The GC - Games Convention drew to a close on Sunday evening last week with reports of a further increase in visitor figures. A total of 185,000 visitors (2006: 183,000 visitors) came to the Leipzig Exhibition centre site over the course of the past four days to see and test the innovations displayed by 503 exhibitors (2006: 374). These included 12,300 registered trade visitors (2006: 8.700). One significant point of note was the internationalisation of the fair. The share of foreign trade visitors rose to 43 percent (2006: 24 percent).
The exhibitors at the GC Business Center declared themselves highly satisfied with the turnout. For 85 percent of exhibitors (2006: 75 percent) their participation at the GC Business Center had a great significance or significance in the scope of their overall marketing activities. 91 percent of exhibitors (79 percent) plan to take part in the GC Business Center again next year.
"The GC 2007 has exceeded all of our targets. A high degree of satisfaction can be seen, not only amongst exhibitors and trade visitors, but also amongst the general public. This result underscores once again why the GC, as Europe's leading fair in the industry, has an ideal home in Leipzig", said Josef Rahmen, Managing Director of the Leipziger Messe.
"I'm delighted that our new hall concept proved to be a success. The expansion of the GC Business Center, the new hall layout and the incorporation of the outdoor area all led to a marked increase in the quality of the fair experience. The expansion of the GC family area is a sign of our increased focus upon families. We have been supported in this by the industry itself, which is paying increasing attention to the field of Family Entertainment. The best proof of this is the rise in average age and growing number of female visitors", says Peggy Schönbeck, GC Project Director.
GC Visitors Growing Older
According to a survey conducted by the Leipziger Institut für Marktforschung 52 percent of visitors (2006: 45 percent) were over 20 years old. The share of female visitors this year stood at 20 percent (2006: 17 percent). A rise in the number of casual gamers was also noted, reaching 45 percent (2006: 41 percent). In addition, the survey also revealed that 92 percent of visitors also plan to attend the GC in 2008. 40 percent of visitors had a journey of over 300 kilometres to attend the GC this year, compared to 36 percent in 2006.
The GC - Games Convention was in the spotlight of the international media more than ever. Over 3,300 journalists from 46 countries (2006: 2,610 journalists from 38 countries) filed reports from this year's principal games industry event in Europe.
Satisfied faces could also be seen amongst the exhibiting companies: By the end of the fair 96 percent of the total of 503 exhibitors from 31 countries had already declared their intention to exhibit at the GC 2008 in Leipzig. 94 percent of exhibitors stated that they had achieved their fair target very well and well (2006: 89 percent) - an excellent result. A total of 88 percent of exhibitors (2006: 78 percent) assessed the number of trade visitors at the GC as very good or good.
