First annual IFA on course

Over 80 per cent of the display area on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds occupied at the IFA 2005 has already been rented out. COO Messe Berlin Dr. Christian Göke: "It is particularly worth noting that numerous exhibitors have approached us to request larger stands. What is more, there has been an increase in demand from the telecommunications and IT sectors to attend the IFA. Overall, the decision to hold the IFA annually has boosted the international standing of this trade fair venue". In recent years the CE industry has grown considerably. This development can be attributed to the large appeal of innovative, digital products and services which drive innovation in the CE market along at high speed. Chairman of the Supervisory Board of gfu Dr. Rainer Hecker: "The IFA 2006 will mirror the lively pace of these developments. Two months before the fair opens its doors the number of registrations received shows that the international CE industry is also backing the decision to hold the IFA every year. The IFA 2006 is on course for success". Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit made his support for holding the IFA annually well known early on, and welcomes this development: "Berlin and the IFA are one, and as such I was convinced from the very start that the decision to hold the IFA annually was correct. I am delighted that international exhibitors have supported this decision, and that their high attendance is turning it into reality. An industry as innovative as the consumer electronics business needs an annual trade fair to showcase its products and services. Holding the event annually benefits not only Berlin, it is a boost to the economy that extends far beyond the local region. I am certain that the IFA 2006 will once again provide a valuable impetus that will have a worldwide effect".