Among the great memories of my life are computer trade shows, especially Comdex. Just the other day I was telling my son about one year where I got so excited, the day before the show, that I walked from the Tropicana (where I was staying) all the way downtown and back — about 20 miles. Then I covered 10 venues, switching to sneakers only on the third day.
But I was younger then. And stupider.
Now I wonder why trade shows exist at all. And so does the industry. Does anyone miss Comdex? I don’t. Will anyone miss E3? I won’t.
For the most part trade shows are being replaced by conferences and
sales calls. There just aren’t that many small buyers anymore. But
there is a continuing need for people to learn.
Conferences are great. They usually don’t require a suit. You can
usually get a room in the same place as the conference, or at least
nearby.
The only trouble with conferences is they can’t fill places like my beloved Georgia World Congress Center. But that’s…okay.
American Business Media’s (ABM) Business Information Network for Trade Show activity (T-BIN) reports total trade show revenue in 2005 was $9.8 billion, an 8.9 percent increase from 2004.
Data revealed a 1.1 percent increase in trade show attendance. Trade show net square footage also increased 9.3 percent.
American Business Media’s (ABM) Business Information Network for Trade Show activity (T-BIN) reports total trade show revenue in 2005 was $9.8 billion, an 8.9 percent increase from 2004.
Data revealed a 1.1 percent increase in trade show attendance. Trade show net square footage also increased 9.3 percent.