I was speaking yesterday with someone in our industry who also produces conferences and expositions. He has an upcoming event at which he anticipates being down 10% to 15% in both attendees and exhibitors. We further discussed that the National Restaurant Association show was of course down this past year.
The question then is, "Are these numbers mainly the result of the economy, or have we seen a fundamental shift in buying patterns, marketing techniques or information sources?" His thought, "When the economy is down, energy is down and shows simply don't have their buzz and excitement. When the economy recovers, most of that energy will return and shows will come back as well." Why? Because people need to see each other, interact and gain knowledge in a very personal way.
The good shows, and we certainly want the UP Show to be not only good, but great, are aware of these fluctuations of mood and need and are changing to provide relevant service to attendees and exhibitors. Your UP Show Committee has been guiding us well toward serving our industry and I believe our 2010 show will be important and extremely useful to both attendees and exhibitors.
David Siegel, CAE, IOM
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