Marked increase in attendance compared with the premiere

Aquaria China 2006 in Guangzhou had about 28 per cent more exhibitors than in 2004. The hall in which it was held (Hall 2 of the Jinhan Exhibition Centre) was the same one used two years ago. But with 103 exhibitors from 13 countries this time around, as compared with 74 from 10 in 2004, there was very little room to spare. Nearly 50 per cent of these exhibitors were overseas companies, so should a similar increase occur in connection with the 2008 edition, the organisers may have to consider taking up another hall. The visitor figures were impressive, too: 3 391 trade visitors from nearly 40 countries, an increase of 10 per cent when compared with 2004, and a total of 14 566 public visitors, representing a 14 per cent increase. Speaking to exhibitors to gauge their views on how successful or otherwise they felt the show was for them, I was left in no doubt that they were very happy with the results. In fact, I had no negative reactions from anyone and extremely positive ones from some. For example, Bernd Hindersmann, the chief representative for Tetra for the whole of China, had taken up a very large front-line booth and felt that Aquaria China was “the perfect show” for the company. Since Tetra is aiming at establishing a firm consumer base in the country (they already have a firm trade customer base in China), the public days of the show were particularly important for them, with queues of enthusiastic consumers lining up to visit the stand.In sharp contrast to this giant of the industry, there was a small booth where a Chinese company specialising in Japanese filter matting for ponds manufactured in China was exhibiting for the first time. This company, Yangzhou Enkev Hair Products Co. Ltd. of Jiangdu City/Jiang Su, found Aquaria China so successful that they will be exhibiting in Singapore next May. Ronald Chan of www.ky-fish. com was also exhibiting for the first time and he too was very pleased with the amount and quality of the business that he had done, especially during the trade-only days. Specialising in a relatively small number of products – e.g. his own brand of foods, an exclusive range of magazines, and creatures – e.g. albino discus, flowerhorns, tosakin goldfish, native Chinese fish and miniscule bee shrimps, Caridina trifasciata – this exhibitor from Guangzhou with a second base in Hong Kong concentrates on establishing sound working relationships with other specialised companies, both for import and export. Just as the main exhibition…