General Terms and Conditions (GTC) of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH for online sales and on-site sales

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH offers trade fairs in both a physical-digital format (hybrid trade fairs with on-site as well as digital elements) and trade fairs in a purely virtual format (consisting exclusively of digital elements).

The general terms and conditions listed here (hereinafter referred to as “GTC”) apply equally to both entrepreneurs and consumers (hereinafter referred to as “Visitors”), unless otherwise stipulated.

These General Terms and Conditions govern the legal relationship between Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, represented by the Chairman of the Board of Management Wolfram Nikolaus Diener, Messeplatz, Stockumer Kirchstraße 61, 40474 Düsseldorf, Tel. +49 211/ 4560-7600, E-Mail: ticket@messe-duesseldorf.de, and its Visitors with regard to the ordering and sending of (generally electronic) admission tickets as well as catalogues (in electronic form or in the form of a voucher that can be redeemed for a physical catalogue on site) or Wifi vouchers.

The admission tickets allow Visitors to enter and stay at the Exhibition Centre at hybrid trade fairs. They also grant access to virtual rooms and the use of electronic services provided by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH at both hybrid and purely virtual trade fairs. This also includes support services to enable communication between Visitors and exhibitors.

In the event of an order, these GTC shall apply exclusively in the version valid at the time of the order. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right to change the GTC at any time. You can save and/or print out the current version of the GTC as a PDF file.

3.1 All offers made by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH are subject to confirmation. The offers made by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH in its webshop and also on site constitute a non-binding invitation to you as a Visitor to purchase admission tickets and/or other products (see section 1) from Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.

3.2 If and to the extent that on-site sales are offered at the ticket counters, these will proceed as follows: You will make a binding offer as soon as you inform the staff on-site at the ticket counters of the type and number of tickets you require. Messe Düsseldorf accepts the offer by handing over the ticket(s) to you. In return, you pay the admission fee.

3.3 Sales via the webshop proceed as follows: You submit a binding offer as soon as the order has been completed in accordance with the procedures described in section 3.4 or section 3.5. The automatic confirmation e-mail following the order is merely of an informative nature and is not yet a declaration of acceptance. In the case of physical products, such a declaration shall be made by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH when a confirmation of dispatch is sent, at the latest, however, when the goods are dispatched. In the case of electronic products, this shall take place when the electronic product (in particular e-tickets) and the associated invoice are sent by e-mail.

3.4 The procedure for the online offer for the sale of admission tickets for boot Düsseldorf and CARAVAN SALON in the webshop of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is as follows: You select your item(s) in the webshop of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, these items are then placed in the shopping cart. You can then register for the customer portal or place an order as a guest without registering. If you wish to redeem vouchers or promo codes, registration is mandatory. Then enter the data required for the order. You can check this data again in the next step. The payment method is selected after entering the data. By pressing the button “Order subject to payment” you complete the order. It is no longer possible to cancel the order after pressing the button "Order subject to payment". In summary, the ordering process is as follows: Select the item - enter your data - check all details - select the payment method - complete the order.

3.5 For all other events (trade fairs) of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, the procedure is different and as follows: If you are already registered in the Ticket Shop, log in with your e-mail address and the corresponding password. If you have not yet registered, register for the first time with your e-mail address and all other data relevant for the order. An e-mail will then be sent to the e-mail address you entered, which you must confirm. After confirmation, you can log in to the webshop with the e-mail address and the corresponding password. You can now select the articles in the desired quantity and redeem voucher codes. You can then check and/or enter the billing address, then select your payment method. Finally, the order will be summarised for you. By clicking on the button “Order subject to payment” you complete the order. In summary, the ordering process is as follows: registration/log-in - item selection - check all details - select payment method - complete the order.

3.6 For (special-interest) trade fairs, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right to issue admission tickets exclusively to trade visitors (e.g. trade buyers) and to check the trade visitor status.

3.7 The admission tickets may not be resold or otherwise transferred to third parties without the prior consent of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.

3.8 Cancellation, exchange and/or return of tickets is excluded. There is no statutory consumer right of withdrawal.

4.1 The prices listed in the webshop are stated in euros and include statutory value added tax. The order is placed against advance payment and the goods will only be delivered after full receipt of payment. No reservations will be made until payment has been received. The sale of the products is subject to availability. In this case, a corresponding notice will be given in a suitable place. Visitors are not entitled to an increase in capacity.

4.2 Deadlines and dates, whether given by Visitors or by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, are non-binding.

