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ATEI
International visitor growth takes 2006 London Show to
new heights
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Marking a 2.6 per cent increase on the 2005 record-breaking figure of 24,278
- Overseas visitor growth lifts overall
attendance to record level
- Visitor numbers rise for 71 of the
118 nations represented
- 35 territories record all-time high
representations
- 28 countries represented by more than
100 attendees
A
strong increase in international visitors has lifted attendance levels at the
2006 Amusement Trades Exhibition International (ATEI), International Casino
Exhibition (ICE) and interactive gaming show (ICEi) to unprecedented levels with
the overall participation reaching an all-time high of
24,913.
Marking a 2.6 per cent increase on the
2005 record-breaking figure of 24,278, this year’s London Show, which took place
at Earls Court Exhibition Centre on 24-26 January, comprised 15,114
ATEI-dedicated visitors and 9,799 in ICE/ICEi. Whilst UK attendance
(13,535) was down 3.7 per cent year-on-year, the figure for domestic attendees
was the second highest since the show began in 1939. A robust 12.4 per cent
annual increase in non-UK industry professionals raised international
involvement to a new high of 11,315, a figure which constituted 45.4 per cent of
the total attendance.
Combined figures (ATEI +
ICE/ICEi)
Of the 118 nations represented at the 2006
London Show, 71 recorded annual increases in visitor numbers, with 35 countries
registering record-high levels and 28 providing 100 visitors or more.
Vietnam and British Indian Ocean Territories were represented by visitors
for the very first time in 2006, taking the total number of territories
participating since 1995 to 175.
ATEI only
ATEI’s
international attendance grew by 12.0 per cent to a record-breaking 5,553,
although a lower number of UK
visitors meant that the overall tally of 15,114 was down 1.0 per cent
year-on-year. The proportion of international visitors to the coin-op show
grew from 32.4 per cent in 2005 to 36.7 per cent this year.
97 nations were represented by visitors to
ATEI 2006, of which 59 recorded annual increases in visitor numbers, with 13
registering record-high attendances. The British Virgin Islands and Macao were represented by
ATEI visitors for the very first time, taking the total number of territories
involved with ATEI since 1995 to 144.
Individual Nation
Statistics
Due in part to the
postponement of IMA, Germany was by far the
outstanding nation at this year’s show. A year-on-year increase of 63.1 per cent
helped Germany to top the London Show’s
league table of overseas nations with an all-time high of 998 visitors.
ATEI-dedicated visitors alone almost doubled (up 95.8 per cent to 564),
emulating the overall jump from fourth to first place in the visitor
rankings.
Spain significantly increased its
presence: up 7.0 per cent to 533 in ATEI; up 7.1 per cent to 932 overall – a new
national record! Despite these formidable growth rates, Spain dropped to second position in the London
Show overseas visitor nation rankings, being overtaken by Germany.
The
Netherlands increased its
representation at the 2006 London Show. The number of Dutch visitors rose by 5.5
per cent to an all-time high of 831, comprising 373 in ATEI and 458 in
ICE/ICEi
Austria registered a
record-breaking overall attendance of 743 (up 36.3 per cent year-on-year), as
well as setting a national record for ATEI (302, +66.9 per cent). These figures
helped Austria to fourth place in the
overall overseas visitor rankings and fifth place in ATEI.
Italy’s annual
deficit of 2.5 per cent saw its 539 attendees take second place behind
Germany in the ATEI visitor nation
stakes. A 2.5 per cent fall in the overall show figure of 740 visitors put
Italy in fifth position
behind Germany (998),
Spain (932),
Netherlands (831) and
Austria (743).
Bucking
recent trends and overturning an anticipated decline, the USA scored an impressive 44.6
per cent increase in the number of ATEI visitors (240), helping to jump up to
eighth place in the overseas visitor nation rankings. Adding in the number of
visitors to ICE/ICEi, the overall US attendance of 667 (+21.5%) set a new
national record and secured sixth place in the London Show
rankings.
France recorded an
annual increase of 26.8 per cent with 251 French visitors helping it hold
seventh place in ATEI’s overseas visitor nation league table.
