KIMES 2016: foreign visitor surge reflects growing interest in Korean medical market
The 32nd Korea International Medical & Hospital Equipment Show held in Seoul from 17 to 20 March showcased Korea’s important medical equipment industry.
Over the years, KIMES has grown into one of the major trade shows in Asia. This year, the event gathered more than 73,000 visitors over 38,808 square meters of exhibition space. One of its main advantages is that it acts as a showcase for Korea’s particularly strong medical equipment industry. Indeed, out of the 1,152 companies from 37 countries who were exhibiting this year, 548 were Korean manufacturers and the show provided an ideal setting for highlighting the increasingly important role played by leading Korean companies such as Samsung, Listem, JW Medical, DK Medical, BIT Computer and Alpinion to name but a few.
As a platform enabling Korea’s medical device industry to show its latest equipment and technology alongside leading global players like GE, Fuji, Shimadzu and Hitachi, KIMES has succeeded in attracting numerous contingents of foreign visitors especially from the Asia region who have a strong purchasing power, including officials in medical institutions and hospitals, radiologists, medical laboratory specialists, pharmacists and emergency medical personnel. The number of foreign visitors has increased significantly this year, reaching 3563 medical professionals from 86 countries, a growth of 17.2% versus 2015. Over the last 5 years, the total of foreign visitors has grown by 184% compared with 19% for domestic visitors. Unsurprisingly, China is top of the list accounting for more than 30% of the total of foreign visitors, followed by South East Asia with nearly 20% and Japan.
A post show survey of exhibitors conducted by the organizers showed a majority of them satisfied with the results of their participation and over 70% committing to exhibit again in 2017.
