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Aqua Nor organiser responds to news of rival trade show
Trondheim has been criticised for lacking hotel capacity but a technology fair is much more than that, says Kristian Digre
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Nor-Fishing, the Norwegian organisation responsible for aquaculture’s biggest and most important trade show, Aqua Nor, has responded to news yesterday that a rival event is being established near Oslo.
"Global Aqua" will be held at Nova Spektrum, Lillestrøm from September 7 to 9 next year, two weeks after Aqua Nor in Trodnheim. The initiative is being led by Norwegian Promotion Group AS and AqKva AS.
According to Global Aqua’s organisers, the reason for the new event is that Aqua Nor has outgrown the city in which it is held.
“We have heard the same thing from many people. Both fish farmers and exhibitors are not getting room, and capacity is overstretched,” Hans Runshaug, general manager of AqKva AS, told Fish Farming Expert’s Norwegian sister site, Kyst.no.
Will develop Aqua Nor further
Kristian Digre is chief executive of the Nor-Fishing foundation. He tells Kyst.no that the aquaculture industry is growing rapidly, and emphasises that the foundation wishes the new fair the best of luck.
How do you think this will affect participation at Aqua Nor?
“It is too early to say anything about how this will affect Aqua Nor. We have clear plans to further develop Aqua Nor as the industry's most important meeting place, also in the years to come. We look forward to sharing more about these plans in due course,” says Digre.
A good technology fair consists of much more than good hotel capacity
Do you share the view that there is too little capacity for accommodation for [visitors to] Aqua Nor?
“We would like to have even greater hotel capacity in Trondheim, and we are working to put more solutions in place. But the accommodation capacity consists of more than hotel rooms,” Digre says.
He highlights that platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com and Finn are popular among exhibitors and visitors.
“They offer a significant accommodation capacity and are being used to an increasing extent. That said, Aqua Nor is a technology fair, and a good technology fair consists of much more than good hotel capacity,” adds Digre.
10-year commitment
Runshaug in AqKva has also told Kyst.no that the new fair has reserved land in Lillestrøm for 10 years to come.
“This is not a flash in the pan. We have come quite far quietly,” Runshaug said.
Lillestrøm was chosen based on scalable capacity and a central location close to political and professional decision-making environments.
Runshaug said in the article that the goal is to build a lasting meeting place for the industry, with room for further growth in both the number of exhibitors and visitors.
