The three-day exhibition, which ran from Monday (12 February) to Wednesday, drew just over 41,000 visitors to the French capital, an increase on last year’s 36,334. Organiser Vinexposium, which also handles the Vinexpo shows in Hong Kong, India and New York as well as the World Bulk Wine Exhibition in Amsterdam, also noted a 53% year-on-year leap in “international” visitors.
Attendees from outside of France made up 41% of the total number of visitors.
There was also a rise in the number of exhibitors this year, breaking the 4,000 barrier for the first time. Vinexposium was keen to highlight its focus on spirits, where the ‘Be Spirits’ section of the exhibition garnered 47% more floor space than a year ago. “Nearly” 200 exhibitors filled Be Spirits, “54% of them new”.
Speaking to media during last week’s show, Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse acknowledged complaints regarding long queues to enter the exhibition on day one. Reports of 90-minute waits to check luggage into the cloakroom were the result of a larger-than-expected international presence at the event, Lameyse said.
Rival exhibition ProWein, which takes place next month in Dusseldorf, will look to beat its 49,000-visitor total recorded in March 2023.
Next year’s Vinexpo is scheduled to run from Monday 10 to Wednesday 12 February, again in Paris.
