From time to time there are companies offering our customers insertions in different kinds of catalogue listings. It appears to be free but an annual cost is written in small print.

None of the exhibitions/fairs organised by Elmia are behind this catalogue listings, and we wish to bring it to the attention of all our exhibitors that the letter from such companies are misleading. The contract is formulated in such a way as to make it very easy to sign it without realising what one is committing oneself to. In addition, the annual cost is only shown in small print.

As some of you may recall, a company called Construct Data Verlag (CDV) used the same methods when offering exhibitors insertions in the Fair Guide catalogue. CDV was brought before the courts and found guilty of misleading marketing practices. Also stay away from International Fairs Directory, FairGuide, ExpoGuide, World Business Guide, TradeShow Connection, Event Fair, Direct Publisher och Fairs and Business.

Fairlink, the professional and industrial council for Scandinavian trade show organisers, estimates that some hundred Scandinavian companies fall for this scam every year. The figure for companies in the rest of Europe must run into the thousands.

UFI - the global Association of the Exhibition Industry has published some information about these companies and what to do if you are contacted. Read more here