General Terms of Business and Exhibition Conditions for RDA Group Travel Expo 2025
The German version is legally binding. English translation is for information purposes only.
RDA Expo GmbH is the organiser of the respective RDA Group Travel Expo.
1. Registration
1.1. Registration is for the scheduled event date of April, 29th + 30th 2025.
1.2. Registration of exhibitors and co-exhibitors shall be made using the dedicated registration forms of RDA Expo GmbH. The registration form must be signed by the applicant in a legally binding manner. This registration is an irrevocable contractual offer to RDA Expo GmbH, which is binding on the applicant until the start of the respective RDA GTE (Group Travel Expo).
1.3. Each employee of the applicant must be registered by name on a separate registration form before the start of RDA GTE 2025. If a non-registered employee is to take part at short notice, RDA Expo GmbH must be informed of this in writing, stating the name of the employee, before the employee enters the exhibition premises.
1.4. By signing the registration form, the applicant accepts the General Terms and Conditions of RDA Expo GmbH for RDA GTE 2025 as well as all other provisions relating to the contractual relationship as legally binding and mandatory for himself, his employees, and co-exhibitors.
2. Conclusion of contract
2.1. The contract shall be deemed concluded upon its acceptance by means of a written order confirmation from RDA Expo GmbH.
2.2. RDA Expo GmbH shall be entitled to exclude individual exhibitors from participating in the respective RDA GTE for objectively justified reasons. In addition, RDA Expo GmbH may restrict the respective RDA GTE to certain groups of exhibitors if this is necessary to achieve the purpose of the event. In case of official requirements, RDA Expo GmbH shall be entitled to limit the number of participants for the RDA GTE 2025.
3. Terms of payment
3.1. After receipt of the invoice from RDA Expo GmbH, the full stand rental for RDA GTE 2025 must be paid. For each co-exhibitor, the main exhibitor must pay the respective co-exhibitor stand rental in accordance with the respective invoice from RDA Expo GmbH. Payment must be received by RDA Expo GmbH before the start of the event.
3.2. All prices are subject to statutory VAT. For exhibitors from the EU with a valid VAT number, the reverse charge procedure applies.
3.3. The assignment of claims against RDA Expo GmbH is excluded. Any offsetting of claims shall only be permitted if the claim is undisputed or has been legally established.
3.4. Objections to the invoices of RDA Expo GmbH must be made in writing to RDA Expo GmbH within 2 weeks of receipt of the invoice.
4. Rescission/non-participation of the exhibitor, Rescission of RDA Expo GmbH
4.1. Rescission/non-participation of the exhibitor
4.1.1. The exhibitor shall be entitled to rescind the contract free of charge if participation is not possible and/or not reasonable due to regulatory and/or official orders and/or requirements, such as a refusal of entry and/or prohibitions to leave the country, quarantine requirements, transport bans, etc.
4.1.2. If the exhibitor rescinds the contract or cancels his participation or does not participate in the respective RDA GTE without cancelling, the entire stand rental must be paid, except for cases specified in section 4.1.1. The exhibitor shall be entitled to prove that RDA Expo GmbH has not incurred any costs at all or lower costs.
4.2. Rescission of RDA Expo GmbH
RDA Expo GmbH shall be entitled to rescind the contract if
4.2.1. payment has not been received by the date specified in the respective invoice and the exhibitor does not pay within the grace period granted even after receiving a payment reminder with an extension;
4.2.2. the stand is not occupied in time, at the latest at the beginning of RDA GTE 2025;
4.2.3. the exhibitor violates legal provisions and requirements as well as the stipulations and requirements of the respective trade fair organiser and RDA Expo GmbH and/or the house rules (cf. section 8.) and does not change his behaviour even after being requested to do so and given a verbal warning;
4.2.4. the conditions for granting the exhibitor admission to the respective RDA GTE no longer exist or reasons subsequently become known that would have resulted in a refusal of admission had they been known (e.g. inability to pay, opening of insolvency proceedings).
RDA Expo GmbH may assert claims for compensation in cases where sections 4.2.1. to 4.2.4 apply.
