Germany was the first country in Europe to introduce marketization into exhibitions.
1. Germany's convention and exhibition industry has successfully built "four platforms" to promote economic and social development
a comprehensive benefit platform. There are more than 111 exhibition companies in Germany, among which more than 41 companies have the strength to undertake international exhibitions, with an annual turnover of about 2.6 billion euros. Every year, there are more than 1.41 international exhibitions held in China, with 61,111 exhibitors and 91,111 overseas exhibitors. The rented booth area is as high as 7 million square meters, and the annual marketing income of professional companies that build booths alone is as high as 1.7 billion euros. Moreover, the convention and exhibition industry has played an obvious pulling role in other related industries, with an annual income of over 11 billion euros, especially bringing considerable economic benefits to public transportation, tourism, catering and other industries. According to the data of relevant departments in the country, the convention and exhibition industry can also provide jobs for 251,111 people, alleviating the employment problem and promoting social stability.
brand display platform. In Germany, before the brand-name products go on the market, they must go through the technical appraisal, quality inspection and safety evaluation at the trade fair. If substandard, unqualified and advanced problems are found, patent registration shall not be granted, nor shall it be listed for sale. During the inspection, we happened to meet the Hanover Global Computer and Electronic Communication Products Expo. Thousands of products displayed were newly developed and invented, and experts from all over the world gathered to appreciate the transactions. The best-selling products will be famous all over the world from now on. In Germany, brand-name products are displayed in kind, but also online display is arranged, aiming at mobilizing more consumers to participate in the evaluation and continuing the promotion and publicity of brand-name products. For example, Berlin Exhibition Company generally keeps the information of exhibitors on its website for one year, which is unique among many exhibition companies in the world.
information exchange platform. It is one of the important functions of the convention and exhibition industry to exchange information, grasp the dynamics, learn from others' experiences and learn from each other. It is also the basic way for producers to grasp the market development trend, operators to understand the market demand and consumers to compare the product performance. It plays a multiplier role in cultivating an orderly market and rationalizing the relationship between production, supply and marketing, and wins the favor of producers, operators and consumers. Germany not only attaches importance to the development of convention and exhibition industry, but also actively adapts to the development needs of the digital age, and makes full use of the Internet to collect information from expositions around the world, and establish and expand information exchange and business relations. For example, Hanover Expo Co., Ltd. has its own global online business information system, 21 thousand data sets and 41 thousand product registration information database, which has become a soft power to promote the development of convention and exhibition industry.
industrial upgrading platform. German convention and exhibition industry has built the most direct communication platform for upstream manufacturers, downstream buyers and consumers, effectively promoting product upgrading. More than 141 professional exhibitions are held in this country every year, covering basically all industrial products and service industries, especially thematic exhibitions have become the most effective means to promote and upgrade new ideas, new products, new processes and new technologies. Entrepreneurs regard the exhibition results as an important basis for innovating technology, upgrading products and expanding markets through exhibitions. In order to get more orders and trading opportunities, on the one hand, they vigorously promote and display traditional superior products and the latest scientific and technological products to consolidate and occupy the market highland, on the other hand, they pay attention to aiming at the frontier of scientific and technological development, digesting and absorbing other people's technological achievements, adjusting the development direction of enterprises and enhancing the competitiveness of products.
second, the development of convention and exhibition industry in Germany highlights the characteristics of "five modernizations"
marketization of operation. All exhibitions in Germany adopt the operation mode of company management, rather than being monopolized by the government, and market-oriented management forms are implemented, and enterprises operate independently. The government is mainly responsible for regulating the development of convention and exhibition industry and formulating market rules. At the same time, it provides construction sites and necessary financial support. Although it holds a large share, it is mainly operated by enterprises, which are self-employed and responsible for their own profits and losses, so as to realize the survival of the fittest in the exhibition industry. At present, the exhibition companies and venues in this country have gradually formed a relatively mature market-oriented operation and management model.
