Rehacare provides detailed demographic breakdown from 2019 event as its gears up for 2020
In September 2019, over 38,500 visitors descended on Düsseldorf to attend this year’s Rehacare, Europe’s largest mobility, assistive technology & rehabilitation exhibition, with the event’s organiser predicting more than 50,000 delegates in 2020.
Taking place at the end of September 2019, Rehacare’s organiser Messe Düsseldorf has now released details of the demographics that visited this year’s show, confirming that 38,587 visitors attended over the four days to engage with 751 exhibitors.
Who attended Rehacare from where?
From the total number of visitors, 26 percent (10,033) were international delegates, says Messe Düsseldorf, with 80 percent of non-domestic attendees coming from Europe.
Despite taking place whilst the United Kingdom geared up preparations for a potential no-deal Brexit, the UK still saw one of the largest contingents of industry professionals make the trip over to the European trade event.
According to the organiser, the top five countries of origin for those that attended Rehacare from Europe were: Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom and France.
The top five countries from the remaining 20 percent of international attendees of non-European origin were: South Korea, Japan, Israel, USA and China.
In total, visitors from more than 81 countries dropped into the show to learn more about the latest products and services from the sector.
Messe Düsseldorf also confirmed that from the 38,587 visitors, 61 percent were identified as trade visitors, of which 75 percent had decision-making authority or were involved in the decision-making process.
Wolfram N. Diener, Operative Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf, commented: “When it comes to internationality, REHACARE’s offer has once again set standards. More than two thirds of the participants came from abroad. A thrilling mixture of established mid-sized companies, dynamic inventors and company founders won over visitors with their innovative solutions for almost every disability and area of life. Exhibitors presented products that are already available on the market as well as prototypes that will soon be ready for market.”
What products were visitors most & least interested in?
Interestingly, according to the Rehacare organiser’s data, the top three product areas that visitors in the industry were most keen to see were daily living aids (55 percent), wheelchairs & powered mobility vehicles (44 percent), alongside mobility aids & walking aids (44 percent).
The product categories with the least interest were exoskeletons (15 percent); ambient assisted living (15 percent); clothing & protective gear (14 percent); and food, kitchen furnishing & supplies (13 percent).
The data suggests that the traditional product areas of the mobility sector are continuing to see the most trade interest as retailers and distributors search for new products to stand out in the growing and competitive market.
Gearing up for Rehacare 2020
Emphasising that the data for the 2019 event is representative of Rehacare’s ‘off year,’ with years that fall on even-numbered years seeing dramatically higher attendance, Messe Düsseldorf says its 2020 figures are expected reflect those in 2018 of 50,600 visitors.
Check out some of THIIS Magazine’s shots from the 2019 show.
The next Rehacare will take place in Düsseldorf from 23 to 26 September 2020.