5. Stand allocation
5.1. RDA Expo GmbH shall allocate the stand taking into account the available hall space, the theme, and the arrangement of the respective RDA GTE. Placement requests must be clearly marked on the stand booking form and will be considered as far as possible. There is no entitlement to a specific placement.
5.2. The exhibitor must accept that at the time of commencement of the respective RDA GTE, the location of the other stands and exhibition areas may have changed compared to the time when the contract was concluded.
6. Use of stand
6.1. As a matter of principle, only one exhibitor is admitted per exhibition stand. The complete stand rental shall be paid by the main exhibitor in accordance with the respective invoice from RDA Expo GmbH.
6.2. In the case of standard stands and open spaces, the main exhibitor has the option of presenting himself with co-exhibitors on a joint stand. In such cases, a maximum of 1 exhibitor per 6 sqm of exhibition space shall be permitted, regardless of whether he is the main exhibitor or a co-exhibitor. A co-exhibitor is anyone who appears at an exhibitor's stand alongside that exhibitor with their own staff ant their own product range. The participation of co-exhibitors requires that they can be admitted as exhibitors.
6.3. For each co-exhibitor, the main exhibitor must pay the respective co-exhibitor stand rental in accordance with the respective invoice from RDA Expo GmbH.
6.4. If co-exhibitors have not been registered, the main exhibitor will subsequently be charged the respective co-exhibitor stand rental plus € 100.
6.5. Exhibitors shall not be permitted to swap stands with other exhibitors or to partially or completely let their stand to third parties without prior written consent of RDA Expo GmbH.
6.6. In the event of a violation of sections 6.1, 6.2. and 6.4., RDA Expo GmbH shall be entitled to demand payment of a contractual penalty in the amount of € 1,500. This contractual penalty shall be due on the payment date of the respective invoice from RDA Expo GmbH for the contractual penalty.
6.7. The stands must be occupied for the entire duration of the respective RDA GTE. Premature abandonment or dismantling of the stand will result in a contractual penalty of € 500. The contractual penalty shall be due on the payment date of the respective invoice from RDA Expo GmbH for the contractual penalty.
6.8. All exhibitors undertake not to host any parallel events outside the exhibition halls during the opening hours of the respective RDA GTE. In the event of a breach of this obligation, RDA Expo GmbH reserves the right to assert claims for damages.
7. Stand construction and stand design
7.1. The technical guidelines, including the event-specific construction heights as well as the regulations regarding the design of stand structures at the stand boundaries, can be accessed online at https://www.rda-expo.de/en/cologne/exhibitors/stand-registration. The guidelines and the extensive safety regulations pertaining to them must be complied with. Any official permits required must be obtained by the exhibitor. Changes on the part of RDA Expo GmbH are possible and will be communicated to the exhibitor or the exhibition stand builder in good time.
7.2. For planning reasons, it is not always possible to allocate the desired stand type or dimensions to every exhibitor for both the free stand areas, micro stands, and standard stands. In this case, RDA Expo GmbH reserves the right to submit an alternative proposal to the exhibitor.
7.3. For all stands erected on free stand areas, a construction drawing, which must be approved in writing by RDA Expo GmbH, must be submitted to the respective RDA GTE no later than 7 weeks before assembly begins.
7.4. Dimensions and weights of objects for the stand areas should also be communicated to RDA Expo GmbH in good time. Unauthorised increases in stand space are not permitted. In the event of a breach of this provision, RDA Expo GmbH shall be entitled to recalculate the stand rental accordingly and to additionally levy a contractual penalty of € 1,500.
7.5. Stickers on stairs, aisles or walls are not permitted. The outer surfaces of the stands may not be used for advertising purposes. The removal of unauthorised stickers or similar shall be at the exhibitor’s expense. Stickers and similar decorative material placed inside the stand must be attached in such a way that they can be easily removed again without damaging the partitioning walls.
