REVIEW: EXPO RIVA SCHUH & GARDABAGS
EXPO RIVA SCHUH & GARDABAGS, BACK IN THE LIGHT!
10 international government delegations, more than 8,600 attendees from 100 countries and visitors from outside the EU up 5 per cent. These are the figures with which Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags closes an edition that enabled footwear and leather goods operators to restore their business momentum. The wide range of collections, which allowed buyers to diversify their sourcing, was invaluable. Initiatives during the four days of the show covered sustainability, market focuses and retail innovation.
W
e’re out of the tunnel, the 98th edition of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags has confirmed it. The feeling was clear from the very first day, like squinting before emerging from a tunnel and coming back into the light. The numbers of the Riva del Garda show are clear: the difficult period, following the pandemic, is behind us. From 14 to 17 January, Riva del Garda witnessed a return to business, with exhibitors and buyers of footwear and leather goods from all over the world very satisfied with the opportunities presented to them at the show. Roberto Pellegrini, Chairman of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, comments: “We close this edition with a smile. The uncertainty into which Covid threw the entire industry has finally dissipated. Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags has once again become the crucial business platform for all those who want to buy and sell footwear and leather goods on a global scale. Numbers do not always tell the whole story, but in this case, they help to explain what our satisfaction and optimism for the future is based on”.
Attendance was 8,610, with people coming from more than 100 countries, extremely positive numbers that were accompanied by visitors from outside Europe increasing by 5 per cent as a percentage of the total. Particularly noteworthy was the growth in visitor numbers from Latin America, South East Asia and North America. The influx of buyers from Israel was a nice surprise, while the number of Italian visitors also increased. “It was very gratifying to see so many delegations from all over the world, who appreciated the variety of the offer present at Riva del Garda,” says Alessandra Albarelli, Director of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. “10 governmental institutional delegations attended, from India, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Indonesia, Côte d’Ivoire, Hong Kong, Italy, and the Chinese regions of Sichuan and Wenzhou. By meeting them in the setting of the new Business Club, we were able to get an even deeper insight into their markets and needs. The fact that a number of important trade show associations and institutions from other countries have asked us to work with them to grow their events and the entire sector in
20 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • MARCH/APRIL 2023
The event’s Scientific Committee and a broad spectrum of experts and operators in the sector chose WonderStore (
wonderstore.ai) as the winner, with ACBC and iHEEL taking the other places on the podium. The start-up, which is already on the market, uses the latest IoT, Computer Vision, AI and storytelling analytics technologies to profile, count, track and analyse customers visiting a shop and provide useful insights to boost sales.
their region makes us proud of the work we have done”.
The important commitment to the incoming market, made in recent months, has borne fruit and the buyers who came to Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags appreciated not only the new collections on display, but also the in-depth meetings dedicated to supply chain sustainability and traceability, as well as the various innovations proposed by the start-ups of Innovation Village Retail. The winner of the Innovation Village Competition was announced during the show.
Innovation was not the only theme at Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags, it also provided an overview of several established and growing markets. The Market Focuses dedicated to German-speaking European countries, Latin America, India, the USA and South East Asia highlighted awareness of key industry issues and the close ties with the international network of buyers that the show has built up. “We brought producers and buyers together in an intimate and relaxed setting so that they could get to know each other, tell each other about themselves and identify new opportunities for cooperation”, explains Exhibition Manager GianPaola Pedretti. “Among the huge amount
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