Trade Events Revenue May Decline 17% in ’09

The trade show business may be declining in 2009, but perhaps not as much as b2b print ad revenue. The Trade Show Exhibitors Association’s survey for 2009 finds that budgets for exhibiting at shows will drop from an average of $459,100 in 2008 to $381,000 in 2009, or down 17%. The two areas suffering the most will be executive private events, which may plummet 30%, and tech-oriented shows. In the tech sector, for instance, the average exhibitor investment in shows is set to drop from $615,400 last year to $332,000 this year, off 46%.

This survey of nearly 300 TSEA members found that the average firm would be involved in fewer shows, from 30 last year to 25 this year.

In our discussions with b2b publishers, it appears that trade show organizers are trying to deal with the diminished market in events by focusing on more targeted opportunities and regional shows. Various publishers tell us that tightly targeted shows continue to attract sponsor and attendee interest, while broader trade gatherings are suffering the biggest hits, especially in sponsor support. As travel budgets contract, publishers are looking to localize events so they can better target people within 50 and 100 mile radii. Publishers with whom we speak continue to be bullish on the long-range prospects for the events business, however. While print is weathering (or not) a double whammy of recession and digital transition, publishers seem to have faith that the face-to-face model for events has long-term resilience.

Source: http://www.minonline.com/