Iceland may have only just printed the brochure for the 2005 Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition, but 60 per cent of the space has already been taken for the 7-17 September 2005 event in Kopavogur. The triennial show, the 8th of its kind, seems to give exhibitors the breathing space they need to develop new products in the three year gap, and also design and invest in high quality stands.
The 2002 event benefited from permanently-linked halls, as opposed to earlier events where the majority of exhibitors had been in temporary structures.
The show is as important to Iceland as fishing is. No country in the world depends, as does Iceland, on fishing. Some 62 per cent of the value of the country's exported goods are fish or derive from them. That also tends to put the country in the forefront of technically-advanced fishing vessels.
Hotel and groundhandler Iceland Travel, has already taking a show booking for 150 rooms for a Norwegian delegation. As the hotels fill up, delaying visitors caught out can always spend the night floating on a warm bed of bubbling thermal water in one of the many open air hot geyser swimming pools around the towns. The numbers in 2002 were 800 exhibitors and 18,154 visitors from 52 countries. Events manager Marianne Rasmussen-Coulling said: "Times in the fishing industry are hard, so companies are careful where and how they spend their marketing budgets. The combination of a strong fishing nation and an every three-year show has proven optimal. Big numbers of both Icelandic and overseas companies are focusing next year's attention and budgets on the Icelandic Show".
The traditional Exhibitor Party, on the Friday night of the show, includes an awards ceremony for the Best New Product at Show, Best Individual Stand and Best Group Stand. Dinners will be entertainmed by the popular Le Sing cabaret. The all-night dancing that follows will be open for the first time in 2005 to those who did not attend the formal dinner.
