EFTTEX organisers: Help us unleash the show’s ‘huge new potential’

The organisers of EFTTEX 2023 say the relaunched event in Budapest proves it has ‘huge new potential’ and they are now looking to build on its success for next year.

They are calling on exhibitors and also non-exhibitors to take part in a post-show survey which will help shape next year‘s event.

The EFTTEX team has written to the trade to say: “EFTTEX 2023 has proved that Europe’s leading trade show has huge new potential to generate business for its attendees. We are determined to build on this success for next year, and for that we need your help. Please take just five minutes to fill in our survey. Your responses will help us shape an even better show for all businesses trading in Europe.”

The survey can be found by clicking here

There remains some uncertainty over the future of the show, given that EFTTA, Europe’s trade association, still owns the brand name and will have some say in who will organise it going forward. The team that organised the Budapest comeback says the first step towards maintaining the current momentum behind the show is for members of the trade to feed back their views.

Chief organiser Istvan Pal (left in image with former EFTTEX General Manager Janet Doyle and fellow EFTTEX organiser Ciro Esposito) told Angling International. “The show was a success. The numbers were good. We can build on this. But if the trade wants to see those numbers increase in the future, you need to take part in the EFTTEX 2023 survey with your honest feedback. It’s the only way to get the show you want.”

Angling International was present on all three days of the show and talked to dozens of exhibitors and visitors. The overriding verdict was that the comeback exceeded all expectations.

The Gala Dinner and awards ceremony created its traditional buzz at the end of day two. But just an hour before the dinner and awards ceremony began, as the day’s events in the hall drew to a close, Angling International was called onto one of the bigger booths. There, Angling International was told by a very senior manager and a veteran of probably 20 shows that EFTTEX 2023 was ‘the best I have ever experienced.’

It was the same for the Japanese company on the booth next door. Positive meetings and serious business. But also confirmation that this was reward for having faith in the show. “Our competitors were not here, so the business came to us,” they smiled.

A regular exhibitor told Angling International that he will definitely be back next year after a ‘decent’ first day. Another from outside Europe was absolutely delighted with the quantity and the quality of his meetings. EFTTEX had paid off for his business within a few short hours, he said.

Meanwhile, the owner of a Chinese company at only his third ever EFTTEX told Angling International he was ‘delighted’ by the number of visitors to his booth, reporting a good mix of current customers and good prospects.

Angling International also visited the booth of an EFTTEX regular from central Europe. He compiles a record at every show – same notebook each year, pinned with business cards – and records the number of meetings on day one, day two and day three. At the last EFTTEX in 2019 in Brussels, he had 23 meetings on the first day. By 3pm on day one in Budapest? Thirty-three. A near 50% increase with still a couple of hours to go in the day. And when Angling International returned to his booth on day three, that number had climbed to almost 70.

Help shape the future of EFTTEX, fill in the EFTTEX 2023 survey here