Though the historical traditions of trade go back to Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire when journeying traders met local producers in market places and bazaars, the term "fair" was only used for the first time in the Middle Ages.
The term "fair" comes from the Latin word "feria", meaning a religious festival, usually taking place near a convent or a church. The same sense is to be found in the term currently used in German - "Messe", which derives from the Latin term "Missa", or religious service, at which the priest, on pronouncing the final words "ite, Missa est" declared the religious service at an end thus giving the sign for the opening of the market, usually held in the church square.
The first known fair in this sense was the "Foire de Saint Denis" near Paris, founded by King Dagobert in 629, and which by 710 was already attracting more than 700 merchants.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, with the evolution of manufacturing arising from the Industrial Revolution, fairs evolved from sites for direct sales to sites displaying a broad range of available goods: only samples of much more diverse product ranges were exhibited. These were known as Sample Fairs (from the German "Mustermesse"), initiated for the first time by the Leipzig Fair.
Despite the emergence of high-speed, electronic communications methods during the 20th century, fairs today continue to rank as one of the most dynamic and effective sales and marketing tools in existence. In the context of today's modern economy, fairs continue to unite all market partners providing a unique opportunity for personal contact. This is truly the only marketing communications medium allowing the full exploitation of all five senses in an environment of face-to-face interaction.
