Despite a drop in visitor numbers, this year’s JAA International Jewellery Fair was still a success for many exhibitors according to fair organiser Expertise Events.
Gary Fitz-Roy, the managing director of Expertise Events, said this year’s attendance figure of “just over 5600” visitors was 6.9 percent less than 2011’s.
He said the drop in visitor numbers, “the first real drop” in recent years, “reflects the economic landscape’ and is “consistent with continuing reports of weaker industry demand”.
However he stressed that despite the drop “exhibitors on the whole have done quite well” and some “had the best fair in a number of years”.
“Some will always not do well in good times or challenging ones,” he said.
“It seems those exhibitors who implemented pre-show marketing, worked the Fair in advance and had new product, etc, did the best.
“The industry has changed a lot and more than ever you need to be delivering what the retailer wants, not what you like.”
Fitz-Roy said the company had completed a research questionnaire of the Fair visitors and would release the “astounding” findings shortly.
In the meantime the company was working on next year’s JAA Autumn Jewellery Fair which will be “co-located” with the Reed Gift Fair at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from February 2 to 4.
Fitz-Roy said the Fair, which is expected to feature 60-70 exhibitors, will offer the “complete package, be time efficient and allow retailers to replenish effectively after the Christmas New Year trade”.