The 72nd Spielwarenmesse international trade fair marked a return to form as the global toy community came together in Nuremberg, Germany, over the past week.
The in-person reunion was the first live version of Spielwarenmesse since 2020 in the days on the cusp of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are very happy with this positive result, which at close to pre-pandemic levels, has exceeded our expectations,” says Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Executive Board at Spielwarenmesse eG. “The high level of enthusiasm that was apparent in all aspects of this year’s Spielwarenmesse is even now shining a light on the next event: 83% of exhibitors are already making firm plans to take part again. Against the background of current changes in the trade fair landscape around the world, the Spielwarenmesse provides a stable anchor for the sector.”
Organizers state that 95% of the exhibitors rated participation in the industry event as “important” or “very important” while 92% said that they were satisfied with the turnout.
“We’re just delighted. It’s wonderful to see visitors’ eyes light up again after three long years,” comments Markus Grossweischede, General Manager, North Europe at Hasbro.
More than 2,100 exhibitors from 69 countries presented new product ideas in Nuremberg this year. A total of 58,000 retailers from 128 countries attended the show, an 8% drop versus previous years due to the absence of guests from Russia and China. Organizers note that attendance from representatives of the U.S. toy industry — including our own Jackie Breyer, Vice President and Group Publisher at Adventure Media & Events, publisher of The Toy Book — grew by nearly 10%.
With the 2023 event closing tonight, organizers are already looking ahead to the 73rd Spielwarenmesse, set to take place at the end of January 2024. A formal announcement of the dates and details will be made toward the end of February.
