Pan Asian Shows Postponed Indefinitely

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 6/28/2004

Intl. Trade Information has indefinitely postponed its launch of The Pan Asian Food & Beverage Trade Show, which had been scheduled to take place at the Natl. Trade Centre in Toronto Oct. 3–5, 2004, and the Los Angeles Convention Center Feb. 21–23, 2005. International exhibitors have had too much trouble getting visas to enter the country because of the U.S. Patriot Act for the show to go on, according to ITI President Denyse Selesnick.

It being an election year — and therefore little likelihood that the political climate will change before November — Selesnick said the earliest any decisions will be made on the rescheduling of the events would be February 2005. Already, ITI has been approached by several organizations in the country to work in conjunction with them on the Asian food show project. "Everyone else thinks it's a great idea," she said of the postponed events, because the domestic tradeshow market is relatively flat and only by increased international participation is it possible to truly grow the industry.

Selesnick added, "It was an agonizing decision." So far, it has cost her show management firm a six-figure amount in refunded registration fees to the 40 exhibitors that had already signed up, and advertising and exhibit hall bookings — not to mention one and a half years of work.