Attendance records tumble at 30th annual METSTRADE

Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2017, the annual METSTRADE show has once again wrapped up by shattering all previous records.

Final attendance was announced Monday as 24,856 unique visitors, representing a 5 percent gain over the previous record of 23,702 visitors set last year.

The 30th METS marked the heaviest opening day attendance on record with 8,503 visitors – a 4.5 percent increase over the previous record of 8,133 people set last year.

The single-day attendance record was also shattered with 10,211 unique visitors piling through the gates on Wednesday, representing an approximate 4 percent gain over the previous record of 9,844 which was set last year.

This year’s show set yet another record in welcoming visitors from 116 different countries, the highest number to date.

The show organizers report that 10,500 visitors (68 percent) came to METS from outside the Netherlands, 6 percent more than in 2016 to mark another record.

Top visiting countries included Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain, with significant growth noted in the number of visitors from Greece, Croatia, Finland, the United States and Ireland.

Exhibitor numbers also set a record this year with a revised total of 1,552 companies from more than 50 different countries displaying a vast range of products at the world’s largest marine parts and accessories trade show. The figure represents an approximate 5 percent growth over 2016’s total of 1,471 exhibitors, which was the previous high water mark.

Amazingly, METS has set new records for exhibitor numbers every single year since 2008, and consecutive records for attendance each year since 2009.

“This anniversary edition was a success because it was conducted in a vibrant atmosphere where exhibitors and visitors alike enjoyed excellent business,” said RAI Amsterdam’s maritime director, Irene Dros. “There was also a great deal of appreciation for the exceptionally high number of new and innovative products on display. The newly introduced E-nnovationLAB added to this, featuring technologies and manufacturers of electric & hybrid marine propulsion systems. The foundations have been laid for a promising showcase which will evolve in the years ahead.”