Do you already see lots of interest in eroFame 2026, especially following the great success you had last October?

Wieland Hofmeister: eroFame 2025 was indeed a great success for many of the participants, as well as for us, the organisers, and yes, that has given us a lot of confidence as we start preparing for eroFame 2026. The show’s relaunch could not have gone better, and – in my own, personal opinion – moving the trade convention from Hanover to a new, more cosmopolitan location and adding to the event programme has truly given eroFame an edge over any other B2B event in Europe.

Of course, we are working tirelessly to consolidate our position in the interest of our exhibitors and trade visitors. At the time of this interview, we have already had more than 70 companies register for the next eroFame, which is a very good sign for us as the organisers. Actually, that may even be an understatement. We could probably take it as a compliment, a sign that we got many things right in Amsterdam last year.

You have stated that there should only be one big B2B show for the European market every year. Why have you taken this stance?

Wieland Hofmeister: I truly believe that there should only be one big annual B2B show for the European market – not because I think that this is some kind of competition to be won but because I love this industry and I know how challenging the current economic situation is for everybody involved.

Of course, the concept of competition sounds exciting, and in theory it is invigorating for the market. But let us be honest: Everything we see in the market right now points in a different direction. Companies are much more careful in their planning, budgets are tight, and every euro should be invested in a way that makes sense and, above all, makes a difference.

The resources that exhibitors and visitors can spend on trade shows are limited, and it is only logical – and understandable – that they would prefer to have one big trade show for the industry instead of having to invest in several events which end up being less effective.

I would like to stress that this is not just my personal opinion – many exhibitors, retailers, and industry insiders feel the same way, and some of them have said quite openly that we don’t need competing trade shows but a strong platform for everybody. One industry – one show. This idea is not born from egotism It is an appeal to reason, and appeal to the members of the industry to pull together.

How would exhibitors and visitors benefit economically if there was just one big trade show, basically a flagship event for the entire industry?

Wieland Hofmeister: A rough back-of-the-envelope calculation is all it takes — essentially just adding 1 + 1. In other words, if you simply total the costs incurred by industry members for attending several trade shows each year, without even factoring in additional investments of time and money, it becomes clear that the overall outlay is substantial.

By focusing on carefully selected trade-show appearances and planning them in a way that saves money, companies gain greater financial flexibility elsewhere — and that is exactly what the industry needs in the current strained economic climate. So the solution is really quite straightforward.

If there was only one big show a year, how would that affect the visitor experience and also visitor retention?

Wieland Hofmeister: The trade members know how important it is to learn about new products, trends, and business opportunities and to have an opportunity to exchange opinions and ideas with colleagues and partners. This type of communication benefits the entire industry – and one big annual meeting is absolutely sufficient for that.

That is exactly the model we had for a number of years: one big B2B show, smack in the middle of the year’s biggest ordering season. Demand was met, and I am sure that we can get back to that again.

How would having just one big trade show a year impact the innovative drive of the industry?

Wieland Hofmeister: Our industry flourished before the pandemic - and with just one big annual trade show! Motivation was high, innovative ideas were plentiful, the stands were impressive. But the past few years have changed everything. COVID left its mark on the bottom line, on people’s minds, and on consumer behaviour in general.

Many companies had to make the painful realisation that the consumers had converted to all-digital shopping in droves, and retailers had to make huge investments to change their concepts. As a result, budgets have become even tighter, and you can feel it! In times such as these, you simply can’t expect the members of the industry to shell out money for two or even three trade shows.

That money could be used much better, for instance to boost consumer-oriented campaigns or generic advertising. And those benefit everybody in the industry, as could be seen during Satisfyer’s big TV push. When that brand was on television screens everywhere, sales went up for the entire industry, not just one company. The rising tide does indeed lift all ships!

I, for one, am convinced that if we all agreed on one big annual trade show and focussed our investments on that, there’d be more room and more resources and more confidence to embrace innovation. An industry that pulls together will always be stronger than an industry that spreads itself too thin.