• Significant increase in internationality
• Higher order volumes: turnover around 90 million Euros
• German specialist tobacco trades well represented

Significant increases in terms of internationality with regard to both exhibitors and visitors, increased order volumes and very satisfied exhibitors – this is the outcome of the Inter-tabac which ended last weekend (18.-20.09.2009) in the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund. “With this result the Inter-tabac has further consolidated its position as the world’s leading specialist trade fair for tobacco goods and smokers' requirements”, exclaimed Stefan Baumann, Managing Director of the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH in delight. Particularly pleasing: the share of national visitors has once again grown slightly and the quality of the specialist trade visitors was once again even higher. 256 companies (2008: 254) from 29 countries, of which altogether over 40 percent from abroad, exhibited on an area exceeding 9,540 square metres of rented space (2008: 9,450) new ideas and new products covering tobacco goods, smokers’ supplies, shop fittings, spirits, wines, organisation aids, specialist literature, stationery goods and magazines.

The volume of international visitors - also with regard to non-European countries - increased once again in 2009. 28 percent (2008: 25 percent) of the visitors travelled this year from foreign countries, including significantly more visitors from North, South and Central America, Asia as well as from the Near and Middle East. These facts were revealed by a survey carried out by an independent market research institute for trade fairs.

“It is interesting to see the Inter-tabac becoming more and more international from year to year”, said Alberto Fernández Fernández from Fuente International Ltd. He believes that this increasing internationalisation will encourage even more companies from the USA to take part in the coming years. “We have done a lot of business here at the Inter-tabac and found many new customers. We are very pleased we came here”, Fernández goes on to say.

Markus Plattner, Managing Director of KP Plattner GmbH was also pleased to be able to welcome a large number of international customers to his stand: “This has gone very well for us. Lots of customers from throughout Europe have been here”, says Plattner. This leading importer of lighters has just exhibited at the Inter-tabac for a second time and was also able to recognise a “sizeable increase compared to 2008” with regard to turnover. “Our customers from the wholesale trade now accept us being here in Dortmund. We will be exhibiting again here in 2010”, Plattner goes on to say.
The visitors to the Inter-tabac this year travelled even greater distances than in 2008. Half of the visitors came from more than 300 kilometres away. This time it was aeroplanes along with cars that constituted the most common method of transport. 19.6 percent of the visitors flew to the Inter-tabac by plane in 2009 – an increase of almost 100 percent on last year. To provide more comfort for the journey between Dortmund airport and the trade fair the Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH once again this year put on the Airport Express service.

More decision-makers among the Inter-tabac visitors

This year saw not only an increase in the international share but also an increase in the number of decision-makers amongst the specialist trade visitors. The Inter-tabac is primarily visited by private company owners, managers and directors. 92 percent of the visitors are, according to the results of a survey involved in decision-making processes in their companies with regard to purchasing either as sole or joint decision-makers, or in an advisory capacity. On top of that, the percentage of specialist trade visitors kept its constant high level of around 95 percent.
 
And it would appear that amongst the national and international specialist tobacco traders and wholesalers also further visitor target groups are becoming established at the Inter-tabac: “This year there were many more visitors from ancillary industries at the Inter-tabac than in previous years” comments Bob Guden, International Sales Manager of Heintz van Landewyck S.à r.l. The Landewyck Group was able to report on many “European contacts” at the Inter-tabac. “We have seen a large share of our customers here and were constantly busy at our stand”. The Inter-tabac is a fantastic platform for everyone to come together”, according to Guden.

Not only the quality however, but also the quantity of the trade visitors was convincing: altogether 6,636 visitors came to Dortmund to be at the Inter-tabac 2009, representing a further increase of 6.2 percent.

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Please find below the detailed final report as PDF for download.