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Hannover reverses slide with 20% spurt in visitors

01 April, 2005

After several years of declining attendances, the Hannover Fair appears to have turned the corner this year, with visitor numbers increasing by 20% compared to 2004, to more than 205,000. The increase was achieved despite the show being five days long - one day shorter than in previous years.

The number of exhibitors at the April show also showed a sharp increase of more than 1,000 to reach a total of 6,090. The exhibitors, from 65 countries (five more than in 2004), occupied a total display area of 205,100 square metres in 24 halls.

The number of visitors from outside Germany soared by 40% to reach a total of 62,000. The number of European visitors from outside Germany rose by 42% to 36,800, while the fastest-growing delegations from outside Europe came from the Americas (up 63%) and Asia (up 46%). The non-EU country with the largest contingent was India with 4,300 visitors - up 30% on last year`s figure.

This year`s "partner country" was Russia and the show was opened jointly by the Russian President Valdimir Putin (on the left, above) and the German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (right), who also witnessed the signing of eight German-Russian contracts, together worth several billion Euros. Germany is Russia`s biggest trading partner and the show attracted 150 Russian exhibitors to a special pavilion.