The number of fairground entrepreneurs has fallen by 7 percent in the past five years. Corona and aging in particular caused the decline. Still, the industry is doing well, says chairman Atze Lubach of Bovak fair association.
Five years ago, our country had 966 entrepreneurs with one or more fairground attractions, now there are 896. This is evident from figures from the Chamber of Commerce (KVK). Especially in the first year of the pandemic, many companies closed down: almost forty. In that year, many fairs were canceled due to contact-limiting measures.
Lubach recognizes the decline in the number of entrepreneurs. “During the corona pandemic, a number of entrepreneurs from the fairground sector started doing something else, such as gardening work or working in construction. In addition, pensionable entrepreneurs got used to their free time and did not return to the fair.”
The fact that many entrepreneurs have stopped does not mean that it is doom and gloom in the fairground industry. Although the sector had a difficult time in corona time, it is now going well again. According to Lubach, this is because people feel like a party again after the lockdowns. “The fair in your own city or village feels familiar,” says the Bovak chairman.
Especially in Brabant and Gelderland there are many fairground companies, almost half (49 percent) of the entrepreneurs come from these two provinces.
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