Over 100 years’ experience
Amsterdam RAI has a rich history. What started as the Bicycle Industry (De Rijwiel-Industrie) Association in 1893 has grown in just over a century into a leading international convention and exhibition organisation. Its home bases are the RAI Convention and Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam and the Maastricht Exposition and Congress Centre (MECC) in Maastricht.
Palace of Industry
The RAI complex in the Zuidas (South Axis) business district of Amsterdam is now one of the world’s busiest exhibition and conference centres and has welcomed over 90 million visitors since it was opened in 1961. Before this date the RAI was based for 40 years in premises in the Ferdinand Bolstraat in Amsterdam (the 'Old RAI'). And, going back even further, the RAI used the renowned but long since vanished 'Palace of Industry' in Amsterdam since it did not have its own exhibition centre until 1922.
Own bicycle exhibition
But even the longest journey starts with a first step, and in the case of the RAI this step was taken in 1893. In that year a number of bicycle manufacturers established the 'De Rijwiel-Industrie' Association out of dissatisfaction with the proliferation of bicycle exhibitions throughout the country. They felt that the cost of exhibiting at all these different events was getting out of hand.
First exhibition in the ‘Palace of Industry‘
It was for this reason that they decided to organise their own bicycle exhibition: a national event that would be held once a year. The first bicycle exhibition was held in the 'Palace of Industry' in Amsterdam in 1895. It was followed by 11 exhibitions of bicycles, motorcycles and cars before the First World War.
R.I. becomes R.A.I.
As the same technical hobbyists and entrepreneurs were usually responsible at that time for the production of both bicycles and cars it was logical that the name of the association should soon be lengthened to include the letter 'A' for automobile. In this way, the abbreviation 'RI' became 'RAI' in 1900.
Own building
It was not long before an acute shortage of space in the 'Palace of Industry' prompted the RAI to look for different exhibition premises. In 1922 the RAI opened its own building in the Ferdinand Bolstraat in Amsterdam. What was originally intended as temporary accommodation for five years would eventually be used by the RAI for almost 40 years and is still commonly referred to as the 'Old RAI'. These premises had to be expanded again in 1925 and 1928 and eventually had a total floor area of 13,000 sq.m. The annual RAI exhibition attracted increasing numbers of exhibitors and visitors. After the Second World War the specialised trade fairs of other industries too experienced a tremendous boom.
Owing to the great demand for stand space the RAI decided in 1950 to organise separate exhibitions for cars and commercial vehicles. These exhibitions proved popular and are of course still held even today. Other exhibitions soon split off too. Owing to the growth in the number of exhibitions and events organised by third parties in the 1950s, the RAI building quickly became too small. As the Association was no longer able to finance the building of a new, large exhibition complex entirely on its own, it sounded out the municipality of Amsterdam about the possibility of a partnership. The municipality willingly agreed as the RAI’s activities had a favourable effect on the regional economy.
The ‘Old RAI’ (1922-1961)
This resulted in 1956 in a public-private partnership before the term had even been invented. The RAI Association and the municipality of Amsterdam together established a limited partnership for the management and operation of the new RAI, which was financed separately from the RAI Association.* Since that date the RAI Association has functioned not as an exhibition club but as a special lobbying organisation for mobility and road transport. *) The limited partnership has recently been superseded by an arrangement in which 75% of the shares are held by the RAI Association and the remaining 25% by the Municipality of Amsterdam.
Opening of the ‘New RAI’
In 1961 the new and by now world famous RAI exhibition complex in Amsterdam-South was opened by Prince Bernhard. A separate private company - RAI Gebouw BV - was established to operate the building. This was later subsumed into Amsterdam RAI bv.
Exhibition and Conference Centre
At the risk of sounding monotonous, we would note that soon after the opening of the new premises in 1961 the RAI had to embark on expansion yet again. The Westhal was added in 1963 and the Congress Centre in 1965. The combination of exhibition halls and conference facilities, including restaurants, proved to be a great success. From that time onwards the development of the RAI gained momentum. The Amstelhal was added in 1969 and Prince Claus opened the Holland complex in 1982. At the same time, six new conference and meeting rooms were added to the Congress Centre. Since the major expansion -- the addition of the Parkhal in 1993 -- the RAI Exhibition and Congress Centre has consisted of 11 exhibition halls plus 22 conference rooms.
RAI Elicium
Since September 2009 Amsterdam RAI has a new, innovative and eco-friendly eye catcher: RA I Elicium and is now Europe’s largest conference center. His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange has opened the Elicium on Tuesday 29 September 2009.
RAI Exhibition and Congress Centre now consists of 11 exhibition halls with a total covered exhibition area of some 87,000 sq.m. plus 1 ballroom, 48 conference rooms, seven restaurants and an underground car park for over 3,000 cars.