Innovative and atmospheric comeback of FAFGA: Positive signals for the tourism industry

After the forced break caused by Corona, FAFGA alpine superior, trade fair for gastronomy, hotel and design, was able to open its doors again from 19 to 22 September 2022. Around 11,650 trade visitors took advantage of the wide range of industry-specific offerings at the most important investment, consulting and networking event for the tourism industry in Tyrol and beyond, where the motto "quality not quantity" was once again writ large. Representatives of the industry and the 280 or so exhibiting companies are relying on the industry's high resilience, also in view of the current challenges.

Innsbruck, 22.09.2022 - Some 11,650 trade visitors took advantage of the high-quality offerings of the approximately 280 exhibiting companies and the industry-specific supporting programme at this year's FAFGA alpine superior. Despite difficult general conditions, decision-makers and executives from the industry took advantage of FAFGA alpine superior to find out about innovations and offerings as well as to make and plan investments. FAFGA alpine superior thus once again became the centre of the Tyrolean tourism industry.

Christian Mayerhofer, Managing Director of Congress Messe Innsbruck (CMI), emphasises: "I am very pleased that after difficult pandemic years, the short lead time for the planning work and in view of current challenges we have succeeded in creating a high-quality offer for hoteliers and restaurateurs in Tyrol and beyond. FAFGA has thus also sent a positive signal in and for the industry. Congress Messe Innsbruck sees itself as a competent partner for this economic segment and FAFGA will continue to underline its importance as the central industry event in Tyrol."

Investment plans were at the forefront of trade visitors' minds

Tyrolean tourism is satisfied with the summer season and now it's time to prepare for the important winter season. More than 60 percent of the visitors with decision-making authority who were surveyed during FAFGA came to this year's FAFGA alpine superior with concrete procurement plans and investment plans. More than 80 per cent of these visitors also confirmed that they would place orders during or following their visit to the trade fair based on the information they received at FAFGA.

As expected, the range of exhibits was somewhat reduced in comparison to previous corona years due to shorter lead times and a still noticeable uncertainty in many economic segments, but more than 80 percent of the visitors were nevertheless very satisfied with the offerings presented at FAFGA alpine superior and accordingly want to visit the trade fair again next year. Over 40 percent of the trade visitors surveyed were looking for new suppliers and also found them at the trade fair.

FAFGA alpine superior with high visitor quality

The quality of the offerings at FAFGA is ultimately also reflected in the visitor structure. Overall, around 85 per cent of the visitors were executives and decision-makers. With regard to the origin of the visitors
it became apparent that FAFGA is increasingly addressing the entire Alpine region beyond Tyrol, from Vorarlberg to Bavaria to Salzburg, and is also increasingly attracting visitors with further journeys to Innsbruck, such as those from Eastern Austria. The fact that FAFGA alpine superior is closely interwoven with the domestic tourism industry is also shown, for example, by the fact that more than half of the visitors have already attended previous editions. About a quarter of the visitors attended the  trade fair for the first time this year.

Mix of offerings as a proven recipe for success at FAFGA alpine superior

"FAFGA is characterised by a successful mix of offerings from various segments as well as top-class lectures and workshops. This year the focus was also on the major challenges of the shortage of skilled workers and labour, for example, or the trend topics of digitalisation, energy and sustainability. For the first time, start-up companies were also able to present themselves in a "Newcomer & Innovation Area". In addition, it was particularly important that the industry representatives could meet again for a professional exchange -also and especially in view of the current special circumstances, such as the further development of the pandemic, the inflation rate and the energy crisis, which are currently massively preoccupying the entire economy and especially also tourism ", says Stefan Kleinlercher, project manager of FAFGA alpine superior.

Congress Messe Innsbruck is also pleased that the Wedl in-house exhibition could once again take place within the framework of FAFGA. Finally, various competitions, such as the international coffee championships or the barista competitions, were also very popular.
coffee championships or the barista championship with participants from Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria. The Day of the  Tyrolean Tourism Industry also provided a rendezvous for the "Who's Who" of the tourism industry with clear appeals to the public.
tourism industry with clear appeals to politics but also to the  resilience of this so important economic segment.

Statements from exhibiting companies:

Markus Ferrigato / Managing Director WMF Professional

"It's really nice to be back at FAFGA after a three year break. Gastronomes are networkers and that's what it's all about. From the current point of view there's nothing that speaks against being there in 2023 as well, because it's the start of the winter season and therefore the meeting with the gastronomes is incredibly important. The customers are excited. On the one hand of course about our products and on the other hand about the fact that it's possible to get in touch with each other personally again."

Hansjörg Wechselberger / General Sales Management Privatquelle Gruber GmbH & Co KG

"We are glad to be able to present ourselves live in Innsbruck again. As a Tyrolean family business, it was very important for us to be there again and we are at FAFGA for the first time this year with our range of beverages. It's casual to see people happily walking through the fair again and we're also happy to be here again. There are no considerations from our side not to be there next year. There are of course a lot of question marks for the tourism people at the moment, but we are all in the same boat and have to make the best of it."

David Thöny / Resch & Frisch Regional Sales Manager

"I'm comparing FAFGA 2022 with FAFGA 2019, which is basically a mistake. The number of visitors in 2019 was much higher, but what has definitely changed is the quality of the visitors at FAFGA 2022, which has improved many times over. We have made interesting customer contacts with a serious interest. There could be more going on, but you can't have everything. I'm really hoping for us to have a stand here next year as well."

Matthias Gurschler / Sales Director BRAU UNION ÖSTERREICH AG

"FAFGA is going very well for us. We have a very high proportion of trade visitors."

Dietmar Meraner / Managing Director MERANER P. GMBH - WEINKELLEREI

"FAFGA 2022 has an excellent trade audience, just as it did before Corona. We are more than satisfied. The trade fair visitors are in a good mood, walk through the trade fair with a smile on their face and everyone is in a positive mood for the coming winter. As a Tyrolean entrepreneur, you have to see it as an obligation to be at this tourism fair, which is why we are happy to be there in 2023."

Stefan Scheuchelbauer / Marketing Gastronomy & Branches HAUBIS GMBH

"We are satisfied with this year's FAFGA. The visitor frequency here is perhaps not as high as at other trade fairs, but the quality of the visitors is good as always. As a baked goods manufacturer from Lower Austria, our presence in the West is important, which is why we have been partners of FAFGA for many years and will also be part of this trade fair in 2022. After the trade fair follow-up, we will decide whether we will be there next year."

Walter Rosina / Sales Manager Tyrol Unterland HOLLU

"We are very pleased that we can finally exhibit at FAFGA again after this long break. The customer feedback has been quite good so far and we used the contact to give them and our partners an understanding of our new digitalisation tool NOA."

Philipp Stohner / Tyrol Culinary Association Chairman

"We are glad that FAFGA is taking place again after a two-year break. It is very nice to see how many companies are here again. We have a long-standing tradition with the fair, where we have always been given a platform or a stage for cooking competitions. That's why we support this fair wholeheartedly. I think a fair like this is an important sign for the industry: the industry is alive!"