-themes of the event. It is a great idea to bring Ambiente, Christmasworld, and Creativeworld together because, in many companies, all three fairs have the same chief buyers. Moreover, these product categories have become more relevant since the pandemic as consumers worldwide have rediscovered their homes. The general consensus is that these categories will be in above-average demand in the future."
With their ranges, exhibitors reach trade buyers from a wide variety of retail sectors. From small gift boutiques to shopping centers, from DIY and home improvement centers to furniture and interior shops, from florists to garden centers and representatives of local authorities and towns, as well as the hotel trade or visual merchandising are looking for and finding inspiration at Christmasworld. The decisive factor for inspiration remains the physical experience, which is clearly in focus in 2023 – and will continue to be supplemented digitally before and after the fair.
"As a wholesaler, we are part of the driving force behind the retail chain. Our product, Christmas decorations, is ideally viewed by visitors in a physical presence. At Christmasworld, we always try to get a creative spark going that leads to a magical shopping experience in our customers' shops," sums up Michel Gozeling, CEO, Christmas Inspirations B.V., Netherlands.
From February 2023, Christmasworld will be held at the Frankfurt exhibition center at the same time as the leading international consumer goods fairs Ambiente and Creativeworld.