While this year’s RAAPA show saw less traffic in comparison to previous years, its success can not only be judged on visitor numbers.
According to some exhibitors InterGame spoke to, RAAPA is as much about meeting with existing clients as it is about finding new leads, so visitor numbers do not really reflect the true success of the event.
It would also seem that those visiting had the same mentality, with LAI Games’ Steve Bryant saying: “This show has been very productive for me and I’ve had chance to sit down and have some quality time with the different distributors I deal with. It has definitely been a worthwhile and positive show.”
The show, which closes today, saw all the major amusement suppliers represented by local distributors, most notably BB&B, which is headed up by Alexander Petrov, including Andamiro, Bay Tek, Benchmark, ICE, LAI Games, Namco, Sega and UNIS, to name just a few. There were also a handful of Chinese manufacturers present including Golden Dragon Amusement and G-Look.
There was a definite air of optimism circulating the show about the opportunities Russia can bring for the coin-op amusement industry and as long as those shopping malls keep on opening this looks set to continue. A full show report and news will appear in the April issue. Photos from the show will be uploaded next week.