France climbed one place to
seventh in the overall rankings, with ICE/ICEi visitors swelling the total
attendance in London to 546 (+23.5%).
Sweden set a new
national record of 525 visitors to the London Show, up 16.2 per cent
year-on-year. Higher increases from other nations meant, however, that it
slipped down one place to eighth in the overseas visitor league
table.
The
Irish Republic moved back into the top ten nations
represented in London with an overall attendance of 389, up
11.1 per cent year-on-year. Ireland’s ATEI component increased
15.9 per cent to 285.
Following
adverse legislative announcements from the Duma just one week before the show
opened, the Russian
Federation, whilst increasing its ICE/ICEi
participation, saw a 27.0 per cent fall in ATEI visitors to 116. This impacted
on the overall attendance (366) which recorded a deficit of 6.6 per
cent.
Belgium recorded a
disappointing decline in both ATEI visitors (down 8.4 per cent to 197) and in
ICE/ICEi (down 11.6 per cent to 129), overall down 9.7 per cent to 326.
Belgium remains in ATEI’s top ten
visitor nation rankings, but has slipped to 11th place
overall.
Canada set a new
national record with overall visitor numbers climbing 34.1 per cent to 228,
despite a 13.0 per cent deficit in the number of Canadians (40) in
ATEI.
The
Czech
Republic climbed two
places to 12th in ATEI’s overseas visitor rankings courtesy of a 15.5
per cent increase to 142. Overall the rise was a more moderate 5.6 per cent to
208.
Poland increased
its visitor numbers in ICE/ICEi but suffered a deficit (6.2%) in ATEI, falling
from 162 visitors last year to 152 in 2006. This was enough to hold on to
11th place in the overseas visitor nation rankings. Overall, Polish
representation was down 3.1 per cent to 187 visitors.
Hungary provided
more ATEI visitors (137, +9.6%) in 2006, but a decline in ICE/ICEi attendance
meant the overall figure was down 9.9 per cent to 173.
Taiwan provided 100
visitors to the London Show for the first time. This included 68 in ATEI (up
25.9 per cent year-on-year) and 32 in ICE/ICEi (+23.1%); an overall increase of
25.0 per cent.
The
Slovak
Republic broke national
records for both ATEI (60, +39.5%) and overall (99, +4.2%) in
2006.
Korea also set new
highs for ATEI (78, +81.4%) and overall (97, +86.5%) this year. A rising star
from the Far East, Korea entered the top 20 nations
(ATEI) and top 30 overall for the first time in 2006.
Japan had its
greatest ever visitor presence in 2006, rising 19.2 per cent to 87 overall. This
included a 33.3 per cent annual increase in the number of Japanese visitors to
ATEI (44).
Other notable individual nations (ATEI
+ ICE/ICEi combined) included: Slovenia (311 visitors, +0.7%), Norway (175,
+8.7%), Switzerland (172, +5.5%), Israel (156, +16.4%), Bulgaria (149, +58.5%),
Finland (120, +5.3%), Serbia & Montenegro (105, +32.9%), Cyprus (96,
+31.5%), Latvia (93, unchanged), Malta (93, +52.5%), Turkey (63, +65.8%),
Croatia (62, +10.7%), Estonia (57, +50.0%), Romania (56, +27.3%), Philippines
(31, +287.5%), India (24, +100.0%), Colombia (20, +122.2%) and Peru (19,
+137.5%).
Looking at the ATEI only figures,
other salient national statistics comprised: Greece (108 visitors, +3.9%),
Finland (75, +5.6%), Israel (60, +36.4%), Slovenia (55, +129.2%), Cyprus (47,
+11.9%), Turkey (37, +146.7%), South Africa (32, +68.4%), Malta (30, +100.0%),
Latvia (29, +52.5%), Bulgaria (23, +64.3%) and Estonia (19,
+216.7%).
The 2007 show takes place at London’s Earls Court
Exhibition Centre on Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 January.
All figures quoted are subject to
verification by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC).
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First Look
