775 years of Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s oldest trade fairs – and is profiting from digitization.
The Expo in Milan is expected to attract more than three million visitors by the end of October. Hardly any of them will be aware that the much-talked-about German Pavilion comes courtesy of Messe Frankfurt – meaning that this Expo is also a showcase for Messe Frankfurt’s capabilities. With its technicians, hostesses and security personnel, Messe Frankfurt is responsible for making sure that everything runs like clockwork in the German Pavilion.
Digitization gives trade fair sector a boost
The Messe Frankfurt success story began back in the Middle Ages, officially on 11 July 1240 when Emperor Frederick II decreed by Imperial Privilege that the free Imperial City of “Frankenfurth” could term itself a trade fair city from that moment on. Even beforehand, Frankfurt had long been known as a city of trade and trade fairs thanks to its central geographical position on the trade routes of Europe. One of the most important of these routes runs from Paris to Russia via Frankfurt and Leipzig, the latter two cities liking to quarrel about which of them was actually the world’s first trade fair city – certainly both can claim a very long trade fair tradition. There was a boom in international long-distance trading, merchants meeting for centuries at trade fairs held at the Römer, the city’s town hall. It was not until 1909 that the new exhibition grounds at the Festhalle were established. With a turnover of 550 million euros and in excess of 2,000 employees, Messe Frankfurt is one of today’s global players in the trade fair sector. Represented in over 160 countries, it organizes trade fairs at more than 30 locations – the best-known exhibitions include the IAA International Motor Show, Frankfurt Book Fair and the Ambiente consumer goods fair at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds. But are trade fairs still in line with the times in today’s digital age? “Personal encounters generate personal relationships and trust. In an age of growing digitization, the need for this is actually greater than ever”, says Wolfgang Marzin, Messe Frankfurt’s CEO.
