The international Taipei Cycle Show posted double-digit growth as visitors from a variety of Asian nations continued to step up their interest in higher-value bicycles, components and accessories.
Overall, 28,022 people came to the Nangang Exhibition Center for the four-day show, which ended Saturday, with total visits up 13.7 percent over last year.
Helping drive the increase were visitors from China including Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Korea and Japan. European attendance declined from last year, while the number of North Americans visitors grew (see chart below).
Nonetheless Coliped, an association of European parts and component companies, has requested more space next year as European suppliers seek to increaser sales throughout Asia’s developing economies.
Overall, number of international visitors set a record, with 7,179 foreigners from 107 countries walking the halls—an 11.3 percent increase over last year, according to TAITRA’s official end-of-show report.
The show, now in its 26th year, attracted 1,103 exhibitors from 36 nations filling the center’s halls. The show has essentially outgrown Nangang’s six floors of exhibition space and meeting rooms. A new hall is under construction across the street and could be ready sometime next year.
Next year’s show is earlier with dates set for March 5-8. The show dates typically rotate from early March to mid-March every other year to accommodate a major machine tool show.
However, during a speech at the show’s opening ceremonies Giant’s Tony Lo said TAITRA is examining a possible move to sometime in July. While Lo’s comments caught the industry off-guard, TAITRA will survey exhibitors and its international visitors on the proposed change and other issues, said Andrea Wu, a TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade Development Council) official.
“When the show is held is not our choice. It is the industry’s choice, and we have to respect their wishes,” Wu said. More than 25 percent of the show’s exhibitors are from other countries and their opinion on show dates “really matters,” she added. The earliest that dates could be changed—if changed at all—would be 2015.
Reaction to Lo’s comments was mixed. For bicycle manufacturers, a July show would make sense since many companies are already showing off new models at dealer events in North America and Europe. Distributors and component suppliers were skeptical about a move to July.
Overseas Visitors by Region
| Year | 2013 | 2012 |
| Asia | 57.07% | 54.03% |
| Europe | 20.07% | 24.3% |
| North America | 12.13% | 10.69% |
| Oceania | 3.37% | 3.46% |
| South America | 3.34% | 3.77% |
| Africa | 0.91% | 1.02% |
| Central America | 0.98% | 1.02% |
| Middle East | 1.24% | 1.44% |
Overseas Visitors from Top Five Countries:
|
| 2013 | 2012 | ||
| Rank | Country | Distribution | Country | Distribution |
| 1 | China | 21.97% | China (Hong Kong included) | 16.84% |
| 2 | Japan | 11.05% | Japan | 12.59% |
| 3 | USA | 9.89% | USA | 8.76% |
| 4 | Korea | 6.28% | Korea | 7.06% |
| 5 | Germany | 4.18% | Germany | 4.90% |
