Brilliant, buzzing, informative, inspiring and relevant – visitors give their verdict on camexpo 2013
With around 80% of visitors and exhibitors rating their camexpo experience as excellent/good, the latest edition of the UK’s largest professional event for the CAM industry, which took place at London’s Earls Court last month on 5-6 October, has been hailed a success.
Host to the biggest gathering of complementary healthcare practitioners and therapists of the year (total attendance was 4,982), camexpo 2013 was packed with thousands of highly-focused and informed visitors looking to source the latest new products, services and training for their customers and clients from 200 leading brands and suppliers.
“camexpo is fantastic! It’s a show to inspire you to want to achieve more,” says holistic therapist Sally-Ann Hobbs.
“Fantastic show – I learnt and discovered a lot and made some interesting and useful contacts. It was all I could have hoped for and more,” agrees nutritional therapist Katarina Gildebrand.
Feedback from the show floor saw many delighted exhibitors commenting that this year’s visitors were some of their best ever in terms of quality, enthusiasm, engagement and the quantity of sales and new business leads that they generated.
“Based on the reaction from our industry, camexpo 2013 was one of our best editions to date,” says event manager Zoe Campbell. “There was a real sense of business being done throughout the two days. From sole practitioners to CAM clinics and some big name distributors – they were there spending money up and down the aisles – and putting in more big orders than we’ve seen for years at the show. Which I’m happy to say, didn’t go unnoticed by our exhibitors.”
BioCare, Revital, Premier Research Labs, Nature's Plus, Lamberts Healthcare, Rio Trading Company Health, Symprove, The Nutri Centre, A Vogel (Bioforce); Kapak Foods; Physique Management Company, Vulsini, the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), and Supplete, are just some of the exhibitors that are already rebooked for 2014 (over 45% of 2013 exhibitors have to date).
“With its high calibre practitioner audience – camexpo is absolutely essential for us,” says Anya Wegner, director of Supplete (sole European distributors for AOR). “We’ve just launched a new product and this show is a key step in terms of reaching the market we’re aiming for.”
“For us, as a Norwegian company stepping into the UK market, camexpo has been a great experience,” says Joakim Graff, CEO of San Omega AS. “We are very impressed and already looking forward to next year!”
camexpo is an excellent exhibition,” says Sue Losson, sales & marketing manager at Green People. “We always see a big range of the whole industry here and this year’s camexpo has been really busy for us!”
“It’s been fantastic – we really didn’t expect to be this busy! We’ve got lots of new products coming out next year and camexpo is the perfect launch pad – so it’s definitely already on our calendar for 2014.” Wendy Rushin from Weleda UK.
“We choose to exhibit at camexpo for the first time this year because we heard such good quality feedback about it,” Sue Lamb from Eagle International/HiDow. “I flew in from Australia just to promote this product – and the quality of people here, who are spending and buying, and looking for new products has been fantastic!”
Inspiring show content draws in the crowds
With 12% of visitors attending the show on both days, one of the show’s key draws has always been its exceptional educational content – including 22 Keynotes (sponsored by Revital), 48 Taster Workshops (sponsored by Balens), 13 Demo Theatre sessions, and 16 hot topic discussions.
“There is such a strong sense of community within the CAM sector – and, once again, camexpo was hailed as the ultimate industry meeting place for connecting, supporting and learning from one and other,” explains camexpo event manager Zoe Campbell.
As in previous years Keynotes saw standing-room only crowds (around 40% of all visitors attended at least one session, with many averaging two or more), and total the majority of taster workshops sold out in advance of the opening day.
Notable highlights for 2013 included the announcement of the winners of camexpo’s three prestigious annual awards. The Best New CAM Product Award 2013, voted for by visitors to the show’s New Products Showcase on Saturday 5 October, was won by Songbird Massage Wax for its Zest Massage Wax and Reflexology Wax.
Another camexpo winner was Helen Bullen, owner of Fine Fettle Multi Healthcare in Bookham, Surrey, which won the CAM Clinic of the Year Award 2013 (they were also finalist in 2012). The Award, sponsored by TIANA Fair Trade Organics, included £250 cash and £250 of products for the clinic, and was presented by The CMA’s president Jayney Goddard. The Award, which is now in its fourth year, was judged on the treatments offered, marketing, client testimonials, unique selling points and all round client experience. The final shortlist also included Ayurveda Pura in North Greenwich, London, and Summertown Clinic in Norwich.
The judging panel were impressed by the high quality of entries but singled out Fine Fettle Multi Healthcare for its involvement with its local community and fantastic client testimonials, commenting: “The winning clinic not only offers a wide range of therapies, they also have excellent links with local GPs and consultants. It has a clear clinic ethos, offers an integrated therapy approach, and is heavily involved with the community running regular charity events and supports local activities.”
The recipient of camexpo’s fifth annual, industry-voted CAM Outstanding Achievement Award was also a popular choice. The winner – Dr Deepa Apte, founder of Ayurveda Pura in London, enjoyed a standing ovation as she accepted the award from Carsten Holm, managing director of the show’s organiser Diversified Communications UK. Aside from winning an overwhelming majority of votes, many of Dr Apte’s students and clients submitted glowing testimonials on their behalf, including the following by one anonymous supporter:
“She has promoted employment in the local economy by creating jobs through her company and her influence has reached to countries outside of the UK of which, I am an example. She is genuine with her intentions to help people, be it clients, friends and family or the community around her, and is an inspirational and learned (sic) teacher, who is trailblazing a path for Ayurveda in the western world.”
“I feel really honoured to have received this prestigious award,” says Dr Deepa Apte. “It feels absolutely great that all the hard work and commitment has been recognised by one of the leading events of the industry. Ayurveda has always been a part of my life but receiving a recognition like this for all the work that has been done goes beyond anyone's expectations. And I feel truly blessed for having received one.”
She continues: “Having worked with camexpo for many years now, I can sincerely say that this is the one event/exhibition that brings together all the leading professionals of the industry and people who are whole-heartedly interested in the benefits of complementary therapies."
camexpo will take place in the new venue of Olympia, London, on 4-5 October 2014. For further information and to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and 2014 exhibitor information, please visit www.camexpo.co.uk.
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camexpo was named as a finalist in the Best UK Trade Show Exhibition (Under 2,000m2) category at the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Excellence Awards in 2009 and 2010. In 2011, it was awarded Highly Commended by the AEO judges.
Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd (Diversified UK) is a fast growing trade event organiser and publisher based in Brighton and Nailsworth (Glos). In addition to camexpo, Diversified UK’s portfolio includes Natural & Organic Products Europe; Natural Products Scandinavia and Nordic Organic Food Fair in Malmö, Sweden; lunch!; Casual Dining (new for 2014); SITS – The Service Desk & IT Support Show; Service Desk 360; Geo Business (new for 2014); Ocean Business (including Offshore Survey Conference & Ocean Careers); MARELEC Marine Electromagnetics conference in Hamburg, Germany; office*; Natural Products magazine; and the Natural Beauty Yearbook.
Diversified UK is part of Diversified Business Communications, a leading international media company, with a successful portfolio of sector leading exhibition, conferences, publications and websites.
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