The horticultural sector has pulled the plug on its world horticultural fair. After seven editions, the board of the Dutch Horticultural Council (NTR) unanimously decided not to organise another edition of Floriade. The Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere made it clear that the world horticultural fair concept no longer fits these times. Communication methods have changed so much that a major event like Floriade no longer attracts large numbers of visitors and is not financially viable anymore. Municipalities no longer show interest.
With pain in his heart, NTR chairman Kees van Rooij announced on 12 April that, after seven Floriades, there will be no eighth edition. It was an unanimous decision of the board. “It was inevitable, which is why there was no debate about continuing Floriade,” he explained.
“The world has changed so much after digitalisation and social media," he continued, “that you can no longer organise a Floriade within six to ten years. In this fast-changing world, it is almost impossible to make concrete plans on what such a fair should look like and make it attractive to the public so many years in advance. Besides the fact that it has become too expensive to organise a world horticultural exhibition, it is fair to say that the Floriade concept is also outdated.”