Scandinavian show off 20%
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, May 31, 2004
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Attendance at the Scandinavian Furniture Fair here May 12-16 was down 20% from last year to 15,024 people, and show organizers blamed a royal wedding.
"The attendance figures for the first two days of the fair matched last year's and were definitely pleasing, and the number of visitors from outside Denmark was even well above the figures from the same time in 2003," said Keld Korsager, managing director of the Assn. of Danish Furniture Industries.
But on the third day, May 14, the wedding of Crown Prince Frederik to Mary Donaldson in Copenhagen apparently kept people out of the Bella Center building, he said. Trade attendance "dropped to half of the normal number, and the halls were virtually devoid of visitors all afternoon."
Trade attendance from outside Denmark was 3,035 this year, down 17%, including 166 U.S. visitors, down from 187 in 2003.
"Even though it's disappointing that external events can make such a big impact on a professional exhibition event, we have to look ahead and convince exhibitors and visitors that Copenhagen is still a focal point for Danish and Scandinavian furniture," Korsager said.
