With 18 companies, Elche leads the Spanish footwear representation at the Garda fair held in 2014, while Alicante contributes 31 of the 50 participating firms. The first international assignment brings promising data for shoes export. In the first ten months of 2022, Spain reached 2 billion 581 million euros in footwear shipments, up 22.4 percent from the same period in 2021 and, importantly, 12 percent higher than the pre-pandemic figures of 2019, according to FICE.
Compared with 2021, exports grew across all major markets except China, Japan, Denmark, South Korea and Australia. Growth exceeded 30 percent in the United States, Poland, Turkey, Greece, Canada, Ireland and Austria, signaling a robust pull in diverse regions.
middle class
The 98th Expo Riva Schuh fair will be held in Riva del Garda, Italy, from 14 to 17 January 2023, alongside the 9th Garda Bags show, focusing on mid-range shoes.
new collections
New winter 23/24 shoe collections will be unveiled. A visitor Preview enables planning offers and orders in advance, marking the first opportunity for exhibitors to test collections and adjust production schedules.
Exports climbed in all major markets except China, Japan, Denmark, South Korea and Australia. Growth of over 30 percent was notable in the United States, Poland, Turkey, Greece, Canada, Ireland and Austria.
Moreover, this event represents the final calendar moment for the summer 23 orders, driven by pronto-fashion, innovations and restocking collections. Around a thousand participants, both on-site and virtual, come from more than 30 countries including Italy, India, China, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Germany.
Visitor
In the last edition, more than 8,000 visitors from 103 countries attended, with international attendees accounting for 66 percent. The most represented nations were Italy (34 percent), Germany (10 percent), France (6 percent), Spain (5 percent) and the United Kingdom (4.5 percent).
Footwear and agri-food exports maintain their pulse, while metal and textiles decline
An emphasis on the rising number of Spanish exhibitors at physical b2b events is noted by Imanol Martínez, managing director of FICE Servicios. The fair embraces hybrid participation, with a parallel digital edition alongside the physical event.