management is professional. German exhibitions are classified according to different industries. According to the characteristics and product types of different industries, the exhibition industry is refined and different kinds of exhibitions are held to meet the needs of different enterprises and customers, and unique exhibition brands have gradually formed in various regions. Even in the same industry, there are specific classifications. For example, Hanover Information Technology Exhibition and Berlin Consumer Electronics Show are the same majors, but the audience groups are also obviously different. The former focuses on professional customers such as buyers, while the latter focuses on end consumers. Exhibition institutions have gradually evolved to be more specialized. In 1951s and 1961s, professional exhibitions and conferences were generally sponsored by trade associations. With the increasingly fierce competition, more and more trade associations hand over all or part of their own exhibitions to professional exhibition companies to operate and operate, forming a group of internationally competitive exhibition companies. Exhibition personnel are more professional, and all exhibition companies are places where professionals are abundant. They are proficient in business and have a broad vision, which provides talent protection for the development of the exhibition industry.
promote branding. Each exhibiting product is coordinated, evaluated and screened by the organizer, exhibitors, visitors, federations and associations, and is updated in time according to market changes and consumer needs. For example, the "Industrial Expo" every spring, formerly known as the "German Export Expo" in 1947, has been held for more than 51 times so far, creating many famous international brands. Another example is the Frankfurt Motor Show, which is held every two years. Like a huge magnetic field, it attracts world-famous cars including Germany and becomes a beautiful scenery of the best car.
internationalization of operation. With the development of economic globalization and European integration, the internationalization level of convention and exhibition industry is constantly improving. In addition to giving full play to their geographical and location advantages and constantly expanding the time, space and scale of local exhibitions, German institutions holding exhibitions actively attract more foreign institutions capable of holding international trade exhibitions to Germany to display modern scientific and technological achievements through international investment promotion. At the same time, we pay attention to international cooperation and exchange, and participate in the competition of foreign exhibition industry. Some directly host exhibitions abroad, some send personnel to assist exhibitions, and some are hired to guide exhibitions. In 2111, for example, Germany organized nearly 151 international exhibitions, with 82,735 foreign exhibitors, accounting for more than half. More than 411 offices have been established abroad. Only one exhibition company in Dü sseldorf has set up 66 offices, expanded its business to 118 countries and regions, and set up long-term offices in big cities such as Shanghai and Guangzhou.
diversified functions. Exhibition companies implement diversified management. In addition to hosting the
"main business" of exhibitions, we also pay attention to making full use of places, talents and environmental resources, and often hold various social activities such as sports competitions, cultural performances, festivals and celebrations to further promote the development of related industries and form a business pattern that goes hand in hand, promotes each other and develops each other. For example, Dortmund Convention and Exhibition Company not only holds industry exhibitions, but also regularly arranges international star concerts, tennis, rugby and other events, which not only makes rational use of resources, but also improves the visibility of exhibitions, and also increases the economic benefits of exhibitions, providing financial support for expanding the scale, maintaining places and updating equipment.
Third, the experience of German convention and exhibition industry can be used for reference in six aspects.
Government support is the premise. Most of the exhibition venues in Germany are invested and built by local governments, with the government holding shares, exhibition companies and other economic organizations taking shares and implementing corporate management. The exhibition company is not only the shareholder of the exhibition center, but also the operator and manager. For example, Frankfurt Exhibition Company is one of the largest exhibition companies in Germany, and the municipal government holds 61% of the shares. Its main tasks are behind-the-scenes planning, front-stage support and macro guidance. It does not participate in the company's profit sharing, but only benefits from the increasing tax revenue of the exhibition industry and related industries, most of which are used to invest in the redevelopment of the exhibition industry. Whenever a large-scale international exhibition is held, senior government officials attend the opening ceremony, and relevant departments often investigate and study, reflect the situation in time, revise and improve relevant laws and regulations, and coordinate and solve problems encountered in development. German Economic Exhibition and Exposition Affairs Committee (AUMA), commonly known as the Exhibition Industry Association, as an intermediary between the government and exhibition companies, is responsible for information transmission, promotion arrangements, consultation and publicity and related coordination services of large-scale international expositions, safeguarding the interests of all parties in the operation of the exhibition industry and providing strong support for the development of the exhibition industry.
