Looking Back at 2025: Trade Fairs, Trends, and Global Opportunities

Our Trade Fair Manager, Erin Daly, visited several major shows in Germany this year; Enforce Tac, IWA OutdoorClassic and ITB Berlin in Germany, as well as a regional workshop in Singapore for Spielwarenmesse.  The GNZCC represents more than 20 of the world’s leading trade fairs, connecting New Zealand exporters to global markets.

Here are a few of our 2025 highlights.

Berlin:

International Green Week 2025 marked its 99th edition with scale that still dwarfs most events: 310,000 visitors and 1,400 exhibitors packed Messe Berlin. Beyond its position as the world’s largest consumer show for the Hort/Ag sectors,  the fair doubled as a political stage, with six German federal ministers and the new EU Commissioner in attendance. Sustainability and food security dominated the agenda, reminding anyone walking the halls that agriculture is as much about geopolitics as it is about produce.

FRUIT LOGISTICA followed in February, drawing 2,600 exhibitors from over 90 countries and 91,000 trade visitors. This year, the buzz was around packaging innovation and controlled environment agriculture. From strawberries grown under LEDs to logistics chains mapped down to the minute, highlighting how horticulture has evolved into a high-tech sector, and New Zealand with its world leading Agritech sector, can tap into those global opportunities.

ITB Berlin was all business - literally. Since dropping its consumer days in 2023, the fair has become a purely B2B marketplace, and this year it pulled in close to 100,000 trade visitors and 5,800 exhibitors from 170 countries. For New Zealand, the Tourism NZ Pavilion was the anchor, while Heritage Expeditions had a steady stream of visitors in the Cruise Hall. Together they showed why tourism, our second‑largest export, belongs on this stage: ITB is where contracts are signed, partnerships are forged, and global buyers commit to bringing travellers to New Zealand. In a recovery economy, being visible there accelerates inbound tourism flows and puts money back in everyone’s pockets back home.

Later in the year, IFA Berlin brought 1,900 exhibitors and Kiwis were well represented amongst the 220,000 visitors to scout the latest consumer tech, with AI, robotics, and smart living dominating the launches in 2025.

Nuremberg:

Heading south to Bavaria, Nuremberg hosted its own growing legion of globally leading shows from a wide mix of sectors;

Spielwarenmesse opened the year in late January with its 74th edition, drawing 57,500 visitors from 126 nations and 2,362 exhibitors from 71 countries. As the world’s largest B2B toy trade fair, it remains the central meeting point for the global industry. The countdown is already on for its 75th anniversary in 2026, and it’s going to be a doozie!

BIOFACH followed in February, attracting more than 35,000 visitors from 140 countries and 2,300 exhibitors. Under the theme “Yes, we do! – How to effect change in the organic food segment,” the fair highlighted climate, sustainability, and the politics of food, reinforcing its role as the leading global platform for the organic sector.

Enforce Tac has expanded rapidly in the years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, transforming from a specialised security fair into one of Europe’s most significant defence industry gatherings. There is now an unprecedented demand for tactical equipment, armoured vehicles, and new security technologies, and Nuremberg is where that demand is most visible. What was once a niche event now attracts global attention, with policymakers, agencies, and industry leaders using the fair to confront the realities of a changed security landscape. Its growth is a direct reflection of how geopolitical shocks can reshape entire sectors almost overnight.

IWA OutdoorClassics followed immediately on from Enforce Tac, but with a very different atmosphere. While Enforce Tac is about defence and national security policy, IWA is dedicated to outdoor sports and leisure. The fair drew visitors from more than 120 countries and featured live demonstrations, virtual reality booths, and even an entire hall dedicated to target practice.

March closed with Fensterbau Frontale and HOLZ‑HANDWERK, a tandem fair that attracted 75,000 visitors from 112 countries and 973 exhibitors. The focus was on innovation in building and woodworking — from energy‑efficient facades to serialized construction and climate‑resilient design

Asia:

For New Zealand exhibitors, the most important stage was still Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong. New Zealand now holds the hero position as the third largest exhibiting nation, a testament to the market opening powers of Asia Fruit Logistica.

Want to know the key shows coming in 2026? Get in touch with Erin to talk everything from square metres to strategy! The GNZCC will also run another series of trade fair workshops for first timers to a major show.