Despite these dramatic falls, the show remains very high indeed in its league of trade fairs for protected cropping, if not at its top. The decline in Horti Fair exhibitor numbers has mostly been in the sector dedicated to cut flowers and other ornamental plants. On the floor of the exhibition halls, the technological sector - glasshouses, heating, equipment, environmental control and related aspects - has remained relatively strong. This is despite the damage done by historical events that have nothing to do withhorticulture. In the wake of 9/11 there was a large dip in attendance for that year's show, and probably to some extent for the 2002 show as well. This was largely because of fewer visitors coming from outside Europe, concerned as they were about the risks of travel. Then from 2008 the entire world economy became turbulent, with a sharp fall in investment plans in many countries, and across almost all business sectors.
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