4.3 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall be entitled to render any service owed by it itself or have it rendered by a subcontractor, unless this is excluded in view of the nature of the service.

The payment methods listed in the respective ticket shop (e.g. PayPal, credit card, etc.) apply to the purchasing process and can be viewed there. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right to allow other payment methods in individual cases (e.g. direct debit, purchase on account).

6.1 The warranty and liability shall be governed by the statutory provisions, unless otherwise provided.

6.2 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall be liable for damages other than those resulting from injury to life, limb and health, insofar as these are based on its own intentional or grossly negligent actions or on culpable breach of an essential contractual obligation by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH or one of its vicarious agents. If an essential contractual obligation is breached through negligence, the liability of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall be limited to the foreseeable damage typical of the contract. Any further liability for damages shall be excluded.

6.3 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall not be liable for damage caused by measures taken to maintain security and order. If, as a result of a misjudgement of risks, the event is cancelled, restricted or aborted on the instructions of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, the latter shall not be liable for cases of simple negligence.

6.4 Insofar as the liability of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is excluded or limited in accordance with the provisions of these GTC, this shall also apply for the benefit of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH’s vicarious agents and assistants.

Emergency number            111     (internal)       or: +49 211 4560-111
Police                                    110     (external)
Fire                                        112     (external)

7.1 The exhibition grounds are private property. The owner is Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, Messeplatz, Stockumer Kirchstraße 61, 40474 Düsseldorf, Tel. +49 211 4560-01. It exercises its rights as landlord alongside the respective event organiser. The house rules apply to all areas of the exhibition grounds and thus cover all halls, the outdoor area and all buildings and land belonging to Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, even if these have only been made available to it for temporary use (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Düsseldorf Exhibition Grounds”). They apply to all persons entering or present on the Düsseldorf Exhibition Grounds.

7.2 Visitors may only enter the Düsseldorf Exhibition Grounds (excluding administrative areas) with a valid admission ticket. All other persons require an identity card. Access is permitted only during the times and in the buildings specified on the admission ticket or identity card. Exhibition stands may only be entered under the supervision of stand staff.

7.3 Young people under the age of 14 may only remain on the exhibition grounds if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Exceptions apply only where expressly stated on notices at the ticket offices.

7.4 All facilities must be used with care and respect. Facilities and equipment not authorised for use by a particular person may not be entered or operated by that person.

7.5 Photography and filming on the exhibition grounds and in the halls are permitted in accordance with the relevant legal provisions (DSGVO, general right of privacy, etc.). Visitors and other third parties must not be inconvenienced in the process. Escape and rescue routes must be kept clear. The exhibitor is entitled, within the scope of their right of access, to impose a ban on filming and photography at their own exhibition stand. This must be clearly indicated.

7.6 Vehicles may only enter the exhibition grounds with special permission. Vehicles include any technical means primarily intended for the transport of persons, whether motorised or non-motorised. This includes, in particular but not exclusively, cars, lorries, motorbikes, (e-)bikes, (e-)scooters, skateboards and inline skates. The above regulation also applies to drones and other flying objects.

7.7 Smoking is generally prohibited on the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds. Exceptions to this are the outdoor area and, where applicable, specifically designated premises. The consumption and sale of cannabis are prohibited throughout the Düsseldorf exhibition grounds.

7.8 Depending on the nature of the event, the bringing of bags and similar containers into the event may be prohibited. For security reasons, bags and similar containers, as well as clothing such as coats, jackets and capes, may be checked for their contents. Further checks and access restrictions may be imposed depending on the circumstances.

7.9 Any behaviour likely to disrupt the proper conduct of the event in question, as well as the set-up and dismantling phases, or to infringe upon other interests of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, is not permitted.

7.10 The carrying of the items listed below is prohibited:

• Weapons, imitation weapons or dangerous objects, as well as items that may cause injury to life, limb and/or health,
• Aerosol cans, corrosive, toxic or staining substances, or pressure vessels containing highly flammable or harmful gases, with the exception of standard pocket lighters,
• Fireworks, rockets, Bengal lights, smoke powder, flares and other pyrotechnic items, unless written authorisation has been obtained from Messe Düsseldorf GmbH (Section 4.4.1.4. of the Technical Guidelines of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH),
• Drugs of any kind,
• Any kind of political symbols,
• Racist, xenophobic or radical propaganda material, including flags, banners or banner poles, large banners, and large quantities of paper or wallpaper rolls.

