EBAN's Mark Ranger tells you everything you need to know about EBACE 2014

This year's EBACE show has a completely rethought layout and, as an exhibiting company, we at EBAN are delighted to see this.

Until now, the floor plan for the show has been very much split in two: OEMs and those with the deepest pockets in Hall 7, and the rest of us in Halls 5 and 6. But this year, the organisers have followed the NBAA model and grouped all exhibitors in halls 4, 5 and 6.

Let's start at the entry point to EBACE, which is housed at the gargantuan Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva. For an aviation trade show, the location at Geneva International airport could not be better, with the static aircraft display at EBACE lying mere metres from the main exhibition area. There is no long coach journey to get there, which has historically been an issue for those attending NBAA on a tight schedule.

The ability for visitors to walk from Geneva airport and railway station to EBACE has always been another selling point of the show. This year's new location, further away from the public transport links, will regrettably make this a more lengthy process than before.

OEMs go round the outside

The change in the EBACE layout now brings manufacturers into the main hall. The biggest booths are around the edge of the halls, and as you venture in from the OEMs' lavish displays, you will find the companies who support aviation, from flight support to maintenance and from FBOs to handlers. More than 400 of them are exhibiting this year.

Meetings, meetings, meetings

EBAN has been present at all of the EBACE shows and has seen the event develop to become a major date in the global business aviation calendar. With a bigger show comes a need for each visitor to plan their time thoroughly in order to gain the most benefit from attending.

EBACE is all about meetings. They may be formal arrangements, or simply colleagues and business prospects bumped into by chance; often the latter can provide the most unexpected results. Our advice is to try and schedule meetings in advance, which can save unnecessary mileage from walking. You will then be able to structure your journey around the EBACE halls. It is important to bear in mind that meetings do not always run to schedule, so it is wise not to tie your day up too tightly.

Structured sessions are hosted by the organising committee, and can take the form of general opening statements or more specialist seminars. These are integral to the event and take place before, during and after the three-day show itself. For some delegates these talks are a crucial part of their attendance, but for other visitors they may not be of interest.

Busiest two days

As with most trade shows, the first two days of EBACE are the busiest, and it is the middle day when most deals tend to be concluded. The final day – Thursday, June 22 – will be quieter and much more relaxed, as the show winds down into a party-like atmosphere. If you would like to spend time at the stands that are more difficult to penetrate, the last day can be the best opportunity to do this. One note of caution: some key people at the heavy-hitting OEMs do not stay for the last day.

If you are travelling home on the Thursday, you may be able to check-in at the airport before you arrive at EBACE, depending on your carrier. Either way it is possible to travel straight from the show to the airport.

The nights are bright

Hotel accommodation for EBACE broadly splits into two areas: airport and downtown. When the EBAN team first started to attend EBACE, we found a hotel close to the airport, the facilities were good but we found that our journey to and from Palexpo was taking longer than it was for friends who were staying downtown.

Since we moved to a city centre hotel directly by the main Geneva railway station, the process has become far easier. Your hotel will give you a transport pass, so you will not be paying for rides to and from your hotel, although EBACE does offer courtesy bus routes to its official hotels. Nonetheless, the train only takes a few minutes to arrive at the city station, and from there it is unlikely to be more than a few minutes walk to your hotel.

Many of the social events take place downtown, so to have accommodation close to the action is an advantage, especially after a busy day at the show.

Geneva hotels are pricey and vary in quality. For those whose budget is tight, it is popular to cross the border to France, where hotel prices are much more favourable. You will find the social side less easy to take part in, but your wallet may thank you for it.

Was it good for you?

Trade shows divide opinion. They are essential for some and irrelevant for others. Around 46 per cent of EBAN readers tell us that they attend regularly, and there is little doubt that EBACE provides a focus for business aviation in Europe. It has done a great deal to increase awareness of the European market in an industry that is traditionally US centric. We would be really interested to hear your comments about this year's EBACE – please email mark@ebanmagazine.com. Or better still, come and visit us on booth 1009 and meet the team.