TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—A financial storm may be raging over the world economy, but the sun is still shining on the Taipei Cycle show.
Show organizers said Tuesday that Taipei Cycle 2009 is already sold out and is expected to be modestly larger than last year’s show.
“For next year (at) Nangang Exhibition Hall, we will be fully occupied and we don’t have more space. So that is the maximum (number of) booths we can offer for the cycle show,” said Walter Yeh, the executive vice president of the government agency that organizes Taipei Cycle.
Yeh’s agency, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council or TAITRA, is projecting growth in the number of booths to the maximum 2,280, up from this year’s 2,840 booths.
The number of exhibitors also is expected to rise slightly to 770 from 761 this year.
“This year, we face a challenge from the financial crisis worldwide,” Yeh said. “But our industry seems not too much influenced by this financial crisis.”
Taipei Cycle is scheduled for March 17-20. The last two days of the show will overlap with TaiSPO, the Taiwan international sporting goods show. TaiSPO takes place in Taipei Cycle’s former home at the TWTC Exhibition Hall, while Taipei Cycle remains in the new Nangang convention center.
Yeh said the “reunion” of the two shows, which also overlapped in 2008, helps drive more traffic to both shows because both industries have buyers in common.
As further evidence of the cycling industry’s strength, Yeh noted that the value of Taiwan’s bicycle exports rose by 31 percent for the year through August.
“This is very significant. Most industries are decreasing, but the cycle industry is still growing,” Yeh said.
In a nod to the economic climate, however, he said the next Taipei Cycle will focus on suppliers of bicycle repair products.
Yeh also said Taipei Cycle has no plans to change show dates from March, despite growing competition from a collection of “mini-shows” in Taichung, most of which are taking place this weekend and next week.
He said TAITRA is following the lead of the Taiwan Bicycle Exporters Association, which favors the current schedule.
“Most people in complete bicycles and parts say March is still the time. So we maintain our dates in March,” Yeh said.
—Doug McClellan
