Karlsruhe trade fair generates second-best sales since its inception
"We were able to achieve this exceptional result because our customers and partners walked this path with us and supported the relocation of events."
Karlsruhe, June 30, 2023 - Messe Karlsruhe generated total revenues of 36.8 million euros in 2022. This is the second-best result since the company was founded. And it is only 1.9 million euros below the previous best result of 38.7 million euros, which the company achieved in 2019. The improvement on the previous year, which was heavily impacted by the pandemic, is 17.3 million euros. The improvement on the plan for 2022 is 3.9 million euros.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Messe Karlsruhe and First Mayor Gabriele Luczak-Schwarz praises the forward-looking way in which the trade fair management dealt with the challenges posed by the Corona pandemic, which also existed in 2022: "The first quarter of the 2022 financial year was still characterized by event bans, which were countered with a very prudent rescheduling of trade fairs and congresses to the spring and summer, the so-called summer schedule. It is mainly thanks to this management that such an excellent result was achieved, which at the same time had a positive impact on the city's loss compensation."
When planning its results for 2022, Messe Karlsruhe anticipated the impact of the pandemic. For this reason, events were moved from the critical winter months to periods starting in the second quarter of 2022 early on in 2021 to minimize risk. The successful implementation of the summer schedule was the guarantor for the mapping of the essential trade fairs in the portfolio. The resurgence of the Corona pandemic in the winter half-year 2021/2022 underscored the correctness of this forward-looking measure.
Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe, sums up: "We were able to achieve this extraordinary result because our customers and partners have gone this way with us and supported the relocation of the events. This is evidence of a very good and close customer relationship, which is resilient in such volatile times and secures our business. For the post-pandemic event business, it remains to be said that trade shows continue to be sought-after venues for the industries and cannot be reproduced digitally."
Nine trade fairs, six of which were the company's own trade fairs, were held at close intervals in the period from March to September, posing an extreme challenge for all employees, for the service providers, and for the site logistics. With the very successful staging of the 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in September 2022, Messe Karlsruhe once again demonstrated its performance capabilities and secured positive attention for the location worldwide.
"All employees of Messe Karlsruhe have contributed to the successful implementation of the summer schedule and all events in 2022. I would therefore like to thank the entire team at Messe Karlsruhe for their great dedication and personal commitment to Karlsruhe as a trade fair and congress location," said Gabriele Luczak-Schwarz.
With the time window for staging events shortened by one quarter, Messe Karlsruhe succeeded in generating a contribution margin of 7.4 million euros (previous year: 3.1 million euros).
Britta Wirtz: "With the 7.4 million euros achieved, we are 2.2 million euros above the original planning. We owe this to well-performing trade fairs such as LEARNTEC, REHAB and also art KARLSRUHE. The 11th Plenary Assembly of the Ecumenical Council was not only a major media event but also delivered an excellent economic result, which had a strong influence on the contribution margin achieved."
