InterTabac’s Expanded Vaping and Water Pipe Platforms a Big Hit

InterTabac 2017 posted noticeable growth in both emerging categories, as well as traditional tobacco, as international participation continued to rise.

The InterTabac trade show continued to increase its international participation this year, with 12,500 trade visitors from all over the world visiting the expo and the co-located InterSupply trade fair from 22 to 25 September, 2017.

“Dortmund was the venue of the industry’s international flagship trade fair for three days,” said Sabine Loos, CEO of Westfalenhallen Dortmund GmbH. Occupying Halls 2 through 8 of the exhibit complex, the twin trade fairs occupied the largest space yet in their history, with 560 exhibitors represented.

The foreign percentage of trade visitors again increased by about ten percentage points: 41 percent came from abroad this year, including significant representation from Benelux countries, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, Brazil, Israel, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, China, Australia, and the USA. In all, attendees from 64 countries were participated in Dortmund, while about 65 percent of the InterTabac exhibitors came from abroad.

The largest visitor groups in 2017 again came from the retail sector, followed by the wholesale and industrial sectors. The largest professional groups were entrepreneurs, managing directors, and departmental managers. More than 90 percent are involved in purchase decisions at their companies in an advisory, co-deciding, or decision-making capacity, according to exhibit organizers.

About 62 percent of the trade visitors only visit InterTabac and no other trade fair with comparable topic range. In addition to the traditionally strong product groups of cigars, cigarillos, cigarettes, smoking accessories, and cigarette paper, there was a significant increase in visitor interest in e-cigarettes and shishas, which scored top marks for visitor popularity according to attendee surveys.

The increasing market importance of the e-cigarette category was reflected by the focus given to this segment at the trade this year, with vaping exhibitors grouped together in halls 2, 2N, and 3A for their own platform.

“The e-cigarette sector is growing,” said Dac Sprengel, Chairman of the e-cigarette trade association Verband des eZigarettenhandels (VdeH). “There was again a strong increase by about 50 percent in the German market in 2017 compared to the previous year. This growth was also reflected at the InterTabac trade fair. Numerous established and new traders exhibited their products tailored to the tobacconist trade.”

In fact, VdeH and the Dortmund Exhibition Center signed a cooperation agreement at the trade fair to strengthen the e-cigarette trade in future. According to Sprengel, association members will get an incentive to participate in future trade fairs.

Another merchandise segment at this year’s trade fair that had a high profile was water pipes and hookahs, which where featured exclusively in Hall 8.

The changed layout allowed trade visitors to easily find their way around and to find major topic segments grouped together in one place.

Willy Fischel, Managing Director of the German Association of Tobacco Products Retail, said, “InterTabac 2017 was an indispensable business and communication platform for national and international retailers of tobacco products. Product innovations in all product lines, new merchandise display systems and the successful further development of existing business models are of

2017 Cigar Trophy Winners

The 17th annual Cigar Trophy Awards were announced on the evening of Friday, September 22 during the InterTabac trade show. Awards were granted in a total of 19 categories, including four awards whose recipients were determined by the Cigar Journal jury: Charity & Community, Outstanding Art, Ambassador, and Lifetime Achievement.

The Cigar Trophy are the only awards in the cigar industry that are decided on by public vote, honoring the great knowledge, enthusiasm, commitment, and hard work of those within the cigar industry. Winners are determined through a two-step process. During the nomination round, readers submit their top candidates for each category. During the voting round, winners are chosen from these finalists.

This year, more cigar enthusiasts than ever voted for their top cigars, cigar lounges, and accessories as part of the 2017 Cigar Trophy Awards.

major importance to tobacconists. The cooperative dialogue with industry partners is indispensable for that.”

In 2018, InterTabac/InterSupply will take place from 21 to 23 September. TPI

Best Brand Costa Rica: Vegas de Santiago

Best Brand Cuba: Partagás

Best Brand Dom. Rep.: Davidoff Yamasá

Best Brand Honduras: Oscar Valladares The Oscar

Best Brand Mexico: Casa Turrent

Best Brand Nicaragua: Drew Estate Liga Privada T52

Best Cigar Cuba: Montecristo No. 2

Best Cigar Dom. Rep.: Fuente Don Carlos No. 3

Best Cigar Honduras: Alec Bradley Fine & Rare 2016

Best Cigar Nicaragua: Padrón 1964 Anniversary Hermoso Maduro

Best Value Dom. Rep.: Aging Room Solera Dominican Sun Grown

Best Value Honduras: Rocky Patel Sun Grown

Best Value Nicaragua: Flor de las Antillas

Best Cigar Lounge: Blend Bar with Davidoff Cigars, Indianapolis

Best Cigar Accessory: Boveda 2-Way Humidity Control

Charity & Community: General Cigar Company Inc.

Outstanding Art: Cigar Rings, SRL

Cigar Ambassador: Cigar Sense, Inc.

Lifetime Achievement: Ernesto Perez-Carillo cigar, and then shaking their hands. That relationship with the final consumer is something we want and now are getting because we love this industry so much that we want to experience every single facet of it and now we are achieving it.