Today we are the principal organiser of trade fairs, exhibitions, congresses and specialist conferences in Carinthia, which lies at the heart of the Alps-Adriatic region. Our trade fairs "Internationale Holzmesse" and "Gast" are significant international sector events and are spoken of far beyond the borders of Austria.

Carinthia has excellent relations, developed over centuries of shared history, with its immediate neighbours Slovenia, Northern Italy (the Friuli-Venezia-Giulia and Veneto regions) and Croatia. Within Austria, there also exist very close contacts with the neighbouring federal provinces, particularly Styria, Eastern Tyrol and Salzburg. We regard this economic area as the central region of Europe and the core area for our activities.

It is from this geographical area that the greater number of our exhibitors and visitors are drawn, so that we represent an important “window” in the economy of the Alps-Adriatic region.

At the top end of the Austrian trade fair economy

 

Throughout Austria, the "Kärntner Messen" are regarded as among the best. This is borne out by the most important facts and figures: in 1990, around 1,250 exhibitors came to trade fairs in Klagenfurt, a figure which has since grown to over 2,500 who every year select Klagenfurt as their trade fair site for business and presentation purposes. The visitor numbers have likewise risen steeply: around 150,000 in 1990 as compared with about 240,000 in recent years. A result which can be attributed not least to the consistent expansion and improvements in quality which have taken place in the individual trade fair events.

Modern infrastructure

 

An important factor for a successful trade fair location is its infrastructure. Here in particular Klagenfurt is in the top league: in the last ten years alone, we have invested around 22 million euros in new halls, renovations and technical installations. Our total exhibition area is now 100,000 square metres, of which 35,000 square metres is available as hall space.

The trade fair site is ideally situated and accessible by all methods of transport: in the centre of Klagenfurt and yet offering almost unlimited parking, in the direct vicinity of the motorway (A2, A 10) and the railway station. The airport, too, is only a few kilometres distant.