Vitrum and Milan at the Center of the World

For the occasion, Vitrum is preparing a very special, exclusive welcome service for its exhibitors.    In keeping with tradition, Vitrum 2015 – the 19th session - was presented to the international press during the Glasstec exhibition.Attention was immediately given to the reassuring outlook for Vitrum and its special meaning, well-suited as it is because of its timing, to interpret the year that is about to end and the one just about to begin. Fall is actually the time when we start drawing our first conclusions of the past business year and, even more exciting, make our initial forecasts for the next 12 months. In practice, none of the two things is very simple since fast-moving market trends make short-term forecasts very difficult, but also make it difficult to clearly interpret the figures for the coming quarters.

However, 2015 is tipped to be a good year in many ways, which Vitrum can definitely take advantage of. Bringing benefits to exhibitors and visitors alike.

Let’s start with the good market signs. We know that the Eurozone is stagnating but repeated warning bells from governments and the business sector are quickly bringing a new political awareness so stimuli for economic growth should really become an absolute short-term priority. On the other hand, the hardest hit countries such as Portugal, Spain and Ireland have started growing again while Great Britain’s economy has been doing well for a few years now and Germany, despite its recent difficulties, remains the Eurozone’s economic powerhouse. Good news is also arriving from East Europe and the United States are posting very interesting and encouraging economic results for all the western world.

Some other good news is that Vitrum will take place while Expo 2015 is being held. Next year Milan will become a formidably important meeting place for people, ideas and trade relations from May thru to October. And Italy will be the host and the protagonist of the year’s most important international forum.

Public attendance is expected to be huge, with millions and millions of people coming. For six months the whole world will have a concrete opportunity to visit the Expo, to experience all the beautiful and good things about Italy first-hand and without missing out on all the very best things happening in our country during this period. We’re starting to see the first results: in November almost 40% of the hotel accommodation in Milan had already been booked and several million tickets have already been booked by companies and trade associations with trade people expecting to see a 22% plus increase in business. Milan’s international reputation as a business destination will be repositioned as a city of services, tourism and culture as well as a gateway to the most interesting markets of the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe.

Vitrum 2015 will be a part of this investment in the future, with the entire Italian exhibition industry benefiting from a general adaptation to the best European standards. People visiting Vitrum 2015 will be offered a different, new and more updated idea of Milan and Italy on the international scene. And as a result, Vitrum 2015 exhibitors can count on having a keen, motivated and particularly large public.