Buoyant mood in Bologna

Expectations in advance that the anniversary event in Bologna would set a new record were stoked not only by the 1 060 exhibitors attending from 57 countries. They occupied an exhibition area of 68 000 m² in seven halls. 795 of the companies, equivalent to 75 per cent of the total number, hailed from abroad. The show’s international importance was also bolstered by delegations from the United States, China, Canada, Brazil, the UK, Greece, the Czech Republic, India and Thailand.  

On the first two days of the fair, the number of visitors climbed to a level that the organisers and exhibitors had hoped for but had scarcely dared to enunciate. “Zoomark 2023 has attracted an unbelievable 27 950 visitors from across the globe. The proportion of foreign visitors has doubled compared with the last edition prior to the pandemic and accounts for 62 per cent,” reported Antonio Bruzzone, general director of the fair organising body Bologna Fiere, in summary. And if Italy hadn’t been beset by constant rain and heavy flooding while the show was in progress, the figures – especially with regard to the number of domestic visitors – would probably have been even higher. The organisers have not released any visitor numbers in the last few years.

Antonio Bruzzone said confidently that “the fact that all the big, well-known brands chose Zoomark as their official platform in 2023 also attests to the leading role played by the trade show in the global pet supplies business.” The next Zoomark will be held in Bologna from 5 to 7 May 2025.

Over 500 new products were displayed in the Pet Vision area in Hall 16: a detailed report on this can be found on page 40. Directly adjacent to this was the NEXT zone, where more than 50 start-up businesses in the pet sector were able to present themselves. Although some still have a lot to learn about how to create an appealing presentation, they nevertheless attracted plenty of interest.

To complement the trade show, Zoomark offered a full programme comprising more than 80 events. This ranged from meetings of various retail groups via seminars on the European market and merchandising to scientific presentations covering pet nutrition and health. The Aqua Project zone devoted to aquatics was a popular meeting point for aquascapers who are well-known throughout Europe. They set up aquariums and gave presentations that were followed with great interest by countless visitors to the fair.

It came as a huge surprise when the organisers announced the launch of a Chinese edition of Zoomark, which will be held on 23 and 24 November at the PWTC Expo in Guangzhou. Referring to the initiative, Antonio Bruzzone commented: “The success of our Italian Zoomark has prompted us to look to the market beyond Europe, to develop new projects and to convert the event to a format available for the pet sector worldwide.” Zoomark will be partnered in this venture by the Chinese trade show and conference organiser Informa Markets, which is based in Beijing and has become a strong international player in recent years thanks to its acquisitions and mergers.

Bologna Fiere has a branch of its own in Shanghai and says it has been cultivating a close working relationship with Informa Markets for some time. Zoomark China is expected to comprise an exhibition area of 15 000 m² and to host around 300 exhibitors. The organisers believe it will attract in the order of 15 000 visitors from China and abroad.