The 99th edition of the Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags—an important sourcing trade show for footwear, bags and accessories—concluded on a high in Riva del Garda, Italy with participation of almost 1,300 exhibitors, companies and brands from 42 countries, and about 9,000 attendees from 103 countries, marking a strong return from China.
- With almost 80% of the visitors from Europe, the event at the Riva del Garda witnessed a significant increase — +12.5% — from Spain and Germany, as compared to the last edition in June 2022.
- A 7% decline in Italian buyers was offset by the broad participation of other markets—a total of 103 countries.
- The return of a large number of Asian exhibitors, with over 250 companies from Mainland China alone, and débuts of Switzerland, Japan, Nepal, the Czech Republic and Mexico, the event was an excellent opportunity to gauge market sentiment.
- The fair's digital platform led to meetings between some 10,000 industry professionals.
- The 100th edition celebrations from 13–16 January 2024 will be distributed throughout the entire Riva del Garda area and spread over time since they will involve both the winter and summer editions.
The trade impetus: The fair was an important meeting ground in a changed geopolitical order where production halts in certain countries due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the logistics crisis of recent years have led many to rethink their procurement strategy and seek closer and more reliable partners.
- The dramatic rise in inflation, on the other hand, has forced manufacturers to keep costs under control and so seek out suppliers who can sell at reasonable prices.
