Attendance at the April 26-28 Seafood Expo Global and the Seafood Processing Global in Brussels fell by approximately 17% to 22,160, compared to a record-setting 26,652 visitors in 2015, according to figures posted by the organizer in a press release issued on June 2.
The downturn was no surprise considering that this year’s running of the world’s largest seafood show took place less than a month after terrorist bombings attributed to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) killed 34 people and wounded at least 270 more at Zaventem International Airport and within the Belgian capital city’s metro underground station at Maelbeek.
Calling the event “tremendously successful in light of what happened in Brussels a few weeks prior to the exposition,” Liz Plizga, group vice president for Diversified Communications, the organizing company, added: “As we anticipated in these circumstances, we saw some impact on the level of participation, though the event offered a safe environment bringing together serious buyers and suppliers from around the world to conduct business.”
The expo featured the stands of 1,664 exhibiting companies from 80 countries covering 35,862 square meters of combined exhibit space, including 73 national and regional pavilions. The number of stands in 2015 was 1,761, occupying 36,063 square meters of space.
“Everyone I expected to be at the event was there, and I met the people I wanted to meet,” said a purchaser from COOP Switzerland. “I am rather new in the seafood business and the Brussels exposition was a good opportunity for me to get in touch with suppliers, partners and NGOs, which was a fruitful experience. I’m looking forward to next year’s expo.”
On the second day of the fair, a purchaser from New York-based Austin Meat & Seafood Co. told FrozenFoodsBiz.com: “I found the traffic slower this year, obviously due to what happened last month. But the fact that the aisles were not swamped meant that the show was easier to maneuver for a buyer like myself, which made the overall experience more effective.”
Dates for the 2017 edition are April 25-27 at the Brussels Expo. It will be the 25th running of Seafood Expo Global (formerly known as the European Seafood Exposition) and the 19th edition of Seafood Processing Global.
Normalcy Resumes at Brussels Airport
During the period of the 2016 edition of the show, capacity at Zaventem International Airport was curtailed significantly to well under 50% of normal, forcing many international air travelers to fly into other cities and make their way to Brussels by train, bus or car. It was not until May 1 that the departures hall, which was severely damaged by two bomb blasts on March 22, was reopened. By June 2 all outgoing passengers were again be able to check in at the departures hall, as the 21 airlines that had check-in desks in temporary quarters returned to the terminal.
At the moment, 28 departing flights an hour are scheduled daily. The airport plans to increase this number to 44 departing flights per hour by the start of the looming summer season travel surge.
