End-of-show report for CeBIT 2007

More trade visitors The exhibitors' overwhelmingly positive assessment of this year's CeBIT is due in large measure to the marked increase in the number of trade visitors with decision-making authority. CeBIT 2007 attracted 379,000 trade visitors, up 14,000 over the previous year.

Surveys revealed that one of the largest groups of visitors - over 35,000 in total - consisted of specialists from the manufacturing industries, including the automotive industry and plant and mechanical engineering. With a record-breaking 34-percent increase in attendance, the "CeBIT SME Forum" also proved a strong magnet, attracting more than 6,000 entrepreneurs who were intent on discovering the best SME solutions and doing some B2B networking.

CeBIT 2007 drew a total of around 40,000 visitors from government and public sector institutions. Among the display categories that met with the greatest interest this year were telecommunications services, software and systems, IT services and IT consulting.

CeBIT also attracted some 40,000 visitors from the key wholesale and retail community this year. As a special show dedicated specifically to the retail trade, "Planet Reseller" not only scored a record-breaking exhibitor turnout of over 150, but also drew 40 percent more visitors than in 2006. Equally impressive: attendance from the transport and logistics industries tripled to more than 11,000, delivering strong testimony to the significance and drawing power of the "Telematics & Navigation" display category.