Confirming the decision March 22, executives from EAASI and IAAPA are acknowledging that the existing EAS comes too late for some suppliers to get orders for the following season.

“Exhibitors and attractions owners and operators throughout Europe told us they preferred a fall date for the Euro Attractions Show,” explains IAAPA president Charlie Bray. “We listened to that feedback and added a fall show to the schedule for 2008.”

EAASI president Wieland Schwazkopf explains why the new date suits suppliers like himself: “It allows exhibitors to showcase new products earlier in the buying cycle, provides additional time for the manufacturing process and gives buyers more time to plan for new product introductions.”

The Technofolies exhibition in Italy, which has run for the last two years, was started by the Italian manufacturers in October 2005 for exactly the reasons above. However, this latest EAS will really impact the bi-annual German showman’s get-together Interschau, which is due to take place January 2008 in Nürnburg.

There will, of course, already be plenty of showmen in Munich for Oktoberfest, some of whom may perhaps be too busy to visit the show. Other potential EAS visitors may view the beer festival as a bonus, or be put off by the premiums the event commands over hotel prices in the city for the duration.

The location for EAS, which will be a midweek fixture (Tuesday to Thursday), is the new Munich Trade Fair Centre, located between the airport and the city centre.

EAASI and IAAPA will carefully monitor and evaluate the success of the Munich event and, based on that assessment, consider moving the exhibition to the fall/autumn on a permanent basis.

The next Euro Attractions Show takes place at the Acropolis Congress and Exhibition Center in Nice, France, from January 23 to 25, 2008

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