The largest trade fairs in Germany: an overview by industry

What “largest” actually means

There is no single ranking of the largest trade fairs. Size can mean hall space, the number of exhibitors, the number of visitors or the share of international participants, and every figure changes from one edition to the next. The organisers publish their figures after each show in a final report. If size matters for your decision, check that report rather than lists on the internet.

For exhibitors, size is not the most important criterion anyway. The question is whether your buyers are there. A specialised show with the right visitors can bring more than a giant fair where your stand (booth) disappears among many halls. The overview below therefore names fairs that are widely regarded as leading events in their industry, without figures. Each link leads to our page for that fair with dates, venue and practical notes.

Industry, technology and electronics

Germany's industrial fairs are where manufacturers from around the world present machines, components and production technology to an international trade audience.

Two of the best-known industrial fairs have no page of their own with us yet: bauma in Munich for construction machinery and K in Düsseldorf for plastics and rubber. Both run every three years, so check their next date with the organiser.

Food, consumer goods and lifestyle

Consumer goods fairs are where retailers, importers and distributors meet brands and manufacturers. For exhibitors from abroad, they can be the entry point to the European market.

We know several of these shows from our own work. At InterTabac in Dortmund we have covered stands for several exhibitors, and SPIEL takes place at Messe Essen, where our office is 30 seconds from the entrance.

Mobility, construction, energy, health and services

The third group covers sectors in which the German fair is often the international meeting point: vehicles and transport, building, energy, health and business services.

Cycles, cities and planning

Many leading fairs run every two years, some every three. IAA MOBILITY, Agritechnica, InnoTrans, EuroBLECH and electronica are examples of shows with a two-year rhythm, and productronica alternates with electronica in Munich. Before you plan a year around a show, check in the trade fair calendar whether it takes place that year.

The large shows are spread across the country. Hannover, Munich, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Nuremberg and Berlin host most of them, while Essen, Dortmund, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Friedrichshafen host important specialised shows. During the big weeks, hotels in the host city fill early and cost noticeably more than usual; a hotel in a neighbouring city with a good train connection is often the practical choice. For North Rhine-Westphalia, our guide to planning your NRW trade fair year shows how Düsseldorf, Cologne, Essen and Dortmund fit together.

Photo and video at a very large show

Large shows have their own rhythm. Walking between halls takes time, aisles are full from late morning, and the hour before opening is often the only calm moment for stand shots. At the same time, many exhibitors post from the same show, so timing matters: a post while the show is running reaches people who are there or following it, while the same post a week later competes with everything else.

Pixer works at the major German venues, from Hannover and Munich to Düsseldorf and Cologne, with fixed packages from €990 and delivery within 24 hours after the event ends. For a large show, the Full Day package with eight hours on site usually fits best; for a second or third day, a shorter package is often enough. Details are on the page trade fair photographer Germany.

The short version

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