Mido attendance up nine per cent
More than 40,000 visitors attended the show
Business, innovation, trends, sustainability and inclusion were the key themes at this edition of Mido 2025 – which saw a nine per cent increase in European visitors compared with the previous year. The show also substantially increased it media – and social media – reach across the three days.
Held in Milan from 8-10 February, the show attracted more than 42,000 attendees from 168 countries, and 1,200 exhibitors – including 930 international – in eight exhibit areas across seven pavilions.
There was substantial growth in attendance numbers from Europe (+nine per cent), above all from Germany and neighbouring countries (including Eastern Europe).
Growth from Africa was driven by countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Attendance from South America also rose thanks to participation from Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, while the Middle East saw an increase of 11 per cent from the UAE and 40 per cent from Israel.
In addition to visitors, Mido 2025 recorded more than 16,000 exhibitor attendees over the three days, from stand staff to company employees, agents, representatives and distributors.
“This edition was all about business, networking, and fresh ideas,” remarked Lorraine Berton, president of Mido and ANFAO (Italian Optical Manufacturers Association).
“You could feel the energy in the air for all three days – there was a real buzz among exhibitors, buyers, opticians, and all the industry professionals who took part.
“We wanted to create as many opportunities as possible for people to connect, exchange ideas, and grow – whether through business, training or insightful talks with top speakers from Italy and beyond. This edition really made an impact, reinforcing the strong sense of community and shared passion for the future.”
More than 500 accredited journalists were on hand (+25 per cent vs 2024), along with 300,000+ user interactions (+20 per cent vs 2024) on the event’s main channels.
Specifically, Mido-generated content received more than three million views (+50 per cent compared to last year). The number of followers on each social profile also increased, with Instagram achieving +12 per cent.
Nearly 35 thousand users visited the website, while the App’s interactive map was the feature attendees used most, followed by the exhibitor search function.
Inclusion was another key theme at Mido 2025, with the presentation of the first results of the Diversity & Inclusion project promoted by ANFAO. Over the past few years, this initiative has aimed to raise awareness among industry businesses and foster a more inclusive culture. Over the last year, ANFAO and Milya, organised on-site labs aimed at strengthening inclusivity.
This year’s winners of the Mido Awards included Silhouette, which won the Stand Up For Green Award for the show’s most sustainable stand, and Rolf for its innovative production process based on 3D-printing with a biogenic material, and the simplicity of disassembling frames for replacing parts or recycling at the end of their life-cycle.
Mido 2026 will take place from 31 January 31 to 2 February.
Read ABDO member and dispensing optician, Erin McNee’s report from this year show.