Successful inter airport Europe 2023: 74% more visitors and high international attendance

Last week, the 24^th edition of inter airport Europe, the International Exhibition for Airport Equipment, Technology, Design & Services, ended at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany after four days of flourishing business. From 10 - 13 October, more than 14,000 attendees of which over 7,500 were trade visitors came to Munich to network, discover the latest trends and developments in the airport industry and source innovative equipment and systems. This represents a 74% increase in visitor numbers compared to the previous show in 2021. The growth in visitor numbers, the high level of internationality and readiness to invest indicate that the recovery of the airport industry is in full swing.

A total of 437 exhibitors from 37 countries showcased their products at the world’s leading exhibition for the airport industry. The top-five exhibitor countries were Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. Visitors of inter airport Europe had a chance to explore many innovations and systems focusing on cost-efficiency, low or zero emission, enhanced passenger experience, automation, and digitalisation. According to the preliminary results of the surveys, a total of 77% of the trade visitors made their way to the event from outside of Germany. Major visitor countries, next to Germany, were Italy, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Switzerland, and Belgium. There was also a notable presence of attendees from overseas countries such as Japan, the USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and China, which highlights the international importance of inter airport Europe. Furthermore, some 60% of all visitors do not attend any other trade show, which underlines the importance of the event in the industry.

“As travel has returned to normal and passengers swarm the terminals again, the airport industry is keen to accelerate the current digitalisation and decarbonisation process to meet its environmental and social commitments while delivering on ROI,” says Jost Lammers, CEO at Munich Airport. “Airports like us are going to spend €250+ Mio in 2024 and with inter airport Europe, we have a unique marketplace here in Munich to meet with suppliers of airport-related technology, equipment and services from all over the globe.”

inter airport Europe 2023 honours outstanding products and services

During the first day of the show, Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of the organiser RX, opened the exhibition and greeted the speakers at the ceremony: Kay Bärenfänger, President GATE - German Airport Technology & Equipment e.V. and Jost Lammers, CEO at Munich Airport. After the opening ceremony, the inter airport Europe Innovation Award winners were announced and the awards were  handed over to the winning companies. More than 30 product entries from exhibitors in the categories Terminal, Data, GSE and Sustainability were shortlisted for the awards this year and the international airport community was invited to vote online for their favourite innovation in each of the four categories. More than 1,000 airport professionals had cast their votes and selected the winning companies.  

Award winner 2023 in the TERMINAL category was Rohde & Schwarz, who introduced a QPS self-screening solution, which utilises AI-supported posture control, where passengers are automatically scanned upon correct positioning, reducing repeated scans.

The winner this year in the category DATA was ISO Software Systeme GmbH for their SKYport AOCC which integrates all operational systems i.e., AODB, RMS, CCTV or pax flow monitoring, providing a holistic view of all operational aspects.

The winning company in the category GSE was S.C. ELECTRO MAX S.R.L. They received the award for their Airfield Portable Light Marking System POLARIS 2.0, which features versatile signal lamps with magnetic assembly, resilient materials for all-weather use.

ChargePoint Germany GmbH won the SUSTAINABILITY Award. They have received this award for their comprehensive charging solutions, which allows airports of any size to quickly implement EV solutions.

 platform for presentations and expert talks

At this year’s show, visitors were able to join a comprehensive seminar programme covering the following topics to discuss the continued recovery since the pandemic, the impacts of new technologies and what innovations are set to revitalise the airport industry: Leading Terminal Technology, Disruptive Digital Innovations and Cutting Edge Apron Insights.

Visitors were presented with the real opportunity to immerse themselves in new innovations, ideas and discussion around the post-pandemic evolution within the airport industry. The full programme can be found on the exhibition website.

Features of inter airport Europe 2023

In addition to the excellent cross-section of technologies and services for the entire airport supply chain, an impressive programme of accompanying events, such as the Matchmaking Programme, and the Hosted Buyer Programme were also popular with exhibitors and visitors and very well received.

Alongside a show floor packed with innovation, the co-located inter airport FOCUS – the Sustainability Summit offered a two-day high-profile networking and knowledge platform on sustainability strategies for the airport industry.

The Matchmaking Programme received a high demand with over 1,000 confirmed meetings to create business connections at inter airport Europe 2023.

The Hosted Buyer Programme offered a tailored networking experience with industry leaders from airfield construction, ground handling, ground support equipment, interior design, hardware and software solutions, terminal infrastructure, and operations in this year’s group.

Dates for the next edition

Existing and new exhibitors have already expressed their interest in participating at the upcoming show edition in 2025. inter airport Europe will take place from 7 - 9 October 2025 at the Munich Trade Fair Centre in Germany.