BLE Reports Growth

LONDON: Brand Licensing Europe (BLE) organizer Advanstar has revealed a further 5-percent growth in visitor attendance for this year's event, which was the biggest and most successful in its 15-year history.

There were 7,244 retailers, licensees and sales promotion professionals from 69 countries at the event. Retail attendance was up by 5 percent. International attendance also increased; one in three visitors came from outside the U.K.

Event director Darren Brechin said: “To think that there were 29-percent more visitors to BLE this year than in 2011 is startling. It’s indicative of two great strengths of the licensing industry: First that there are always people coming to the industry afresh, with new ideas, new brands, new products and new retail space. Second that licensing across Europe is holding up in a very challenging economic climate. We worked very hard this year to make the new layout a success and will continue to dig deep into the three vertical categories to bring new companies and new people to BLE, and to ensure we give our visitors and exhibitors what they need and want from the show."

Plans for BLE 2014 are under way, with the show floor already over 70-percent sold.