Continually declining visitors and reduced bookings by exhibitors have resulted in the organizers of CeBIT to cancel the popular trade. CeBIT used to hold the title of the largest IT trade show during the turn of the millennium with nearly a million attendees at the peak of its popularity. Organizer Deutsche Messe has noted the parallels of CeBIT and the Hanover Fair and are reported looking into integrating both events while still planning to develop further topics for CeBIT.
CeBIT this year drew only an estimated 120,000 attendees.
“In recent years, many discussions within the German industry have involved the thematic overlap between HANNOVER MESSE and CEBIT. It is now time to integrate the topics from CEBIT that are relevant for manufacturing, energy and logistics into HANNOVER MESSE. We are currently examining the digital market to determine which remaining CEBIT topics we will develop into new events.”
– Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe AG
Oliver Frese has also requested the release from his duties by year end. Frese was in-charge of managing CeBIT.