With the launch of SPIEL 2025 in Essen, the organizer, Merz-Verlag, is aiming for a new record: however, it won't be a significant one, but rather a relatively close one. Around 220.000 visitors are expected at this year's fair.
Until now, the GAME in Essen 2019 was a record year in terms of visitor numbers: 209.000. Under new management, the trade fair organizers came close to this figure last year, but exceeding it was not their goal. They are aiming for the record this year and have secured it, among other things, through a significant change in ticketing: Merz-Verlag is forecasting around 220.000 visitors for the 2025 edition of the world's largest consumer trade fair for board games. For the third time in the around four decades of history of SPIEL the magic mark of 200.000 visitors would have been broken.
According to publishing director Carol Rapp, the chances are not only good – the new record is also unshakeable. "As of now, Thursday is not sold out, but we are sure that will happen soon," says Rapp. Tickets for the Friday and Saturday of the fair have long since run out. Sunday was over 65 percent full.
The organizers see the new concept of day tickets versus season tickets as a sign of support. "We received a lot of opposition to this decision," says Carol Rapp. Ultimately, however, the plan worked. "We can appeal to a much broader fan base." One problem so far has been that season ticket holders, although they had blocked off ticket quotas for all days of the fair through the ticket type, were not actually there on every day. The result: Fans sometimes missed out because tickets were sold out, even though there was sufficient space. The model based on day tickets circumvents this problem.
The decision to offer ticket sales exclusively online also drew criticism in advance. And here, too, the organizers see their decision as vindicated. Contrary to expectations, a huge number of family tickets were sold, as Carol Rapp explains.
From October 23rd to 26th, fans can browse for new products or go bargain hunting on a total area of 77.500 square meters.
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