Exhibition companies have been hit hard by the corona pandemic. However, other types of income have also supported the business of Deutsche Messe AG. Looking to the future is optimistic.

Deutsche Messe AG sees itself on the right course after the serious loss of income caused by the corona pandemic.

In 2022, the deficit of around 52 million euros will be significantly higher than in the previous year, also due to a lack of additional income, said the CEO of Deutsche Messe AG, Jochen Köckler, of the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung” (HAZ/Saturday). “Overall, however, we are on schedule and are confident of making our business profitable in the long term by the middle of the decade.”

Last year, the loss of 19 million euros was much lower than feared. “We had expected a minus of 75 million euros. We were helped by the income from the vaccination center and the makeshift hospital as well as the federal corona aid and the regulation on short-time work. » He is happy to register the newly awakened enthusiasm for face-to-face events. “We believe in the future of the world’s leading trade fairs, but we are preparing for them to be smaller in the future.”

With a view to the Hanover Fair beginning on May 30, Köckler spoke of a real new start. “We are very happy that more than 2,500 exhibitors are coming and that we can completely occupy eleven halls.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa are also expected to open the trade fair, which will last until June 2nd. Portugal is this year’s partner country at the fair.