2004: Peak year for Munich's
trade fair authority

(20.7.05) For MMG, Munich's trade fair authority, 2004 was the second best year of all time. In 2004, MMG registered a consolidated group turnover of € 236.6 million, the highest mark since 2001's all-time record. Also at near-record levels were 2004's exhibitors (more than 33,000 and up 6% over comparable line-ups) and visitors (some 2.25 million and up 5%) totals. Showing the authority's ever-greater operating efficiency, the rise in turnover was eclipsed by that of profitability. Messe München GmbH's EBITDA (earnings before interest and depreciation) rose 119% to € 57 million.
Setting forth previous years' trends, these rises were largely caused by an ever-greater influx of exhibitors and visitors from outside Germany. The number of non-German exhibitors and visitors increased six and fifty percent respectively, when put on a comparable basis. All told, 47 large-scale trade fairs and congresses will be held in Munich in 2005. Of them, 19 will be staged by MMG, five by a corporation specialized in holding events for the skilled trades and 23 by outside organizers.
The successes recorded by Munich's trade fairs and congresses sector represent a powerful asset for the local economy. According to the authoritative ifo Institute, some 9,000 people work in the sector.

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