Schönbrunn Palace in Wien, Austria hosted the press conference of the 2022 edition of Spoga+Gafa, the leading international trade fair for the garden and leisure industry scheduled from 19 to 21 June 2022 in Cologne, Germany. A good registration status from Europe and overseas is heightening the anticipation. The date has been postponed from September to June is just one of the great changes of the first post-pandemic edition, for which about 1.500 exhibitors are expected from 65 countries. Three months before the trade fair opens, the number of exhibiting countries is similar to the level of the record year in 2019. Especially European companies have in some cases significantly increased their exhibition space. Hence, it is already becoming evident now that the new date in June is going down well with both those exhibitors, who address large retailers and those who target the specialized trade: Hence, the staging of spoga+gafa in mid or at the end of June fits in well with the order cycles of both.
New and intensified visitor cooperations promise to increase the quality of the trade fair participation for the exhibitors: For example, the collaboration with the BHB – the Retailers’ Association for Home Improvement, Building and Gardening e.V. has been extended further, as well as the cooperation with the German Garden Centre Association e.V. (VDG). For the first time, cooperation has been entered with the garden centres of egesa-zookauf eG, the procurement, advertising and marketing cooperative for specialised pet and garden shops. In addition to the growth of the German garden centres, the exhibitors can also look forward to new garden centre visitors from the Netherlands. New cooperation with Tuinbranche Nederland invites its members to visit spoga+gafa and participate in an intensive programme. In expectation of high-quality visitors, diverse companies in all segments have decided to participate in spoga+gafa 2022 for the first time. These include among others Bosch, Florensis, G. Wurm, Greenworld, Hamson, Heinje, Heissner, Hörmann, Ikono, Karasek, Otto Wilde, Rabensteiner, Segway and Vondom.
A new hall set-up in the furniture section, a “triangle of short routes” comprising Halls 3.1, 11.1 and 11.2 as well as the unique hall 10.2, creates new dynamics and guarantees a high frequency of visitors in all furniture halls of the largest trade fair for outdoor furniture and decorations worldwide. As a unique occurrence in 2022, the pop-up event “Home meets spoga+gafa”, which is dedicated to the world of interior furniture, is enhancing the furniture segment of spoga+gafa. As such, indoor and outdoor furniture will be exhibited together in Hall 4.2. The pop-up event enables efficient ordering activities at the best possible ordering time for buyers and dealers, who offer their customers both outdoor and indoor furniture and who want to order both at one location.
As expected, the participation of Asiatic exhibitors is reserved due to the entry and exit regulations still applicable in Asia. Asiatic manufacturers with European subsidiaries will however form an integral part of the trade fair and, like their fellow competitors worldwide, they too are showing interest in additional exhibition space.
The event programme of spoga+gafa is setting new accents, such as for example the lecture programme with its clear focus on the current challenges of the industry (keywords: supply chains, eCommerce). Special events accentuating individual products include the Boulevard of Ideas and the Outdoor Lifestyle Trend Show with its focal themes of Sustainability, Urbanisation, the Silver Society and Individualisation. Once again this year, exhibitors with the best innovations of the season can participate free of charge. Both exhibitors and visitors are invited to attend a new evening programme at the Rheinterrassen. Here the BBQ exhibitors will actively present themselves to the other exhibitor segments and their invited guests, the trade decision-makers of all industries.
The motto of the trade fair is more important than ever “Sustainable Gardens“: Among others, guided tours across the whole grounds will highlight products and solutions that support the garden on its way to a more sustainable existence.
The launch of the year-round digital platform of spoga+gafa, which introduces products and people to each other 365 days a year and thus heralds the start of the order process, is eagerly awaited. An initial test and needs request phase was successful and met with great interest among the exhibitors and trade – details will be announced shortly.
The Flora Journal 