EXPO REAL 2014 – Lots of highlights across the property spectrum

1,655 exhibitors from 34 countries – that´s the number lining up for the start of the 17th International Trade Fair for Commercial Property and Investment opened today in Munich.
Eugen Egetenmeir, Managing Director of Messe München International, is upbeat about the show: "We are expecting a successful EXPO REAL 2014, which has many highlights, not just in terms of the exhibitors, but also in the conference program. I am confident that the good mood in the property sector will be reflected at EXPO REAL."
After Germany, the top ten exhibiting countries are, in this order: Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland, Poland, UK, Russia, Italy, US, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic.
Southern Europe is more strongly represented this year – in particular Portugal. For the first time the City of Lisbon is taking part: five leading Portuguese firms are represented at its joint stand. Other new appearances include the cities of Gothenburg and Birmingham, which together with Lyon are presenting themselves to the trade audience under the title of "European Leading Cities".
Long-standing participants such as the City of Moscow, the City of St. Petersburg and the regions of Moscow, Leningrad and Tula are again among the exhibitors at EXPO REAL this year, and high-ranking delegations from these areas will be visiting the show. The City of Moscow is also organizing a number of presentations about the Russian property market at its stand in Hall B1, on all three days of the show.
To kick off the conference program, experts will be discussing the challenges facing the property sector in two panel discussions, entitled "When will interest rates rise? Opportunities and risks for the property sector" and "Have we achieved a turnaround? How sustainable is the new situation?" These start today at 11:00 in the EXPO REAL FORUM (Hall A2). Other themes highlighted at the show include market segments such as the hospitality industry and logistics facilities. And, with an eye to demographic change and the rising importance of care facilities for the elderly, this theme, too, is taken up at EXPO REAL. On Tuesday, October 7, 2014, starting at 10:00 in the SPECIAL REAL ESTATE FORUM (Hall C2) leading experts will be addressing the issues in sessions such as the one entitled "Care facility real estate and its significance for the real estate industry".
Also connected with the theme of demographic change and its impact on urban areas is the concept of intelligent urbanization. In a special exhibition entitled "Building the city anew – The metropolis of tomorrow" (Hall A2), the International Building Exhibition Hamburg (Internationale Bauausstellung Hamburg – IBA) and HafenCity Hamburg are presenting issues and insights on how to shape our cities to meet future needs. On Wednesday, October 8, 2014, starting at 15:00, is a session entitled "Building culture and sustainability – How do they fit together?”. Taking part in this discussion will be Dr. Barbara Hendricks, Germany´s Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety and representatives from the German Chamber of Architects (Bundesarchitektenkammer – BAK) and the German Sustainable Building Council (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen – DGNB).
These and other diverse themes and issues will be explored and analyzed in EXPO REAL´s extensive three-day program, divided into five forums. For full details on this conference and events program, and for information on EXPO REAL, go to www.exporeal.net.
Contact Katrin Polenz Phone: +49 (0) 89 949 21483 Fax: +49 (0) 89 949 97 21483 E-mail: katrin.polenz@messe-muenchen.de