CeBIT organisers blamed the weather for a 6 percent drop in the number of people attending the week-long fair, now in its 20th year, to 450,000. They had expected a similar number to last year before the show began.
Wintry weather with snow, sleet and temperatures below freezing prevailed at the trade fair grounds in the northern German city of Hanover last week -- slightly colder than normal conditions for the time of year.
The number of visitors to CeBIT has been falling since the heady days of the Internet and telecoms bubble in 2001, and many consumer electronics makers have decided to focus instead on IFA, the world's biggest consumer electronics fair.
Organizers of IFA, which is held in September in Berlin, 200 km (125 miles) east of Hanover, decided late last year to turn it into an annual event rather than being held once every two years as before. It attracted a quarter of a million visitors in 2005.
CeBIT organisers declared themselves unfazed by the move, saying CeBIT's more international character meant the two shows were not in direct competition.
This year, CeBIT said it attracted 6,262 exhibitors from 71 countries -- comparable with last year's 6,270 -- of whom 3,300 came from abroad.
Organisers said 20 percent more contracts had been concluded at the show than last year, some worth millions of euros. They did not give an overall volume for deals done at CeBIT.
IFA said business worth more than 2.5 billion euros ($3.01 billion) was done at its 2005 show. Organizers said they attracted a record 1,202 exhibitors from 40 countries, and that half of all trade visitors came from abroad.
A day ticket for a member of the public visiting IFA will cost 13 euros this year, compared with 38 euros for CeBIT.
