Source: Velobiz

The Managing Director of Eurobike organiser Fairnamic, Philipp Ferger, has spoken to Velobiz about his goals for the trade show, with a focus on opening up industry dialogue, and aiming for efficiency rather than growth.

Philipp Ferger took over as Managing Director of Fairnamic on January 1 2026, and there have been a variety of changes and shifts in the intervening period, with the recent creation of an advisory board seen by Ferger as a “strategic turning point” for the show.

Eurobike’s adaptability

Asked if Eurobike could be viewed as a “tanker” that is rather large and cumbersome for agile change of direction, Ferger drew on his extensive trade fair experience to give an alternative, more positive view: “I am responsible for trade shows that are three times the size of Eurobike in terms of floor space – those are tankers. Eurobike is complex because it brings together many different stakeholders, but it is not a tanker in the sense of being cumbersome. However, we are not a speedboat either. We have a good team that is now ensuring that we see more clearly again, communicate things better, and listen more closely to the industry.”

The importance of Eurobike, in some form, to the industry was underlined by Ferger. “The industry has made it very clear to us in the advisory board that it wants and needs a central international platform. Our goal is a completely new Eurobike from 2027, with 2026 marking a milestone in the start of this realignment.”

Addressing doubts

Velobiz raised the topic of some companies’ decisions to not take part in the 2026 edition of Eurobike. In response, Ferger referenced the workshops that were announced at the same time as the advisory board statement, and openly acknowledged that some misgivings have been in place. “We are just starting our one-to-one workshops. It is important to understand that when a company cancels, it does so based on the current situation. But if we work together with the industry to create a new future, the basis for decision-making will change. We want to create a product that addresses precisely the issues that have caused exhibitors to stay away in the past. We need to offer value for money again in order to convince them. I can’t say today whether we will win them all back in 2027, but that’s exactly where we’re starting.”

He emphasised the cooperative nature of the process for reshaping Eurobike. “It’s a collaborative process. We, as the trade fair organizers, build the platform, but the players have to decide what it should look like – for example, whether the focus is on B2B or B2C. We act as translators and transformers of industry needs into trade fair concepts. But anyone who wants a new Eurobike also has to sit down with us and invest time. We can’t read minds.”

Participation costs and solutions

Velobiz asked about rising costs of trade fairs; Ferger explained that trade fairs only have influence on the stand rental costs – a maximum of 20% of an exhibitor’s total budget, while stand construction and personnel-related costs make up the remainder. Ferger did question whether the traditional trade show approach necessarily needs to be followed. “But does this format still have to be achieved with 500- or 1000-square-meter stands? I believe the solution lies more in intelligent, smart space concepts.”

He continued with a description of a new option, “Brandspaces”, for the 2026 Eurobike. “These are curated shared areas with a plug-and-play approach. Instead of a bidding war for huge booths, we’re offering brands the opportunity to present themselves in a smaller space within a high-quality environment, complete with catering and networking lounges.”

Other approaches, which have been implemented at other Messe Frankfurt events, include integrated digital offerings such as a “Lead Success Module”, using AI to identify potential customers in the Eurobike database who are a good match for exhibitors.

Eurobike’s future as an essential industry event

Ferger stated, “our goal is to once again be the platform for genuine innovations. But Eurobike must be more than just a product showcase: it must also offer specialist retailers content, training, and networking opportunities. After the pandemic, we realized how important the tactile experience and personal interaction are. And that includes the event-like atmosphere of a trade fair and celebrating together after the show closes. We want to get back to the point where retailers say: “This is so valuable to me, I have to be there.”