METS attracts record number of visitors

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – The Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS), which was held in the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition Centre, November 18 to 20, attracted the largest number of visitors ever, organizers reported in a statement today.

Almost 16,700 people from 70 countries visited the global trade exhibition for the leisure marine industry. Approximately 16,150 professionals came primarily for METS and the remaining 550 had first visited Europort, the international maritime exhibition held simultaneously in Amsterdam RAI.

METS 2002 (the most recent METS held without Europort) attracted 12,985 visitors, and METS 2001 (the last occasion on which METS was held with Europort), attracted 12,934 visitors. In total, 914 exhibitors displayed their products and services to the trade visitors.

The provisional results of the visitor survey once again reveal a high level of satisfaction: the visitors gave the show a rating of no less than 7.7 out of 10, according to organizers.

Quality vs. quantity of attendees

“As METS organizers we certainly attach much greater importance to quality than quantity,” said Farouk Nefzi, the show’s product manager. ‘The increase in the number of visitors by over 20 percent is of value only if they turn out to be real trade visitors.”

The provisional results of the visitor survey show this to be the case. First of all, around 60 percent of the visitors came from abroad and 90 percent of all visitors took or had a say in decisions on the purchase of products.

“This year we have invested in the purchase of databases of yacht builders, designers and distributors from the United States, Eastern Europe and Asia,” continued Farouk Nefzi. “Although we do not yet have the information on the exact characteristics and origin of all the registered visitors, it looks very much as though the increase in the number of trade visitors is largely attributable to this. Our direct marketing efforts have clearly paid dividends. So we’ll be sure to continue strictly applying our quality and trade-only policy at the next edition of the show.”

New pavilions a success, say organizers

The composite pavilion introduced this year proved to be an unqualified success, organizers reported.

“The majority of the 15 companies that had a stand in the pavilion said they would like to take part again next year in the same format,” commented Farouk Nefzi.

This is also true of the participants in the Marina Equipment Pavilion, which is for exhibitors who focus specifically on the designers, managers, operators and developers of marinas, according to organizers. Besides these product-oriented pavilions, METS 2003 had 15 national pavilions.

13th DAME Award won by Tacktick Ltd.

The METS Design Award (DAME), the prize for the best designed and most innovative product on display at the show, was won this year by the English company Tacktick Ltd. for its Micronet MN100R range of wireless electronic instruments, including wind speed, boat speed, depth gauge, GPS and compass.

Tacktick Ltd. emerged as the winner after thorough consideration of the 166 entries by the international jury, organizers reported.

The next edition of METS will be held in Amsterdam RAI from Tuesday, November 16 to Thursday, November 18, 2004.

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