The new trade fair concept seems to have worked: According to VDA and Messe München, over 400,000 participants were counted over the six trade fair days. This is a significant decline compared to the last IAA in Frankfurt in 2019, when 560,000 visitors were counted, but in 2019 the fair lasted two weeks. Looking further back in IAA history, in 2021 we would again have cumulatively reached the 800,000 visitors who flocked to Frankfurt before 2019. Admittedly, we have to say goodbye to the millions of visitors from 2007. The numbers are all the more impressive given that this IAA faced massive headwinds and the COVID-19 pandemic kept guests from Asia and the American continent away.
Emotional: Finally meeting many dear people in person at a trade fair again!
And it’s not just trade fair boss Klaus Dittrich who speaks of a "very emotional moment" to finally host a large fair again after a year and a half of standstill. He received much positive feedback from the hotel industry, the gastronomy sector, and the taxi industry. Our VISUION Mobility editorial team, which awarded the BEST OF MOBILITY winners on 8.9, experienced the same: Finally, people can meet live again and have coffee or a beer together!
The IAA received mixed reactions in the city center: On the one hand, mobility and accessibility of many places were significantly restricted, but on the other hand, according to Dittrich, it brought "life back to the city." Accordingly, the Munich trade fair management is considering holding other events additionally at various locations in the city. Environmental or sporting goods fairs, in particular, would be suitable. The VDA also confirmed to us upon request that this concept could also be an idea for the 2022 commercial vehicle fair in Hanover. Hildegard Müller, President of the VDA, proudly stated:
"We took a bold step and were rewarded by the visitors."
The IAA Mobility saw itself for the first time as a platform for the mobility of the future. Various transport modes, from cars to bicycles, digital solutions, and Urban Air Mobility, were brought together under an "idealistic roof." Some quick numbers: There were 744 exhibitors and 936 speakers from 32 countries represented, showcasing their innovations and visions for climate-neutral mobility of the future. Even with the announced demonstrations, which were mostly peacefully "managed" by 4500 officers, Hildegard Müller was satisfied:
"We experienced a peaceful festival of mobility in Munich. Munich and Bavaria are now the new home of the world’s largest mobility event."
The feared chaos-IAA predicted in some social media channels did not materialize—in part because the heavy police presence gave the subjective feeling that an attack on the IAA might be planned, of which we were perhaps unaware.
86 percent rated the new concept positively
Here are some area numbers: The IAA Mobility occupied a total of 260,000 sqm of event space, of which 195,000 sqm were on the trade fairgrounds and 65,000 sqm in downtown Munich. A total of 255 vehicles were used on the so-called "Blue Lane," booked for around 7,000 test drives. 67 percent of the visitors were younger than 40 years. 86 percent rated the concept as good or very good. The mix of exhibitors and the opportunity to test new products directly were rated particularly positively.
Dittrich added: The IAA Mobility showed that the protection and hygiene concept of Messe München also worked for a highly complex event. The feared “superspreader” disaster with COVID-19 infections also did not materialize.
IAA Managing Director Damasky was also very pleased with the international media reach of IAA Mobility 2021. As early as Wednesday, he was "very satisfied" with the media coverage, which, according to him, was higher worldwide than at the major fair in Shanghai. At IAA Mobility, there were more than 137 billion views globally. The social media channels of IAA Mobility recorded 140 million page impressions. Alone on "YouTube" and "TikTok", the contributions of IAA Mobility were called up more than 38 million times. Countries with particularly intensive coverage were China, the USA, South Korea, Brazil, Spain, Italy, and, of course, Germany. The next IAA Mobility will take place from September 5 to 10, 2023, in Munich.
What does that mean?
In sum, IAA Mobility 2021 can be considered a success, although there is still room for improvement in many details. The "hardcore petrolhead faction" felt there were too few cars, while environmentalists and the ADFC thought the concept didn't go far enough. The "truth" probably lies somewhere in the middle: the VDA had to react and delivered within the scope of its possibilities. There remains potential for optimization in the details – especially with the Open Spaces, which not everyone liked in the city center and which largely paralyzed mobility there for the uninterested. For others, though, the IAA was a veritable Oktoberfest replacement. That's why we can look forward with anticipation to the next IAA in 2023.
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