Messe Frankfurt is enjoying growth in Germany and abroad, and is planning further growth for 2024.
By the end of FY23, approximately 340 events will have been held under the Messe Frankfurt umbrella, with over 84,000 exhibitors and an estimated four million visitors. Strong business throughout 2023 has led to sales in excess of €600 million and the company is now estimating growth in 2024 with sales expected to be comparable with the previous record year in 2019.
President and ceo, Wolfgang Marzin, commented: “Messe Frankfurt is back with growth and new perspectives. The Group is standing on its own feet again financially and is both profitable in itself and of great importance to the overall economy.
“Today, we are already looking forward with great optimism to a strong 2024 for both Group and guest events and expect sales to be on a par with record year 2019 (€736 million) or maybe even higher. At the same time, our events are not immune to the possible consequences of new geopolitical risks and the negative effects on the economy and the individual sectors.”
Stephanie Wüst, head of the city of Frankfurt’s department of economy, legal affairs and reform and chairperson of Messe Frankfurt’s supervisory board, added: “Messe Frankfurt has emerged from the difficult pandemic period and is returning to its former strength. With the right strategy and a vision based on sustainability, the Group is a strong driving force at its locations around the world. For us as shareholders, it is important to give Messe Frankfurt our full support, for example when it is strengthening its Frankfurt base for the future and securing new events for Frankfurt.”
Over 2023, 81% of exhibitors and 54% of visitors at events held at the company’s Frankfurt base came from outside Germany. Messe Frankfurt expects consolidated sales for FY23 to be over €600 million. 45% of group sales were generated outside Germany in the year, and the company is stepping up efforts to further develop its international portfolio.
Around 30 events are scheduled to make their debut between the beginning of financial year 2023 and 2025.
The company will also be investing in more modern technology and sustainable event management. Wolfgang added: “The EMAS certification that we received a few days ago is a key achievement for our business. It is just one of the numerous voluntary commitments and sustainable measures with which we have been actively engaged for years. EMAS will also help us to meet the challenges of the new EU regulations and the sustainability reporting requirements that this entails.
“We are also deriving valuable information from our extensive base data, which allows us to move step by step towards our goal of having a green event business. Sustainability in the company goes hand in hand with sustainability at our flagship events. Now that we are financially independent again, we are actively tackling the digital transformation process in the Group and plan to complete many parts of this by 2026. With this, we are starting the greatest modernisation project in Messe Frankfurt’s company history.”
