German Motorcycle Exhibition Returns to Cologne

COLOGNE/MUNICH, Germany (November 23) - The Intermot exhibition in Bavarian capital Munich did not live up to expectations: visitor’s numbers were structurally lower than expected. Now that the contracts with the IVM (Motorcycle Industry Association) have to be renewed, Köln Messe, the organizers of the IFMA have outbid their Bavarian competitors to, as a Munich Messe spokesman said, ‘a hilarious level’. Until 1996, Cologne had already served as a central trade fair location for the international motorcycle industry. Industry observers think the Cologne tax payer reaches out a helping hand because the show creates traffic for the city’s hotels and restaurants. On the basis of information provided by the IVM, the main reasons for relocating to Cologne once the contract with Messe München expires were: "the completion of four new state-of-the-art trade fair halls with outstanding infrastructure", "the newly constructed Congress Centre and a separate ICE train station" and "high media density". The last INTERMOT in Munich attracted more than 1,100 exhibitors from over 40 countries. (JB)