CeBIT 2009 numbers drop 100,000 as horror recession bites

Stan Beer
Monday, 09 March 2009 15:37

Opinion and Analysis

Not even the personal appearance of the terminator Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, leading a huge delegation of Californian companies, could mask the dismal turnout to this year's global technology extravaganza CeBIT 2009. Organiser Deutsche Messe AG tried to put a positive face on the event, but both exhibitor and visitor numbers were down by a crushing 20%.

To Europe, Germany and Hannover, CeBIT is not just a technology show. It is an annual pilgrimage of the European and global technology community that swells the population of the Northern German city of Hannover, normally about 500,000, to double its size. Locals would rent rooms or their entire apartments to visitors and move out for the six days of the show.

When CeBIT was at its height in 1995, it attracted more than 750,000 visitors and 6100 exhibitors. At the show held this time last year visitor numbers were down below 500,000. This year visitor numbers saw a huge drop to 400,000, with 4300 exhibitors, meaning CeBIT is now about half the size in terms of drawing power than it was in the boom years of the mid-1990s.

However, despite the unprecedented depth of the global recession and the general atmosphere of doom and gloom, Deutsche Messe did its best to put on a brave face.

Deutsche Messe AG Board Member Ernst Raue said the industry had drawn “fresh optimism” from the strength of the CeBIT event.

Mr Raue conceded the depth of the global economic crisis had not left the CeBIT event untouched. But given the severity of the economic conditions, Mr Raue said the organisers were “extremely pleased” with the result.

“A huge number of exhibitors and visitors are now leaving Hannover with a renewed sense of buoyancy as well as bulging order books and a solid foundation for new business,” Mr Raue said.

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