Chinese cleaning show organiser blown away by attendance - despite dodgy weather!
Despite severe weather conditions caused by typhoon Wipha, ISSA/Interclean China 2007 was a success attracting almost the same number of visitors as last year.
Typhoon Wipha forced the authorities in China to evacuate 2 million people and strongly recommend everyone else to stay inside. Airports, schools and public offices closed and public transportation came to a standstill. However, ISSA/Interclean China opened its doors as scheduled in Shanghai. Almost 1,000 visitors attended the show on the first day. The second day the sun was shining again in Shanghai and the show attracted just over 1,300 visitors. After three days, the event had attracted a total of 2,776 visitors.
"We can only speculate what the visitor number would have been, had the weather conditions been more favourable, but we are very pleased with the result under these circumstances," Rob den Hertog, Sr. Product Manager of ISSA/Interclean explained. "The exhibitors who were very aware of the situation appreciated our efforts to continue as planned."
Survey results showed that 70% of the exhibitors were satisfied to very satisfied and visitors - once they were at the show - took plenty of time to visit all 86 booths as a valued distraction from the storm. 45% of the visitors asked for a quotation and 12% placed an order right then and there. 91% of the visitors intend to visit ISSA/Interclean China again and 80% of exhibitors will return as well.
The ISSA Conference was rated very highly by the participants. The sessions were organised with four well-established Chinese associations: The Association of Shanghai Property Management, Food Industry Association of Shanghai, Shanghai Stone Care Association and Shanghai Indoor Environment Purifying Association.
"The close co-operation with these leading associations was very successful and will definitely be continued in the future. Their members enthusiastically attended the sessions," says Lionel Koh, Director of ISSA Asia-Pacific Services.
Leading companies such as Karcher, Ecolab and JohnsonDiversey were invited as speakers to share their knowledge with the participants. The speakers from the associations also managed to clarify some critical points such as Food Safety Regulations in China.
For future ISSA Conferences, ISSA will continue to work with local associations to bring up-to-date and relevant knowledge to their members as well as to provide a platform for exchange of ideas among industry colleagues. In 2008, ISSA is in discussions with various associations in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Dongguan, Shenzhen and Macau to help raise the local market knowledge level and standards through such conferences. There are similar plans to hold such conference sessions during the ISSA/Interclean China 2008 in Macau in co-operation with the afore-mentioned associations.
Plans to locate the show in Macau in next year, targeting a broader audience from across the Asia-Pacific region - particularly North and Southeast Asia- were very well received by exhibitors, with some already reserving stand space. The show will be held November 4th -6th 2008 at the Venetian Macau.
25th October 2007