How do Young Professionals View Tradeshows?

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), has recently completed a study on the tradeshow habits and patterns of the younger demographic.

As a collective whole, those under 40 are technology savvy, individualistic and innovative. Marketers are striving to understand how to reach them as they become financially independent, settle into professional jobs and learn more about their chosen industry. The future success of exhibitions, conventions and educational programs that are held in conjunction with these events will depend on how well organizers, exhibitors and event planners are able to adapt to this younger generation.

Here's what the survey revealed:

• 88% of respondents said they are likely to have the opportunity to attend an exhibition in the next two years and 87% said they are very or somewhat likely to attend.
• 56% of respondents said they would prefer to receive information about an exhibition via email.
• 57% of respondents – age 18 to 39 who are employed full‐time and have a personal annual income of $30,000 or more – attended at least one exhibition in the past two years.
• On average, respondents had the opportunity to attend or interest in attending 7.6 exhibitions in the last 3 years, but actually attended only 2.8 of them.
• 96% of respondents who attended exhibitions in the past visited exhibit booths at their most recent exhibition.
• The strongest influence on which exhibit booths respondents visited at their most recent exhibition was whether the product or service was related to their job.
• Nearly 9 in 10 recent attendees went to an education session at their most recent exhibition.
• The most preferred format for one‐hour education sessions during exhibitions was to have the speaker talk for about 45 minutes and use the last 15 minutes for questions.
• Nearly three‐fourths of past attendees registered online for their most recent exhibition.
• The primary reasons given for not attending any exhibitions related to convenience, cost, and that the theme of the event was not relevant or not interesting to them.

You can bet we're taking note of this at the UP Show as we continue to revive our show and bring these young buyers to the floor.

David Siegel, CAE, IOM
Minnesota Restaurant, Lodging and Resort & Campground Associations

P.S. We hope you like the new look of our blog and our show website. Check out the site at www.upshowonline.com