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According to figures from the trade fair, ProWein 2024 attracted around 47,000 trade visitors from 135 countries to Düsseldorf. This is 2,000 fewer visitors than in the previous year and around 25 per cent fewer than before the pandemic (2019: 61,500). Exhibitor numbers are also down. According to the online trade fair catalogue, 5,326 companies presented their products, compared to just under 6,000 companies last year. Five years ago, 6,900 exhibitors took part according to the trade fair.
The fact that ProWein, celebrating its 30th anniversary, would not be very well attended this year could be predicted from the drop in hotel prices and the short-term availability of rooms in Düsseldorf. As in the previous year, ProWein was affected by strikes, as both the railway drivers' strike and the Lufthansa cabin crew strike on the last day of the fair made it difficult for visitors and exhibitors to leave.
Thus, despite the positive summary of Messe Düsseldorf, exhibitors and visitors once again drew a mixed conclusion of ProWein. While the German halls were well attended and the "Piwi wines" theme proved to be strategically correct, exhibitors from France and Italy in particular had to wait for customers, sometimes for hours. Many smaller wineries in particular were frustrated and reconsidered their participation in favour of other trade fairs, such as Vinexpo in Paris, which recorded a significant increase in visitor numbers this year.
"The German exhibitors are positive about this year's ProWein. They benefited above all from the presence of numerous international trade visitors, who showed great interest in the wines from the German regions and were very impressed by the quality of the new vintage. The high level of professionalism of the experts who travelled from all over the world was also highly praised. ProWein has once again asserted its position as the most important wine fair in the world," explained Monika Reule, Managing Director of the German Wine Institute (DWI). ÖWM Managing Director Chris Yorke was also satisfied, even though significantly fewer wineries from Austria were present this year. "ProWein Düsseldorf is also our biggest trade fair appearance abroad this year. It is an important platform for our winegrowers to cultivate their international business contacts and acquire new ones."
The new ProSpirits theme world celebrated its premiere in Hall 5, where 420 exhibitors from 40 countries presented their spirits on 4,800 square metres. The special "ProWein Zero" area, which focussed on non-alcoholic and reduced-alcohol products, also enjoyed great interest, according to the trade fair management.
Next year's ProWein will take place from 16 to 18 March.
(ru / press releases, own research)