Source: Xinhua

03-09-2009 09:21

BERLIN, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Affected by the world economic crisis, CeBit 2009, one of the world's largest exhibition of IT industry, closed on Sunday in Hanover, Germany with a nearly-20-percent drop of registered visitors compared with the previous year.

Visitors watch a presentation about cloud computing at the IBM booth at the CeBIT computer fair in Hanover March 3, 2009. The world's biggest IT fair CeBIT with 4300 exhibitors from 69 countries opens its doors to the public on March 3, and runs through March 8, 2009. (Xinhua/ Reuters Photo)

CeBit 2009 only attracted some 4,300 companies from 69 countries, much fewer than last year's 5,845 participants. Nevertheless, the organizers claimed that they felt quite satisfied given the current world economic scenario.

"Given the depth of the world economic crisis, this number represents a success. In view of the overall business environment, we are extremely satisfied," said Ernst Raue, the Deutsche Messe Managing Board member in charge of the CeBit exhibition, prior to CeBit 2009's opening.

"A majority of the 4,300 companies from 69 countries drew fresh optimism from being here at CeBit said Raue upon the event's conclusion on Sunday in Hanover.