Conventions

Apr. 22-26, 2012. KBIS is the Kitchen and Bathroom Industry Show, and it was your invitation to “touch the future”.  Meaning what, exactly?  ”Each generation has different needs for self-expression, security and connection”, we heard. “Meeting their physical requirements and understanding the emotional benefits that drive and influence product purchases for each will help them to improve their lives and will expand your business”.  To prove it, the so-called UNcontained exhibit, anchoring the center of the KBIS show floor, was a journey through the lifestyle stories of five unique consumers. “You will recognize them”, we were told. “You will relate to them. The containers are not a room in their homes but rather a creative perspective on the attributes and values that have changed the rules of design. All the rules are broken”.  Except the one that water flows down-hill, of course…

Trade Show Network News (TSNN), the trade publication for the Trade Show industry has just published its Top 250 trade shows for 2011 and Las Vegas again leads the pack with 7 of the top 10.

While we haven’t fully explored the entire list, it does include several that have pulled out of Vegas because of the expense in exhibiting here. NAPTE comes to mind as they were one of the 1st to go back in 2008. It’s not so much the cost of rooms & meals because we all know that Vegas is king when it comes to cheap room & board. It is the cost of actually putting on the show for both the trade show companies and the exhibitors themselves.

Frequently we hear from vendors that one of the reasons they hate to exhibit in Las Vegas is the uncompromising stance of the unions. For example ASD which is 2 yearly now completely moved into the LVCC when it once was so crowded that it completely filled the Sands Expo, the South Hall at LVCC & the Mirage. Many vendors have pulled out because even if they had no trash or their booth wasn’t messy, they were charge daily for service, often when they came in the next day only to find their trash still full or their booth still with signs of the previous day’s floor flotsam.

The city of Chicago, in 2008, negotiated a deal with the unions that in order for them to grow their trade show opportunities, the unions would give up some concessions while the city agreed to promote their venues as a better bang for the buck. Certainly not in January but April – October, they have increased their trade show purchased footage by several 1000 sq. ft.

2008- In June, major trade show contractors and the union representing the largest single group of workers on the trade show floor announced a new collective bargaining agreement designed to further reduce costs for McCormick Place exhibitors and provide them with greater operational flexibility

Miami and Dallas have followed the lead of Chicago and have been able to attract many more trade shows, not just from Las Vegas but globally since revamping their trade show efforts.

Recently both CES and the Shot Show have renewed their contracts with Las Vegas, but as the old Wall Street adage goes “buy low, sell high, make a profit” it is the opinion of B-T-B that LVCVA needs to think about where it wants to be in the next 5-10 years with the trade show industry that has become the bread and butter of the casinos or do they want to continue to lose market share while focusing on weekend events like the Electric Daisy Carnival that brings crowds with limited money for gambling or trade shows, the bigger of the high dollar revenue drivers? Who has more disposable income; 6 20somethings stuffed in a hotel room with 20.00 each for the weekend or the business person coming for 3 days finding him/herself at 2am jet lagged and in the casino to chill out.

Rossi Ralenkotter & his staff have done an amazing job with turning Las Vegas into a business destination for companies and executives alike but we need to keep growing as THE place to not only have fun but to bring products to market in a business friendly environment.

Where’s Oscar?

Apr. 3-4, 2012. Organized by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the 2012 MEET Mid-America attracted 1,200 planning professionals from organizations of every size, plus 150 exhibitors representing hotels, resorts, inns, convention and visitor bureaus, technology suppliers, food and equipment providers, and more.  Exhibitor companies included hotels, inns, resorts, CVB’s, convention centers, airlines, conference centers, transportation companies, trade publications, DMC companies, unique meeting sites, software providers, entertainment companies, event rental companies, audio visual companies and other suppliers who service the industry.  Attendees spanned travel agents, trade show management, event planners, wedding planners, and even… religious organizations.  Did someone say there was no room at the inn…?

Mar. 10-13, 2012. The International Housewares Association (IHA), we hear, is “the Home Authority”.  Their 2012 International Home + Housewares Show got the thumbs-up from buyers and sellers alike. The show was a sell-out, with more than 2,100 exhibitors, and achieved nearly a 7% increase in total buyer attendance, including significant growth in international buyer attendance.  The housewares industry accounted for three hundred billion dollars at retail worldwide in 2010. The association offers its 1,700 member companies services, including industry and government advocacy and export assistance.  With tens of thousands of new product introductions, over 500 new exhibitors and the introduction of new Innovation Awards, buyers found novelty and innovation at every turn”, said the post-mortem appraisal.  Time to head for home…

Jan. 23-25, 2012. To give AHR its full title, it’s the International Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Exposition.  The drive for greater energy efficiency, greener products and sustainable technologies, we were told, has accelerated the pace at which new heating and AC products and innovations are coming to market.  The floor held over 1,800 manufacturers and suppliers of the latest HVACR systems, equipment, products and services.  Dozens of seminars and workshops presented by endorsing industry associations and other groups addressed current industry initiatives and topics of practical interest, and there were several presentations of the latest products and solutions from participating exhibitors.  Presenters were blowing hot and cold, as it were…