improving facilities is the foundation. First, the venue design should be scientific and reasonable. Frankfurt International Convention and Exhibition Center, with a total construction area of 578,111 square meters, ranks third in the world. The indoor exhibition hall covers an area of 321,111 square meters, divided into 9 exhibition halls and 1 conference centers, with an outdoor usable area of 83,111 square meters, which can be used as exhibition venues or parking lots. The nine exhibition halls vary in size and are suitable for holding exhibitions of different scales. In addition to the conference center that can accommodate 2211 people, the venue also has supporting facilities such as entertainment, catering, modern life and communication. Second, the transportation facilities should be advanced and convenient. Hanover International Convention and Exhibition Center occupies the suburbs, with special trains, trams and access roads extending in all directions, connecting the airport and the central railway station, and customers can directly reach the exhibition venue. At the same time, there are a number of parking lots, which can park nearly 41 thousand vehicles at one time to meet the needs of merchants. Third, the service system should be thoughtful and meticulous. Each convention and exhibition center has more than one high-class hotel for customers to live nearby. There are restaurants and bars with various flavors to provide different flavors of food. Equipped with a number of electronic self-help consulting equipment and manual consulting desk, during the large-scale exhibition, students from many languages are also hired as translators and services. It is also equipped with a freight management agency and a modern logistics center, specializing in the import and export, handling and storage of exhibits.
a sound law is the guarantee. Germany is a country ruled by law, and the exhibition industry also has a complete legal system, including the Company Law, the Public Security Law, the Intellectual Property Law and the Trademark Protection Law, which regulate the self-discipline of the exhibition industry. The Company Law clearly stipulates that exhibition companies and exhibitors should have corresponding qualifications, conditions for holding exhibitions and legal responsibilities they should bear. The "Public Security Law" has unified operating standards for what kind of exhibitions are held, including quality system, safety prevention system and benefit evaluation system. "Intellectual Property Law", "Trademark Protection Law" and industry guidelines, supervise the exhibition activities in the whole process according to the requirements of standards, norms and self-discipline, and accept social complaints to ensure that the exhibition activities achieve the expected results.
talent building is the key. The survival and development of specialized exhibition companies depend on the protection of talents. High-quality exhibition talents provide support for the development of exhibition industry in Germany. They attach great importance to the training, selection and introduction of exhibition professionals. Colleges and universities such as Hamburg and Humboldt set up exhibition majors to systematically teach exhibition theory. Every year, the government gives financial support to hold exhibition industry training courses to exchange and discuss issues. AUMA Industry Association in Germany has established a systematic and complete professional training system. Through classroom and on-site teaching, ideas and concepts are updated, operation modes are defined, work links are grasped, and work efficiency is improved. After passing the examination, a qualification certificate will be issued. On the one hand, exhibition companies organize employees to work or send them to colleges and universities for training in a planned way, on the other hand, they recruit professionals in many directions and spare no expense to strengthen the exhibition industry.
strict supervision is the responsibility. Germany is known for its rigorous, strict and serious management. The convention and exhibition industry is no exception. Industry management shall be based on on-site management, and courts and administrative departments shall implement classified management according to their respective responsibilities. The court mainly adjudicates the contract disputes between the organizers and exhibitors. The industrial management department mainly checks the safety of products and safe production. Before the exhibition, the government authorized the products to be spot-checked and ordered them to be removed from the shelves when problems were found. According to the company law of this country, the credibility and operation plan of the exhibition company must be strictly examined and a complete feasibility report must be provided in the process of obtaining the certificate, otherwise it will not be allowed to enter. For example, an exhibition company in Bremen has successfully held the 37th exhibition, but its application for the 38th exhibition was blocked due to doubts about its integrity. For exhibitions with different types, different industries and different themes, the government should call experts from relevant departments to conduct technical appraisal and quality supervision on listed products to ensure that the listed products are advanced and safe.
thoughtful service is a condition. The exhibition service in this country runs through the different stages of the whole exhibition, such as before, during and after the exhibition. There are not only professional services such as leasing, advertising, security, cleaning, transportation of exhibits, warehousing and booth construction, but also supporting services for catering, tourism, accommodation, transportation and other related industries. For example, the organizers of the Nuremberg Expo have insisted on "one-stop" services for many years, including banks, post offices, customs, aviation, translators, daily necessities, shops, restaurants, etc., making the Expo site a comfortable, convenient and livable city in the city and a good place for guests from all directions to linger.