Q & A
“ German operators really know the exhibition industry”
Q & A
Neil Felton
CEO, FESPA
Felton has held a variety of senior exhibition roles prior to joining FESPA, including executive director at William Reed. His past portfolio of B2B events includes the UK’ s largest food industry event. He joined FESPA in 2011
“ German operators really know the exhibition industry”
Why Germany? Germany is our homeland, and we’ ve held two shows there. Largely, it’ s a very good place to do business, and a very efficient and reliable place to do business. Its big cities are globally recognised, but Hamburg and Munich can be as different to hold a show in as Cologne and Amsterdam. There’ s as much variety on a city-by-city basis, as there is comparing it to other destinations.
How extensively did you research the markets there? You have to look at the supply chain, and the services offered, but also at the transport links. There is a well-earned reputation for good support across German cities. Generally, you pay more in Germany, and this can be off-putting, but you really get what you pay for.
How do you work with the venue? We’ ve been very happy with the service levels at German venues, and they’ re very upfront about costs and deals. Our best show occurred in 2014 in Munich, it was a very modern and up-to-date venue – they really looked after us at every step of the process. The destination really adds a lot to the show, and Munich was very popular.
What, if any, cultural differences have you encountered? My tip is to do a lot of research before you approach a venue, but this is no different than any other country. The service, however, has been a point of difference, and German operators really know the exhibition industry and made the process straightforward.
What do you wish you’ d known beforehand? You should know what costs you have incurred at previous events and ensure that these are understood before you do business. ■■■
EW / EN 2016 Germany, The UK Organiser’ s User Guide 5