108th American International Toy Fair Welcomes Global Toy Industry to
New York City
February 15, 2011 | Welcoming the talent and
innovation of the $75 billion global toy industry, the 108th American
International Toy Fair opened its doors Sunday, February 13th for a
four-day run in New York City.
The largest toy tradeshow in the Western Hemisphere, Toy Fair 2011
has seen year-to-date increases in trade guests (+28%), overall
attendance (+3%) and international buyers (+4%). As of press time, more
than 9,500 buyers (2,200 of which are first-timers) and attendees from
91 countries had checked in to view the 100,000 products destined for
toy shelves throughout the year and into the fourth quarter holiday
shopping season.
| TIA trend experts have already scouted the
show floor and identified some major toy trends for 2011 listed under
four categories: “Simply Social,”
“Cent-sational,” “Performance Play,” and
“Design, Discover and Learn.” To learn more about
these trends, read the TIA press release, “2011 Toy Trends Reflect
21st Century Values and Desires.” |
Owned and operated by the Toy Industry Association (TIA), the annual
tradeshow kicked off with a playful ceremony featuring live musical
entertainment and a parade of popular costumed characters. Immediately
following the ribbon-cutting, buyers from the more than 9,000+ unique
retail outlets registered for the show surged the aisles of the Jacob K.
Javits Convention Center in search of the next big toy.
23 of the top 25 toy sellers representing more than $16 billion of
the $21.8B (domestic U.S.) toy industry are currently in attendance, and
nearly 1,100 exhibitors – including 252 first-timers and
representing 27 countries – have filled 360,500 net square feet of
the facility’s exhibition space.
“Industry stakeholders from around the world come to Toy Fair
each year, where they witness the creative spirit of the industry
firsthand as they preview product, write orders and strike the next big
deal,” said Carter Keithley, TIA president.
From classic toys to interactive entertainment and everything in
between, the Toy Fair playground includes: action figures and dolls;
games and puzzles; construction toys, arts and creative activities;
bicycles, tricycles and ride-ons; radio-controlled vehicles; infant and
preschool toys; cars, trucks, and trains; puppets and plush; audio and
video cassettes; computer software and video games; playground and
sporting equipment; Halloween- and Christmas-themed products; books,
stationery and party supplies; and much more.
A new Teen/Tween Zone aimed at buyers interested in toys, games and
accessories for the powerful ‘in-betweenie’ age group made
its debut on the 2011 show floor. Also new at Toy Fair 2011
is Play Happens: The Game, a social media experience
that marries the fun of Toy Fair with the energy of New York
City.
Additional information about the show is available online at ToyFairNY.com, and
via Twitter (@ToyFairNY, #TF11), the TIA Press Room, Facebook and the Toy Fair
Blog.
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