The toy industry’s leading fair maintained last year’s record result with some 80,000 visitors (2007: 80,300), and the Way to School and Learning by Playing specials and the fair’s innovation programme proved particularly popular.

2008 saw it increase the share of international visitors from 118 nations to 53 per cent. The decline in the number of German visitors caused by market factors was compensated for by the growing number of international visitors.

The rising number of visitors from the East European countries with growth rates of 10 to over 20 per cent was particularly noticeable, but more buyers also swarmed to Nürnberg from South America, with 38 per cent more than the previous year from Brazil alone.

The share of decision-makers rose to 76.5 per cent (2007: 71.3 per cent). With regard to visiting the fair again in 2009, 90.3 per cent (2007: 86.4 per cent) of the visitors have already said they will come again next year.

For the 2,676 exhibitors who were thoroughly satisfied with the fair, the International Toy Fair remains the hub of all their marketing and sales activities, as confirmed by 90.5 per cent (2007: 90 per cent) of the companies.

Some 91 per cent of the exhibitors (2007: 88.3 per cent) said they will be there in 2009 when the International Toy Fair celebrates its 60th anniversary.