7.6. The stand must be designed in such a way as to ensure that there are no angles that are difficult to control. Adjacent rooms must not be closed off by doors. The insertion of bolts, nails, staples, hooks, screws etc. into walls, doors, support pillars, beams, pylons/columns, ceilings, and floors is not permitted. Flags, signs, etc. may only be hung from the hall ceilings after obtaining written consent from RDA Expo GmbH.
7.7. All materials used for stand construction and stand equipment must have a fire protection impregnation or be flame-retardant in some other way. This provision also applies to flag decorations. The fire brigade may demand the presentation of appropriate certificates and carry out spot checks during the building inspection. Fire alarms, fire extinguishers, hydrants and information signs for these devices must remain visible at all times.
7.8. Terminal boxes, installation connections for telephone, gas, water supply and drainage, compressed air and chimney flues must be freely accessible at all times and shall also be available to adjacent stands if required. Welding work (arc welding and oxyacetylene welding) is not permitted in the halls.
7.9. Additions to micro stands and standard stands, such as the attachment of labelling panels and the installation of lighting systems, may only be carried out by companies authorised by RDA Expo GmbH.
8. House rules and Regulations
8.1. During the respective RDA GTE, the exhibitor shall be subject to the domiciliary right of RDA Expo GmbH and the respective trade fair organiser throughout the exhibition grounds. During the event, RDA Expo GmbH as well as the respective trade fair organiser and their employees and agents shall supervise the halls and the exhibition grounds. The orders, requirements and instructions of the employees and agents of RDA Expo GmbH and the respective trade fair organiser must be complied with. The main exhibitor shall be liable for his co-exhibitors in this respect. All special requests beyond the normal scope in connection with and during the respective RDA GTE shall be subject to approval. Likewise, instructions, requirements and orders issued by the building supervisory authority, the technical inspection agency (TÜV), the public order office, the police, the fire brigade, the structural engineer, the trade supervisory office, and the health authorities must be complied with.
8.2. Responsibility for obtaining any requisite official permits rests with the exhibitor himself. The exhibitor shall be responsible for ensuring that all provisions and regulations mandated by trade law, the police, health legislation and other legal provisions are complied with.
8.3. Special rooms are available to onsite logistics contractors (OLC) for the storage of crates, packaging materials and other empties. In accordance with the instructions of the fire brigade, the storage of empties in the exhibition halls and in the security zones is not permitted. The full width of all exits and aisles designated in the plans of the hall must be kept clear. Exits may not be covered or obscured. Information stands or tables may not be set up directly at entrances, exits or stairwells. The exhibitor shall be obliged to behave in an environmentally friendly manner.
8.4. Musical performances are not permitted.
8.5. Background music, e.g. from self-burned CDs, MP3s, hard disks, etc., may only be played subject to payment of a GEMA licencing fee. An overview of current tariffs is available on GEMA’s homepage at www.gema.de. Questions regarding the registration procedure can be addressed at GEMA (kontakt@gema.de). Music played without prior registration may result in claims for damages by GEMA and, if applicable, by RDA Expo GmbH if third-party claims are made against the latter due to infringements.
8.6. Stand equipment, exhibition items, presentations, posters, photographs, and all advertising measures must be free of third-party rights (e.g. copyrights, trademark rights, etc.).
8.7. Artistic performances of any kind are not permitted.
8.8. The display, distribution and posting of political information material is prohibited.
8.9. Special events of any kind before, during and after the opening hours of RDA GTE 2025 shall only be permitted with the prior written consent of RDA Expo GmbH.
8.10. The partitioning of aisles for receptions etc. is not permitted. The covering of aisle areas with signs, flags, etc. and the carpeting of aisle areas shall only be permitted after obtaining written consent from RDA Expo GmbH. Carpeted aisles will be charged as regular exhibition space at the corresponding price per square metre. The distribution and display of brochures and advertising material outside the rented stand, i.e. in aisles, in the entrance area, at escalators, in the forum, etc., shall only be permissible with prior written consent of RDA Expo GmbH. Violations may result in a ban from the premises.
8.11. No assembly or dismantling work may be carried out during the entire exhibition period.
8.12. As a matter of principle, all special requests in connection with and during the respective RDA GTE shall be subject to approval.
