Page 23 - Toy & Hobby Retailer Magazine June-July 2020

INTERNATIONAL TOY FAIRS
SPIELWARENMESSE 2020
New in Nuremberg
The Spielwarenmesse is the world’s largest toy fair. Despite COVID-19 concerns, the show still delivered excellence, Imogen Bailey reports.
BY the time it got to late January, news of the coronavirus had well and truly hit
international markets.
Reports were circulating that some buyers
were cancelling their trips to the world’s largest toy fair, Spielwarenmesse, and nervousness around shaking hands and contracting the
virus was rife.
This concern was reflected in the slight dip
in visitor numbers to the Spielwarenmesse this year. According to the organisation, 62,357 visitors from 136 countries attended the show this year, compared to 66,876 in 2019 – a drop of 6.7 per cent.
Exhibitor numbers remained relatively steady with 2,843 exhibitors from 70 countries – 431 of which were new exhibitors – exhibiting at the 2020 show compared to 2,886 from 68 countries in 2019.
Despite the dip in visitor numbers, the Spielwarenmesse still delivered excellence and invaluable insights into what is coming for the toy industry this year. Many exhibitors reported
ABOVE: Birds-eye view of Hall 3A. INSET: Papoose Toys.
that the quality of buyers was exceptional, despite there being less of them.
Across the 12 exhibition halls, millions of new products were on display.
One new Australian exhibitor debuting at the show was Mommy’s Tiny Helper.
Designers and founders Angelo Reitano and Dennis Mitrevski's ride-on toy is fitted with a sweeping mechanism that sweeps up mess on tiles, carpet and wooden floors as the child rides around.
The kid-powered ride-on helps children develop spatial awareness, increases their ambulatory and rotational skills, enhances their dexterity and tactile faculties and develops their awareness of object permanence – all while cleaning messes from the floor – a parent’s dream.
Further into the halls, Spielwarenmesse regulars Papoose Toys were showcasing their new ranges, as well as an upgraded stand.
John and Renske Carbone had Papoose up in lights – literally – this year and from
MAY / JUNE / JULY 2020 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER 23