23 November, 2011
The aim of exhibitors and visitors at trade fairs is to do business with one another.
- The organisers or the operators of the exhibition grounds provide the necessary platform and corresponding services.
- The product which trade fairs represent is the result of a coordinated effort by all three participants. Exhibitors, visitors and organisers all contribute in equal measure to the success of a trade fair.
Exhibitors and visitors interact with one another.
- Visitors come to trade fairs to maintain relations with other participants.
- Exhibitors invite regular customers to trade fairs to maintain relations with them.
- Consequently, trade fairs are a temporary reflection of networking in real life.
The matchmaking aspect of trade fairs is becoming increasingly important.
- In order for this to succeed the right exhibitors and visitors must come into contact with one another.
- As a result, the efforts made by organisers to attract exhibitors and visitors are of great importance.
- Thus information is required on the necessary communication data of network participants (postal addresses, e-mails, telephone and fax numbers).
If the goals of exhibitors and visitors are known, then the organisers can make the trade fair into an attractive networking platform.
- Therefore, as part of the visitor registration process, whether online in advance or at the fair itself, the organisers attempt to find out visitors’ needs and goals as well as their industry background.
- Evaluating visitor registration provides valuable information which makes it possible to develop an event so as to increase the benefits for visitors and exhibitors alike.
What about data protection?
Every year in Germany, around 150 international trade fairs and exhibitions take place, attended by more than 160,000 exhibitors and 9 to 10 million visitors.
- There is effectively no other marketing instrument besides trade fairs which places such a high emphasis on personal interaction.
- Thus the exchange of personal data is a decisive aspect contributing to the success of a fair.
- On the other hand the right of the individual to informational selfdetermination must be respected, so that data protection limitations apply whenever compiling and making use of personal information take place.
German trade fair organisers are aware of the responsibility which they undertake when compiling personal data. All data is treated in accordance with the legal regulations (of the Data Protection Act of the Federal Republic of Germany). All trade fair companies are subject to strict auditing by company data protection officers and to monitoring by the data protection officers of the respective federal state.
Een Reactie
If the visitor, while filling in his details in the registration process, signs that he agrees that the organizer can use his name and details, for his own peruses, is it o.k that the organzer will send the exhibitors and visitors the details of a specific visitor, for matchmaking purposes?