Attempting to bring the show forward by a month to the end of August was a strange move. The selling-in period for Spring apparel tends to start earlier in the summer, while August is too soon for most hardware brands, so the new dates probably appealed to even fewer companies than the September scheduling.
In clashing with a bank holiday in the UK, the August 28-30 dates were also an indication that Messe München was surrendering the UK market, although trying to stage a show during the summer holiday period would have jarred with potential exhibitors and visitors right across the continent. The dates never made sense.
November might be a better month for a Europe-wide trade event, even though a lot of trade buying for the next year is completed by then, or how about going in the opposite direction and into June? The European Tour’s BMW International Open – one of Europe’s most important tournaments – is traditionally held in Munich at the end of June. If it coincided with Golf Europe the show would be given fresh impetus, it would be more convenient to some members of the trade, and brands might even be able to lure some Tour ambassadors to the trade show, to give the event a new, glamorous sheen.
Robin Barwick, Editor
