Spain’s 16th International Leather Week, SIPIEL, which took place April 1-3, confirmed its status as one of the most important international fairs for footwear and leather goods in Europe, attracting 7% more visitors than the prior edition. The event organised by IFEMA brought together some 824 exhibiting companies, 6.9% more than at the March edition last year. The fair also welcomed some 21,498 buyers, 7% more than in March 2004.
With regard to the total visitor figure, there was a strong increase in the number of foreign buyers, given that some 3,304 representatives of sales outlets in other countries visited Feria de Madrid throughout the course of the three-day event, a 12% increase compared with last year. There was a significant increase in the number of visiting professionals from Europe, mainly from Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Greece and Portugal, whilst the number of visitors from more distant countries, such as Japan, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Mexico, decreased. This fall was the result of the fact that the dates on which SIPIEL took place - immediately after the other two main European fairs for the industry - were somewhat later than usual, due to Easter week.
"It is natural that buyers from more distant countries were unwilling to travel to Europe twice in just a few days in order to attend two footwear events. The dates of this edition were also late for European professionals, but the increasingly international appeal of this event and greater geographical proximity made it possible for a large number of European buyers to attend," stated Pola Iglesias, the Head of SIPIEL.
As far as Spanish buyers were concerned, some 18,194 were recorded, a 7% increase on last year.
