ICE 2001 Highlights

• Attendance tops 5,000 
• Audience increases by 27.5% 
• Over 64% of buyers from outside UK 
• 95 Nations represented 
• Ten countries make ICE debut 
• France move from fifth to first

    Pending verification by the independent Audit Bureau of Circulations, ICE 2001 is showing a year-on-year increase in attendance of 27.5 per cent. Of particular significance is the number of non-UK buyers attending ICE which this year constituted over 64 per cent (3,229) of completed registrations.

    The number of nations represented at ICE 2001 rose to 95, ten more than the figure for the previous year, but five fewer than in 1999. Ten territories - Grenada, Belarus, Uruguay, Algeria, St Kitts And Nevis, Burundi, Cape Verde, Curacao, Ecuador and St
Vincent  were represented for the first time at the London-based casino spectacular.

    Including the UK, no fewer than ten nations provided ICE 2001 with more than 100 buyers. France moved from fifth place to top the table of international buyers with 256,
a year-on-year increase of 49.7 per cent.

    USA dropped to second place with 244 (+2.9%), followed by the Netherlands with 239 (+2.6%). Germany was in fourth (up 30.3% to 228), with Sweden fifth (up 17.4% to 209). Other countries represented by more than 100 buyers included Spain (205), Austria (181), Italy (158) and Belgium (131).

    However, the biggest increase was recorded by Finland, which moved into tenth position with 92 buyers, a year-on-year increase of 475%. Another substantial increase was registered by Japan which moved from 34th to 18th place, in the process recording an increase of 292.8%.

    Julian Graves, Marketing and Commercial Director responsible for ICE said: "Once again the overriding theme of this year's exhibition was its internationalism. Over 64% of visitors were from outside the United Kingdom. Whilst visitor figures on their own do not tell the full story of an exhibition, we are obviously pleased with the overall increase of 27.3% and the fact that the 2001 show was visited by more industry professionals from both within and outside the UK."

    He added: "A number of initiatives were well received by the industry, not least the Future Game section for internet based gaming companies, the new circular layout of the show floor and of course the ICE Ball which raised a provisional £48,000 for wheelchair
charities, CHIPS and Motivation.

League Table Of Overseas Visitor Nations At ICE 2001
 

                             Position / Country / (2000 Position) / % Change

                              1     France (5) +49.7%
                              2     USA (1) +2.95%
                              3     Netherlands (2) +2.58%
                              4     Germany (4) +30.3%
                              5     Sweden (3) +17.4%
                              6     Spain (7) +51.9%
                              7     Austria (6) +21.5%
                              8     Italy (8) +30.6%
                              9     Belgium (9) +12.0%
                              10    Finland (31) +475%
                              11    Slovenia (13) +37.5%
                              12    Russian Federation (10) -1.18%
                              13    Greece (11) -6.25%
                              14j    Irish Republic (15) +32.7%
                              14j    Israel (19) +86.5%
                              16    Switzerland (17) +59.5%
                              17    Hungary (12) -20.3%
                              18    Japan (34) +292%
                              19    Canada (22) +63.3%
                              20    South Africa (14) +11.1%
                              21    Czech Republic (19) +15.4%
                              22j    Bulgaria (22) +46.7%
                              22j    Norway (16) -10.2%
                              24    Estonia (22) +20.0%
                              25    Latvia (21) -2.86%