Issue link: https://tradeshowexecutive.epubxp.com/i/58649
Gregg Caren SENIOR VP, STRATEGIC BUS. SMG A Much-Needed Thaw "Just like the mild winter we are all experiencing, organizers, exhibitors and at- tendees seem less 'frozen' in their decision making. While corporate bookings remain the shortest lead time — and won't likely change soon — we are seeing a slight extension of the long-term booking window for larger events. As for what's occurring on the show floor, a quick survey of our venues revealed that more shows are increasing in space and attendance, except for government events, given ongoing cuts in spending at all levels. Finally, there are still big differences between what our major venues/destinations are seeing versus regional venues. While no one is complaining at either end of the spectrum, the big cities appear more bullish in most areas." Joseph V. Popolo, Jr. CEO Freeman Higher Travel Costs Will Make a Dent "As it is an election year, I have felt that the industry and general economy would be pretty flat from a growth perspective through the elections, effectively slowing the recovery slightly for both. However, with the recent spike in gas prices and the ongoing troubles in Te Middle East likely keeping oil prices high, I believe the slowdown will be more pronounced due to the impact on travel and trans- portation costs. Te industryis doing better than the general economy due to the availability of corporate resources and pent up demand for marketing opportuni- ties. However, I feel the general economy will likely contract a little through the remainder of the year which will have some negative impact on exhibitions." Many Signs Point Chris Brown EXECUTIVE VP National Association of Broadcasters Aaron Bludworth COO Fern Exposition Event Services Lindgren-Garnett REGIONAL VP Shura Global Spectrum to a Strong 2012 "We finished strong in 2011 and continue to be optimistic for 2012. Consumer confidence is continuing to grow. Te economy is stabilizing. Te S&P; index reached its highest level since 2008. Given these develop- ments, along with increased spending and attendance patterns, I can't help but believe that 2012 is going to be a good year for the indus- try. One wildcard that may still impact us is the Presidential election, along with consumer reaction to the outcome." Research Points to Increased Event Participation "We have had 22 months of increases in our business overall, and in our convention business, we saw increases of 9% or more in the number of events held and attendance. Recent research data from high level focus groups points to increased participation in face-to-face events. Both for-profit and not-for-profit companies have realized that cost-cutting on face-to-face events has not yielded the desired return on investment or time for their organizations. Teleconferenc- ing, conference calls, video conferencing and webinars are useful tools but only serve as information conduits, not sales or marketing channels." Terence Donnelly VP OF SALES Experient Top Tier Cities Remain Strong "We've seen attendee and exhibitor registration increase 10 to 15% in the First Quarter and expect this trend to continue with cautious optimism. Te concern will be gas prices im- pacting the shows (or destinations) that rely on a 75-mile radius of drive- in traffic. Gas prices are just starting to impact liſt costs, but I feel the tier one cities will remain competitive in the 2nd Quarter." Chris Meyer VP OF SALES Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority Steve Moster PRESIDENT Global Experience Specialists (GES) Steve Carey DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR National Truck Equipment Association www.TradeShowExecutive.com | March 2012 25