This year’s CeBIT was an outstanding success. Visitors and exhibitors are filled with enthusiasm. This is the conclusion drawn by the Deutsche Messe AG after the end of the CeBIT in Hannover. In fact the number of visitors was 3% higher than last year.
Among the 495.000 guests 20 percent came from abroad. The central topic “Green IT” seems to have fully met with the interest of the people. 5845 exhibitors from 77 countries leave Hannover with extraordinary full order books and “Green IT” is about to become the hype worldwide.
According to the CeBIT management, all four sectors which presented their exhibits – business solutions, public sector solutions, home & mobile solutions and technology & infrastructure – were given top marks by exhibitors and visitors. “The clear structure of the exhibition ground led to visitors significantly more rapidly finding the exhibitors and information and telecommunications solutions they were looking for. Over six days more than 10 million business talks took place, the way for new investments was paved and orders passed“, said Mr. Ernst Raue who is chairman of the Deutsche Messe AG. On average each expert visitor led talks with 29 companies.
Mr Raue said that in particular the activities aiming at recruiting young specialists for the information and telecommunications sector were successful. Thus, this year´s CeBIT, among other things, succeeded in enthusiasmating young people – students and trainees – for a professional future career in the IT sector. The number of visitors younger than 30 years of age increased by 14% in comparison with last year.
The German association for Information Management, Telecommunications and New Media, BITKOM, comes to a similarly positive evaluation of the CeBIT after a survey among its members.
The success of this year’s CeBIT even surpassed the boldest expectations. BITKOM president, Mr. Dr. August-Wilhelm Scheer, was delighted and according to his opinion the business volume following this year’s CeBIT will even be higher than in recent years. According to BITKOM, the German market for information and telecommunications technology will grow by 1.6% to 145 billion Euros in 2008. BITKOM expects turnover by software housed and IT service providers to increase by 5% and 7% respectively while a plus of 8% is expected with regard to outsourcing.
Next year’s CeBIT will take place from March 3rd to 8th 2009. 