The best thing about the 2009 EICMA motorbike show and the best possible response to the fears of the economic recession was the enormous number of visitors. Around 450,000 people packed the halls, all of them for the motorbikes, while last year there was the bike show and the six-day race. However the most interesting number was the impressive increase in international visitors. There were 29.9% more international trade and public visitors this year, with trade visitors coming from 127 different countries. There was an increase of 30% from France and Germany because of the cancellation of the Paris show.
The excellent numbers left event organisers EICMA and the Milan Exhibition Centre satisfied after the initial fears and then prudence about the show. In fact this year was bigger than before (55,000 sq metres), with more brands on show (1341). Confirmation of the success of the show came from the 2000 journalists from all over the world and the satisfaction of the public for the outdoor ‘MotoLive’ events and the ‘Green Planet’ area reserved for hybrid and green vehicles.
“We’re particularly pleased with the increase in the number of the international visitors because it repays our hard work to make the show more globally attractive," EICMA and ANCMA Director Costantino Ruggiero said. “During the show we presented the joint venture to create EICMA CHINA, to export the Milan show to Canton. The success of Green Planet has lead us to reposition Bike Asia that we launched two years ago to Singapore, transforming it into specialist show with a clear objective: become the number one show for every kind of green vehicle. That’s the future but first of all we want to share this year’s success with Fiera Milano and the Lombardy Region, who supported the EICMA show.”
From tomorrow the EICMA management and staff will be working on an ambitious but significant goal for 2010: allow the motorbike industry focus it exhibition needs on two main show: EICMA China –the motorcycle show, in Asia in the spring, and EICMA Italia – the Milan show, in Europe in autumn, with Bike Asia focusing on hybrid and electric vehicles.