Knives may only be exhibited at trade fairs and exhibitions if they are listed as a product group in the event’s product catalogue. They may then be displayed, subject to the restriction that they are shown exclusively in locked display cases. Sale or handover to third parties may only take place in (transparent) packaging that cannot be opened without additional tools.

7.11 Dogs (excluding guide dogs and assistance dogs required for medical reasons; appropriate medical evidence must be presented upon request) and other animals may not be brought onto the premises.

7.12 For safety reasons, the exhibition company may order the closure of rooms or buildings and their evacuation. Persons present there must comply with the instructions and proceed to the designated assembly points outdoors.

7.13 Outside the exhibitor’s own stand areas, advertising on the Messe Düsseldorf site may only be carried out by Messe Düsseldorf’s service partners. The unauthorised distribution or display of leaflets, promotional material, posters, etc., as well as the affixing of stickers of any kind, is prohibited.

7.14 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH reserves the right, in the event of breaches of these house rules and/or other instructions issued by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, to expel persons from the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre or to impose a temporary or permanent ban on entry. The expulsion or ban may apply to the entire Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre or to parts thereof.

8.1 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall provide electronic services to Visitors in accordance with the external presentation and/or advertising of the individual event, in addition to the services at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre (in the case of a hybrid trade fair) or instead of the services at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre (in the case of a virtual trade fair).

8.2 The core component of the provision of electronic services is the operation of a platform accessible via the Internet by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, including the provision of content on the platform. Depending on the nature of the event, various functions are offered to Visitors via this platform, such as especially access to content provided and access to audio or video transmissions, either as a live stream, download on demand or interactive format with opportunities for Visitors to participate. Access to the platform is made possible for Visitors in accordance with the external presentation and/or advertising of the individual event, namely via a website or apps for smartphones made available by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH.

8.3 If electronic services are owed by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, its service obligations shall only include the provision of system resources or the creation of the possibility for Visitors to use them. Transmissions of image and/or sound signals shall be offered at the transfer point to network level 3 (in-house transfer point, transition to the wide area network) in a medium type and quality, in sufficient dimensions for the number of Visitors that can be reasonably foreseen within the framework of the planning of the individual event.

8.4 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH’s responsibility for the system resources ends in any case at the transfer point to network level 3 (in-house transfer point, transition to the wide area network). It shall not be liable for the transmission of image and/or sound signals, for individual access to the platform or for content made available there. The system resources provided by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall guarantee an availability of 95 percent of the time on an annual average. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall not be liable to provide any data backups.

8.5 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall also have unrestricted domiciliary rights in virtual rooms that are made possible as part of electronic services. This includes that the persons acting on behalf of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH have access to all virtual rooms at all times, also insofar as these are subject to special event-specific use by individual external users. The house rules for the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre shall apply mutatis mutandis, unless individual provisions remain inapplicable by virtue of their nature. The domiciliary rights can be enforced in the exercise of reasonable discretion by removing the Visitor from the virtual room, if necessary also by aborting an event.

8.6 In the case of individual services, Messe Düsseldorf GmbH shall be free to demand reasonable cooperation from the Visitors and to make the service dependent on this. In the context of the provision of electronic services, in particular insofar as subcontractors are used for this purpose, it is permissible for Visitors to be required to successfully register, even if this is to be done directly vis-à-vis the subcontractor.

9.1 As a rule, the events organised by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH are designed to enable Visitors and exhibitors to enter into a communicative exchange with each other. This applies to trade fairs of all kinds. Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is therefore obliged to create framework conditions that facilitate communication.

9.2 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH is also required to work towards promoting the establishment of interest-based communication relationships for Visitors and exhibitors. These promotional obligations are subject to the proviso that Visitors and exhibitors actively participate in their fulfilment by following interest-based indications for the guidance of visitor flows and indicating interests on questionnaires.

10.1 Should individual clauses of these GTC be or become invalid, this shall not affect the validity of the remainder of the contract. In this case, the relevant statutory provision shall take the place of a non-included or invalid provision.

10.2 Düsseldorf shall be the exclusive place of jurisdiction insofar as the Visitors are legal entities under public law or special funds under public law, are merchants or have no general place of jurisdiction in Germany, have transferred their place of residence or habitual abode abroad after conclusion of the contract or their place of residence or habitual abode is unknown at the time the action is brought. The application of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) is excluded; German law shall apply.

10.3 Messe Düsseldorf GmbH does not take part in any dispute settlement proceedings, § 36 of the Consumer Dispute Settlement Act (VSBG).

10.4 The German language version of these GTC shall take precedence over other language versions in the event of any contradictions between different language versions.

 Düsseldorf, April 2026