The IRgA is considering hosting a trip to the DRUPA print trade show in Dusseldorf, Germany in May. This is a major show that occurs only every four years, and it attracts vendors and attendees from around the world. In addition to attending the show, we will visit several reprographics shops and suppliers in Germany. This is an opportunity for IRgA as a whole, and members individually, to create and strengthen relationships with reprographics industry leaders in Europe, and learn how they do things.
Here is a Tentative Itinerary
May 28: Arrive in Germany. Spend the nights of May 28, 29 and 30 in Dusseldorf.
May 29-30: Attend DRUPA in Dusseldorf, potentially with a tour of key reprographics-related booths led by Achim Carius, former executive director of the German reprographics association. Possibly meet with other international reprographics association leaders. Also tour a reprographics shop in Dusseldorf or near there, with some time to see tourist sites.
May 31: Travel south, possibly visit an IRgA Vendor Member Image Access in Wuppertal in the morning, then visit a reprographics shop in Frankfurt in the afternoon.
June 1-2: Visit Frankfurt-area historic areas, and the Riesling wine region of Rheingau.
June 3-4: Travel east to Berlin. Possibly visit IRgA Vendor Member Es-Te and a reprographics shop in Berlin. Plenty of time for tourist visits in Berlin.
June 5: Back to Dusseldorf for flights home.
Details
Where will we stay? We'll book hotels or AirBnbs in the areas around Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Berlin. The official convention hotels for DRUPA are expensive and have long minimum stays, but there are other more affordable options without the minimum stays.
How will we travel? You will book your own flight to Dusseldorf. From there our travel will depend on the number of participants, but most likely it will be via a rental van.
How much will it cost? This is not a money-making venture for IRgA, so you'll only pay the actual costs associated with the trip. Tickets to DRUPA are 60 Euros for a one-day pass and 165 for a three-day pass. Hotels will cost in the range of $250 per night, maybe less if we book an AirBnb as a group. We'll regularly eat together, but in general the meals will be at your own cost. And we'll share the cost of the rental van and fuel. It's hard to estimate because there are so many variables, but probably in the range of $2,500 to $3,000, plus your airfare.
Is language a problem? No, nearly everyone you meet will speak English. IRgA Managing Director Ed Avis, who will lead the trip, speaks passable German, so he can help if you need it.
Is this a business trip or a tourist trip? We will definitely be conducting business, such as attending the trade show, making connections with other reprographics industry leaders, and visiting reprographics vendors and shops. So for your tax purposes, yes, it's a business trip. That being said, we will have free time to enjoy the beautiful sights in Germany.
Can I stay longer? Of course! This isn't a school field trip. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want. If you travel with the group, you'll have the opportunity to share time with other IRgA members.
All of the details above are tentative, including the timing and locations. We will only make definite plans once we know how many people are going. We are not asking for firm commitments yet, but if you are interested, please send an email to Ed Avis, ed.avis@irga.com. Or if you have questions, call him at 708-218-7755. If we get enough interest, we'll pull the trigger and firm up the details.