BIGGA


and better


IN some sectors of the industry there are questions being asked about the future of trade shows, but you would never have guessed it from the turn out for Harrogate Week. Official figures tally with my own


experiences - visitor figures up by well over 10%, with an interesting statistic of almost half being first time attendees. Unlike previous years, I found there was also a good proportion of groundsmen and local authority representatives, many of whom made an effort to visit us at the Internet Café. There is no doubt the educational element of the week gives the show that added extra and this year, together with the Exhibitors Fringe Seminar Programme, BIGGA’s Continue to Learn programme excelled. In some respects there was probably too much choice with an impressive range of presentations, from the Basics of Microsoft Word to the Sustainable Golf Course, being held each day from Sunday to Friday. The Fringe Programme even encouraged people such as myself to attend earlier than usual, on Monday morning, and I was treated to an excellent presentation by Jim Turner who, on behalf of Tower Chemicals, not only made the apparently simple process of water passing through soil last for over 3 hours, but he also made it understandable, interesting and,


surprisingly, amusing! Exhibitors will


have been


pleased with the increased attendances. BIGGA’s closer ties with the Association of Golf Course Secretaries and their marketing to a wider audience including local authorities, gardeners and groundsmen appears to have paid off. The range of products, services and education sessions are not exclusive to people connected to the golf industry and, for the first time, that message came across loud and clear. As ever, the town of Harrogate played a big part in the festivities. It is hard to imagine a better place to hold a major show. Hotels, restaurants, pubs, entertainment are all within strolling distance of the exhibition centre. Business continues into the evening and, for the more energetic, well into the early hours. From a Pitchcare point of view, the


week was a great success. The Internet Café is now an established and expected service and, as in previous years, there was as much use by exhibitors as there was by visitors. It was also a pleasure to meet up with many of the regular contributors to the website who called in to see us. Apart from operating the Internet


The official line from BIGGA


HARROGATE Week 2006 achieved all the objectives set for it. The attendance figures were up on the previous year, and well up, while the educational focus of the week, always a key element, was cranked up several notches. On top of that the feel good factor which Harrogate always seems to generate was there in abundance.


The overall attendance for the three days of BTME and ClubHouse was 7757, a remarkable 12.9% up on 2005, while a further breakdown of that bare statistic also provides some interesting reading. Of those who made the trip to Harrogate 46.8% were first time attendees and they were made welcome by the 43% of visitors who are regulars to the Shows.


Of real interest to exhibitors is the fact that 68% of visitors had the authority to approve and purchase with a further 22% in a position to influence purchasing decisions while 36.4% spent more than 75% of their annual budget at the show with another 25.8% spending up to half of their budget in Harrogate.


Another interesting statistic reveals that 40% of visitors came from the Midlands and


4


the south while excluding the four home countries 30 nationalities were represented making it a real united nations occasion.


There was also pleasing variety in the type of person who attended the week. As well as covering all aspects of golf, from architects, owners, secretary/managers and professionals in addition to greenkeepers, estate managers; gardeners; horticulturalists; landscapers park keepers and groundsmen all took time to visit Harrogate.


The Workshops, Seminars and brand new fringe programme proved a huge hit with over 1000 places occupied at various sessions. The highlight of this was undoubtedly the R&A’s Sustainable Golf Course Seminar on the Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. At a time when people were traditionally heading for home 270 delegates attended the opening session to hear presentations while on Friday morning 170 made the conscious decision to remain in Harrogate for the open debate which concluded the Seminar.


“We are delighted by the feedback we have had already from exhibitors and


Café the Pitchcare team was busy around the show, looking for interesting stories, attending press conferences and meeting up with old and new contacts. We were also involved in a couple of the presentations taking place - as one of the co-sponsors of Terrain Aeration's Unsung Heroes Award and as the promoter of the Allen Hover Mower competition. Meeting the winners of the Unsung


Heroes awards was, without doubt, one of the highlights of the week for me. Arthur Williams from Pontypridd (Groundsman category) and Ian Willett of Thorpeness (Golf category) are two of the most unassuming and dedicated people you are ever likely to come across. How right and proper it is that their contribution to sport, and that of many others like them, is properly recognised and appreciated. All in all, when the feel good factor is


taken into account, together with the location, venue, education opportunities and industry presence, as a show Harrogate Week takes some beating.


More reports on Harrogate Week can be seen on the Pitchcare website.


visitors alike,” said BIGGA’s Communications Manager, Scott MacCallum. “We worked hard to produce a Show and an Education programme which would be attractive to everyone and with Workshops starting on the Sunday and the R&A Seminar going on to Friday lunchtime we can be justified in branding it Harrogate Week. Having education before and after BTME and ClubHouse means that visitors can attend these and still have as much time as they need to see around the Halls.”


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