Plenty of suppliers are yet to decide if they will invest in the Sydney gift fair in September or any other Sydney gift fair following poor fairs and growth from the Melbourne fair in August.
While the temporary location of Sydney away from Darling Harbour during reconstruction could be a factor, folks I have spoken with who have experienced gift fairs overseas in Birmingham (UK) and Atlanta (US), say they like the idea of a bigger single city fair.
I see value for retailers and suppliers in Melbourne growing as the main gift fair to attend in the year. I think such a move would sever everyone, reduce costs and drive competition. While I expect there will continue to be other fairs, I suspect they will be less important, probably more regional, even more local supplier focussed. This is what I see in the US at regional gift fairs.
The Sydney / Melbourne ‘rivalry’ re gift fair location has been a topic this week because of agitation fro the organisers of the September Sydney event chasing last minute commitment for the event next month. I am surprised at some who have said no.
The issue with both Melbourne and Sydney is that the fairs are set up for locals and increasingly unappealing to interstate.
Melbourne would get my vote, but to be a Birmingham it needs to be on one site, more accessible and more cost effective.
Melbourne doesn’t have one gift fair in August, there are numerous overlapping each other in several locations. Plus suppliers who show from hotel rooms, others who never attend but hope to entice customers to their Melbourne showroom during the fair. It’s an expensive mess for us interstates.
I agree re one site Colin. Look at all the badge retailer related trade shows in he world and you see they are one site: Birmingham, Atlanta, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, New York. Personally, I like the Atlanta model of a permanent stand, accessible by suppliers and clients all year and accessible for others during show times.