Thursday Apr 14, 2005

ExCeL London - April 2005 - As well as hosting a number of large, successful shows such as World Travel Market, Hotelympia, Professional Beauty and the London Boat Show, ExCeL is also home to a number of small, thriving shows which are growing year on year in terms of both space and visitor numbers. Recent shows held in the last month at ExCeL are testament to this.

A Place in the Sun Live

The Brooklands Group announced outstanding visitor figures of nearly 21,000 for their first ever A Place in the Sun Live exhibition held at ExCeL and have been short-listed for IPAC Brand Development of the Year.

With 220 exhibitors representing 27 countries, 54 free seminars and six major show features, A Place in the Sun Live was the UK's biggest ever overseas property exhibition, spread over 11,000 square metres.

Darren Styles, Chief Executive of Brooklands Group, has already increased the space at the year's second show - from 30th September - 2nd October, at ExCeL - to 15,000 square metres to accommodate interest from all round the globe.

Commenting on the show, Styles said:"We promised that A Place in the Sun Live would be the biggest overseas property and lifestyle exhibition ever seen in the UK and it was! Nearly 21,000 visitors for a debut show is practically unheard of, and never happens in this market at any time, so naturally we're absolutely delighted."

Styles further added:"Hundreds of homes worth millions of pounds were sold over the weekend, with one USA-based client alone returning to Florida with sales worth more than three million dollars in the bag, which is fantastic news. We are very much looking forward to building on this phenomenal success for the next A Place in the Sun Live."

The autumn show has been confirmed as nearly 40% bigger, with feature areas scaled up by 35% and seminar theatres by 50%. With many exhibitors claiming that the show was a great leap forward for the overseas property industry and that it was the exhibition that sets the benchmark, Brooklands is delighted and believes there is more to come.

Says Sarah Lowe, Brooklands Group's Exhibitions Director:"For September we intend to add an international market area where show visitors will be able to purchase food, drink and accessories from around the world. Exhibitors hardened by years on the show circuit have told us that it was simply the best exhibition they have ever attended - with many reporting the sale of multiple properties within half-an-hour of the show opening on day one! Over 75% of exhibitors have already re-booked a stand for the show in the autumn, we couldn't ask for more than that!"

Business Continuity

IMP Event's flagship event, Business Continuity - The Risk Management Expo 2005 hit record attendance levels this year with the addition of its new sister show, Technology for Compliance 2005, highlighting the growing importance of business continuity and compliance issues to the UK PLC. With 3,250 industry representatives including 190 conference delegates and over 150 market-leading suppliers, both events were an overwhelming success.

Graeme Howe, Event Director, IMP Events, comments,"With the addition of Technology for Compliance, this years Expo has topped the success of 2004's event both in terms of visitor numbers and exhibitor feedback. Business Continuity and Compliance are becoming increasingly higher up on the business agenda."

Exhibitors and visitors alike were enthusiastic about the outcome of the show:"Steve Stobo, European Sales & Marketing Director of The Neverfail Group said:"There is definitely an increase in the number of new visitors attending the Business Continuity events as well as the new Technology for Compliance event. As an exhibitor we are very pleased, we come here because it really is the only event in the marketplace that is specialist and aimed at the business continuity market."

Commenting on the success of recent small shows at ExCeL. Kevin Murphy, Deputy CEO and MD Exhibitions:"We are delighted at the success these shows have had at ExCeL. ExCeL's size and flexibility means it is the perfect environment for small shows to grow with their audience and their exhibitors in a world-class venue. This year the Thames Gateway Forum have increased their floor space by 40% after the success of their launch show and the Hire Show have increased their floor space by 25%. The easy access of ExCeL and the onsite hotels have also added to the success of these shows, with visitors being able to stay 5 minutes from the venue."

Explaining why he chose ExCeL to launch two small new shows, Simon Burton, Managing Director, Exposure: "Choosing ExCeL London as the venue for the launch of the Exhibiting Show was fundamental to our first year success. Not only did the venue represent the leading-edge of the exhibition industry we were determined to represent, but it also sent a strong signal of our ambition and the scale we intended to create."

The Exhibiting Show returns to ExCeL London on 29 and 30 June and this will be accompanied by the launch of London Venue Expo.