Record numbers of exhibitors have been confirmed for Zoomark International 2017. Two months before the event, a fifth pavilion is sold out, largely due to demand from abroad. The fair, staged by BolognaFiere and now on its 17th edition, is due to be held from May 11 to 14 in Bologna, Italy's trade fair center.
The total area of the event is now 50,000 square meters, hosting around 670 exhibitors (in 2015 the figure was 615). While Italy’s pet food market is growing, there is also a significant increase in the number of countries represented, which now stands at 43 (it was 35 in 2015).
Nations represented at Zoomark
Out of around 670 exhibitors, 223 are Italian pet product companies (stable compared to 2015, when the figure was 221). Meanwhile the quota of foreign exhibitors has risen to 68 percent (65 percent in 2015). The top countries are China (116 companies to date, compared to 73 in 2015) and the United States, Britain, Germany and France. Large delegations from Canada, China, the United Kingdom and the United States have been confirmed, joined this year by groups from Brazil and Taiwan.
This is the first time companies from Taiwan have taken part in the fair, with six companies specialized in breeding tropical fish. Other new entries include firms from Eastern European countries such as Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine.
"Exhibitors and visitors from all over the world will be in Bologna to present their products, learn about the latest innovations and do business," said Mark Momoli, BolognaFiere's business manager for Italy, in a press release. “Zoomark has always had an international outlook: the geographical position of Bologna facilitates communication with foreign markets and with the Mediterranean area and Eastern Europe in particular, meaning that the number of visitors from all over the world has grown every year. This has also been fostered by our direct participation in the leading international fairs, and partnerships with associations and foreign government agencies."
