Visitors view a model of "City in the Future" at Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany, June 1, 2022. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
About 2,500 exhibitors from 60-odd countries and regions have showcased their innovations for factories and energy systems of the future since May 30.
Jochen Koeckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, said that trade fairs as a meeting place for people will continue to be "central business and innovation drivers" in the future.
HANNOVER, Germany, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Hannover Messe, the world's leading industrial trade fair, closed its doors here on Thursday.
Compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's event attracted significantly fewer visitors.
In addition to the 75,000 visitors on the exhibition grounds, 15,000 people registered to attend the four-day fair virtually, the event's organizers said. In 2019, the fair attracted more than 215,000 visitors.
Following a two-year absence, Hannover Messe resumed its offline events this year with "Industrial Transformation" as the lead theme, with a focus on digitalization and sustainability.
Photo taken on May 30, 2022 shows a scene of Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
About 2,500 exhibitors from 60-odd countries and regions have showcased their innovations for factories and energy systems of the future since May 30. Jochen Koeckler, chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe AG, said on Thursday that trade fairs as a meeting place for people will continue to be "central business and innovation drivers" in the future.
"When thousands of visitors meet thousands of exhibitors, this is only possible in real time. The magic of a trade fair cannot be reproduced digitally," Koeckler added.
A delivery robot is seen at Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany, May 30, 2022. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
Around 100 Chinese exhibitors participated this year due primarily to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2019, their number exceeded 1,300.
"I hope the pandemic was only a once-in-lifetime challenge and that we'll be able to host a thousand or even more Chinese exhibitors in the future again," Koeckler told Xinhua.
The highlights of this year's fair included digital ecosystems, energy solutions and hydrogen fuel cells. Next year's edition of Hannover Messe is scheduled for April 17-21. ■
