Despite the volatility engulfing European markets, Expo Real is powering ahead as a beacon of stability, at least according to Eugen Egetenmeir, managing director of Messe München. 'In 2010, the mood was quite optimistic. However, since this summer, we have been engulfed by a new crisis,' he said at the Expo Real press conference on Tuesday.

Also speaking at the conference, Ulrich Kater, chief economist at DekaBank, joked that the sunshine outside contrasted sharply with the dark clouds gathering over capital markets in Europe. Nevertheless, he managed to inject a modicum of optimism: ‘My view is the situation is not as bad as it could be. Property, in general, is less affected by the eurozone crisis than capital markets. During times of financial instability, investors seek a clear strategy and quality assets. As such, property serves as a rescue package,’ he said.

This year also marks a number of firsts for Germany’s biggest property fair, including the ‘World of Hospitality’, which provides hotel management information, signalling the growing importance of hotels as an asset class, Egetenmeir said. In addition, China, Malta and Romania are exhibiting at Expo Real for the first time. In total, there are more than 1,600 exhibitors this year.

The volatility in European capital markets is not the only topic garnering momentum at the fair, according to speakers at the main press conference, who also cited Basel III, sustainability and German’s residential portfolio market as topics to watch out for over the next couple of days.