AirLST at Locations Fair 2019

A Fair Review on the LOCATIONS in Munich 2019

On the 4th of December, AirLST represented itself with a booth at the first Munich edition of the Locations fair. With a focus on venues, the Locations Fair targets conference and event planners in a metropolitan region. As the platform is already an integral part of the fair calendar in Central Germany, Rhine-Ruhr, Rhine-Main, Stuttgart and Rhine-Neckar, Munich was added as a new location this year. That's why we spoke to Martin Stegmann, the Locations Director of Sales & Marketing, in advance. He answered our questions about the development of the Locations fair and talked about his expectations of the Munich edition. Of course, you can find the interview on our blog.


As exhibitors, we presented AirLST as a solution for singular events as well as a corporate solution and the planning of several events. We also had our on-site print station for printing name badges in seconds. We were delighted with the response from the visitors. Personalized name badges in the corporate design and printed on-site are just something great. We also noticed that the interest in alternatives to Excel lists in participant management remains high. But not only new interested parties, but also old friends and acquaintances passed by the AirLST booth. An excellent advantage of such a regional platform.

It was apparent that everyone was talking about sustainability and that the environmental factor is becoming increasingly important in the event industry. We were particularly frequently asked about the ecological footprint of our name tags. Of course, PVC cards don't stand out when it comes to environmental protection. Fortunately, we can now fall back on 100% biodegradable cards made from salts.

A trade fair is always also a meeting of the industry, i.e., trends, current discussion topics, and developments are emerging. What were the themes of the Locations Fair? Since our stand was placed vis à vis on the stage, we had our finger on the pulse and, despite the presence of exhibitors, were able to see something of the supporting program of the Locations Fair.
There were lectures on the psychology of multi-sensual experiences in live communication, on digital transformation and crisis communication, as well as a look into the future as students of ISM Munich presented their future concepts for the event industry of tomorrow.

More Experience, More Network, More Knowledge

‍This year's Locations Fair proclaimed the motto "more experience, more network, more knowledge". everybody knows that these imperatives are closely linked to digital technologies. The event and the digital meet in the terms experience, network, and knowledge,

Technologies play a significant role in the field of experience, cognition and perception. New sensations and challenges highlight a situation from everyday life. This is why experiences are so important for event marketing and why technologies should help to bring about these exceptional situations: If a product is linked to special events, it is not only experienced but tangible and finally incorporated as experience and lasting value.

The event industry increasingly uses these consequences not only on-site and during the event, but also in advance via social media channels. Event apps, digital participant management, and hashtags connect guests and visitors and promote digital interaction. More network is, therefore, an absolutely contemporary requirement of the Locations Fair. Never before has it been so easy to come into contact with other visitors, speakers, and an interested public. The transparency of information is increased by well-prepared and easily accessible content. Attendees can network and communicate their interests in advance. The degree of participation has increased. In the best case, a community forms from which topics, discourses, and trends emerge. This turns an event into a social event, which in turn increases the experience factor. 


Digitization has thus also changed the social conditions under which knowledge is made possible. Knowledge has become more accessible through the Internet. At the same time, specific competencies are required to filter, categorize, or contribute to this knowledge.

This also confronts event planners with new challenges and lifelong learning. Instead of paper lists or Excel sheets they find their way around in cloud-based online tools and mobile applications today. Digitization offers the event industry countless possibilities to plan events more efficiently, especially on the planning level. New technologies change not only the consumer experience but also the insiders' way of working.

Those are exciting questions and discourses, which the Locations Messe raises with its slogan and supporting program.

Our Conclusion

A sympathetic trade fair that reflects current trends and creates a familiar atmosphere through its regional focus. Reflecting on the development of AirLST, we conclude that we are on the right track as the visitors and customers feedback shows. We are already looking forward to the next time when we will be able to present entirely new developments that are already waiting in the wings. We are looking forward to 2020.