Hotelympia organiser, Fresh Montgomery, has revealed that the purchasing muscle at the 2016 event was bolstered by an extra £200m as visitors with spend authority in excess of £500,000 flocked to ExCeL London earlier this year.
20%*of visitors declared an annual purchasing authority of over £500,000 with a further 16% attesting to a spending power in excess of £100,000. This represents an 80% increase in comparison to Hotelympia 2014 – a statistic which Toby Wand, Managing Director at Fresh Montgomery attributes to a targeted effort to attract even more top-class delegates with money to spend.
“The statistics are incredibly encouraging and certainly correlate with anecdotal evidence coming from the show floor, which was buzzing with activity throughout the four days thanks to attractions such as the highly successful Bespoke Equipment Sourcing Scheme.”
The innovative scheme, created in partnership with CESA (Catering Equipment Suppliers Association), saw buyers’ requirements matched to the exhibitor whose equipment best met their needs, leading to a confidential direct dialogue between the two parties on everything from technical specifications to energy saving benefits.
A poll conducted by CESA in the wake of the show revealed that 100% of its membership thought Hotelympia 2016 met their objectives, while 73% attested to the show exceeding expectations.
An overwhelming 100% of CESA members also felt that the quality of visitors exceeded their expectations.
Elsewhere the organisers also reported a 75% increase in orders placed during the show, estimating that on average almost £73,000 worth of business was agreed per person during the four days. Allied to this 50% of total visitors say that they expect to place an order within six months of Hotelympia closing.
Toby adds: “The picture for Hotelympia 2016 is one of tremendous positivity with surges in quality visitors recorded throughout the four days. The number of hospitality group buyers in attendance at Hotelympia 2016 doubled in comparison to 2014 while senior-level decision makers increased by 17% and chef attendance was up by 5%. Proof that Hotelympia has done its job in bringing together the most innovative products and the right audience.”
Hotelympia returns to ExCeL London 5th-8th March 2018.
*independent research conducted by Fusion Communications with 1,358 visitors to Hotelympia 2016