Turnover of the Savings Fair is approaching 7 million euro

The 15th edition of the Salone del Risparmio, organised by Assogestioni, closed on 17 April. A money-making machine that in recent years has allowed the asset managers' association to cover most of its running costs, including personnel costs, which almost all of which now fall to Assogestioni Servizi Srl, the association's operational arm that mainly organises the Salone del Risparmio, as well as editing the FocusRisparmio magazine, managing the FRVision platform and offering consultancy and training courses to members and other intermediaries.

Already in its first year, in April 2010, with just over 60 exhibitors, Il Salone del Risparmio achieved a turnover of one million euro. Numbers that have gradually risen in subsequent editions, reaching more than 150 exhibitors, including partners and sponsors of the initiative, hosted in the more than 8,000 square metres of exhibition area in the just-ended event.

Also rising over the years - creating more than one discontent among members - are the prices for exhibitors. There are different levels of sponsorship, more expensive for non-members of Assogestioni, more or less large stands and also for conference organisation. Just to give a few examples, this year the full price for a one-hour conference was €12,850 for an associate and €19,300 for non-members. The minimum price for the space occupied by a 10.5 square metre stand, open on one side only, started at 14,500 euros for members and 21,700 euros for non-members. To this cost was added that of the additional packages, some of them compulsory, to set up the stand. For example, in order to rent two readers to register attendance at the stand, one had to buy the entire 'no-cost' package at a price of 3,400 euros. At the fair everything has a price, chairs, microphones and even plants. From 7 euros for a begonia to 104 euros for a ficus. At the very least, the cost for a small stand and a lecture exceeded 30,000 euros, but could reach well over 200,000 euros for the 42-square metre areas that housed the most lavish stands.

In 2023 (last available financial statements), Assogestioni Servizi ended the year with a turnover of EUR 7.4 million, most of which was generated by the Show, although the origin of the revenues is not detailed in the financial statements. Over the years, the Management Report was no longer drawn up because it was decided to make use of the requirements of Article 2435 bis of the Civil Code, which allow the financial statements to be prepared in abridged form. To know the revenues generated by the latest edition - which will certainly be on the rise - we will have to wait until next year, while the approval of Assogestioni Servizi's 2024 financial statements is imminent.

On the cost side, too, only few details are given in the 2023 budget. Not even the number of employees is indicated, but the personnel costs item shows a value that jumped from 496,000 in 2010 to 854,000 in 2023. The other items of expenditure - which are not detailed in the financial statements - are set-up and service costs related to the exhibition and advertising expenses to enhance the event. In addition, there are the charges for the launch of FRVision.