The Logitrans Istanbul trade show is performing well having celebrated its 10th edition, Messe Muenchen deputy managing director, Gerhard Gerritzen (pictured above) tells Air Cargo Week’s (ACW) staff writer James Muir.

He says the show has been performing well despite describing the economic and political situation in the region as “tense”. Speaking to ACW on 17 November following the first day of the event, he said he was satisfied with the visitor numbers and how the quality of visitors has improved since the first show under the EKO MMI joint venture.

He tells ACW: “Six years ago when we ran the first edition of Logitrans with EKO MMI you saw a lot of truck drivers with their families and now we have developed this fair into a B2B event without people of the public.”

In the early years of the show, the only air cargo company exhibiting had been Turkish Cargo, but says air cargo has been developing in a good way, especially in 2016.

Gerritzen says: “We are glad that we could increase the number of exhibitors and the square metres. It was not easy to convince companies to choose Istanbul as a platform for their business but Istanbul is a big hub in all kinds of transportation.”

Istanbul is well positioned for delegates to visit, with no visa requirements for people from neighbouring countries, and the airports having extensive transport links.

MMI also organises a number of other shows around the world including Air Cargo Europe (ACE) in Munich and Air Cargo China in Shanghai. Gerritzen says hall B1 at ACE is sold out seven months before the show, and all the major players from the industry will be attending.

MMI is also working on new shows such as in Mumbai. Gerritzen explains: “A local organiser is running a conference combined with a small exhibition. This is a small event but a major event in India and we decided to collaborate with this organiser and Messe Muenchen will be responsible for the international market.”

He says negotiations are progressing well and India is a future market, and though India is developing slowly it is developing, and it is an essential market for international companies.

MMI is also organising a show in Atlanta, Transportation Logistics America, which Gerritzen describes as the “new baby” in the Transport Logistic family. It is also a joint venture show, in partnership with London-based ITE.

Gerritzen says: “We are certain that Atlanta is the best location for a Transport Logistic show because Atlanta is a big hub for air cargo and there are a lot of important industries in the region and our show will run in parallel with the MODEX show.”