What actually makes a good classic car show?
10/16/2017
Of course, it is a question of perspective whether you consider a classic car show to be good (and successful) or not.
As a dealer, the number of sales (in the best case) and customer contacts with the potential to close deals determine whether participation in the trade fair was worthwhile. The situation is similar for exhibiting service providers or parts specialists.
For the trade visitor, it is the quality, variety and also the quantity of exhibits and vehicles on offer, as well as the assembled service providers and the relationships that can be established as a result, that determine whether the trade fair is rated positively or negatively.
For other visitors, the overall range of products on offer, the entertainment value and the comfort of the visit are certainly factors that determine the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" attitude towards the trade fair.
It is not easy to find the greatest common denominator between all needs, as the requirements are sometimes contradictory. However, the success of supra-regional and international trade fairs - Rétromobile Paris, Techno Classica Essen, Auto e Moto d'Epoca Padova or Retro Classics Stuttgart - suggests that the larger the event, the easier it is to meet the demands of the various constituents. Whether this will change with the increasing number of regional trade fairs remains to be seen. A good dose of skepticism seems appropriate, however, as not all of the newly established smaller-scale trade fair concepts were immediately convincing.
