Tobacco Asia

Tobacco Asia 71 Yohanes Priatama (right) of Indonesian paper supplier BMJ chats with a client. A fixture at every InterSupply show, Germany's Hertz Flavors also represented its UAE vaping flavor offshoot, Flavoriq. The Greek tobaccos of Nicos Gleoudis Kavex attracted potential buyers in droves. As always sharing a booth with Tobacco Technology, Universal Leaf's offerings attracted scores of interested buyers. However, despite the amazing performance, the exhibitions still had to tackle a number of challenges, too. "The global political situation, faltering supply chains, the Covid pandemic and visa problems posed enormous chal- lenges for participants as well as us as the organizers," said Loos. There was a handful of no-shows among booked exhibitors who prob- ably couldn't cope with the still difficult travel and logistics situation. Yet of those that made it to Dortmund after all, around 90% expressed that they would attend again next year. At nearly 50%, the proportion of visitors travelling from outside the European Union to Dortmund was extremely high and included a major con- tingent from the US and Canada. The shows also registered high numbers of visitors from Asia, especially China, India, Indonesia, and Japan. South and Central American visitors likewise were strongly represented, most notably those from Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. Celebrity glitter graced the event on its second day, when former world boxing champion Mike Tyson visited the Futurola stand at InterTabac to promote his own vaping collection. A day later, former bodybuilder and oc- casional Hollywood actor "Gladiator" Ralf Moeller turned up as a star guest, posing with visitors for photos at the event's social media wall. Also appear- ing at InterTabac was US professional poker player Dan Bilzerian. The attractive InterSupply booth of the Burley Stabilization Corporation from the US.

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