9. Liability, insurance
9.1. RDA Expo GmbH shall be liable for damage caused by the intentional or grossly negligent conduct of RDA Expo GmbH and its agents. If the damage is caused by gross negligence of simple vicarious agents, RDA Expo GmbH shall be liable for this damage on the merits, but limited to the amount of damage that can typically be expected to occur with this type of contract.
9.2. In the event of a breach of essential contractual obligations whose compliance is of particular importance for achieving the purpose of the contract, RDA Expo GmbH shall be liable on the merits. Insofar as clause 9.1. does not apply, liability shall be limited to the amount of damage that can typically be expected to occur with this type of contract.
9.3. In the event of liability for the absence of warranted characteristics, of liability under the German Product Liability Act as well as liability for injuries to life, limb or health, the limitations of liability set out in sections 9.1 and 9.2 shall not apply.
9.4. The strict liability of RDA Expo GmbH for initial defects of the rental object is excluded.
9.5. The exhibitor shall be liable in accordance with the statutory provisions. If special cleaning measures turn out to be necessary on the standard stands or free stand areas after the end of the respective RDA GTE, the associated costs shall be charged to the respective exhibitor. We recommend taking out exhibitor insurance.
10. Force majeure/Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances
10.1. If RDA Expo GmbH is unable to host the respective RDA GTE due to a circumstance for which neither it nor the exhibitor is responsible (e.g. natural disasters, pandemics/epidemics and/or associated official prohibitions/requirements/restrictions, war, consequences of war, terrorist attacks or respective threats, imminent or perceived danger and associated precautionary or defensive measures, etc.) or can only do so under aggravated conditions, the claim to the agreed stand rental shall lapse. However, RDA Expo GmbH may charge the exhibitor for work commissioned by the latter in the amount of the costs incurred, unless the exhibitor proves that the work performed is of no interest to him.
10.2. If the RDA GTE was cancelled due to force majeure and/or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances and is then hosted at a later date, RDA Expo GmbH shall inform the exhibitor immediately. The exhibitor may cancel his participation in the replacement RDA GTE within one week of receipt of the notification. In this case, RDA Expo GmbH shall no longer be entitled to the agreed stand rental.
10.3. If the respective RDA GTE has to be shortened/modified/restricted or cancelled altogether due to the existence/occurrence of force majeure and/or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances during the event, there shall be no entitlement to a refund or reduction of the stand rental.
11. Data protection
11.1. Data collection/processing for conducting the contractual relationship
RDA Expo GmbH collects, uses, stores and processes personal data, also using automatic data processing, which is required for the establishment, implementation and conduct of the contractual relationship with RDA Expo GmbH. Insofar as necessary for the fulfilment, implementation and conduct of the contractual relationship, RDA Expo GmbH also forwards the collected data to third parties, who in turn may only use and process this data for the fulfilment, implementation and conduct of the contractual relationship with RDA Expo GmbH. All data collected shall be used in accordance with the provisions of the GDPR and exclusively for the aforementioned purposes. For detailed information on data processing by RDA Expo GmbH refer to the data protection declaration of RDA Expo GmbH at www.rda-expo.de/en/privacy.
11.2. Use of data for information, advertising, and marketing purposes
Consent given to RDA Expo GmbH to use personal data for advertising purposes can be revoked at any time by post, telephone, fax, and e-mail addressed to RDA Expo GmbH.
11.3. Exhibitors are independently responsible for compliance with the provisions of the GDPR in connection with the personal data collected and processed in the fulfilment and execution of the exhibitor contract.
12. Statute of limitations
Claims of the exhibitor against RDA Expo GmbH shall become statute-barred after six months unless imperative provisions of the law preclude this.
13. German law
All rights and claims arising from the contractual relationship itself and on the occasion of the contractual relationship shall be governed exclusively by the law of the Federal Republic of Germany.
14. Place of performance and jurisdiction
The place of performance shall be Cologne. The place of jurisdiction for merchants, legal entities under public law or exhibitors that do not have a general place of jurisdiction in Germany shall be Cologne.