A Southwestern Sketch: Texas Towers, Arizona Arrives

As the second largest state in terms of area and population, Texas is known for doing things big, and they're only getting bigger. The Lone Star State is prepared to host 303 events this year, 26 more than in 2006. Arizona is upping the ante as well. Both Tucson and Phoenix are planning expansions of their convention centers. A neighboring hotel will also be built in Arizona's capital city and a proposal has been made for one in Tucson.

Tradeshow Week Associate Editor Jillian Dauer reviews the exhibition industry in the Southwest.

• The Southwest expects to welcome more than 6.2 million visitors and 130,500 exhibiting companies to almost 50 million net square feet of space at the 400 tradeshows that will take place in the region this year, based on statistics supplied to Tradeshow Week.
• Although the region will host 400 shows in 2007, the same number as last year, the projections illustrate a 22-percent surge in net square footage, a 17-percent rise in exhibitors and an almost 7-percent increase in attendees, compared with last year. In 2006, 111,290 companies set up booths across more than 40.6 million net sq. ft. for more than 5.8 million attendees.
• The Southwest has 7.7 percent of the country's exhibit space market share, 8.2 percent of the exhibiting company market share and 7.7 percent of the market share of attendees.
• The region will host 211 tradeshows, 102 consumer shows and 87 hybrid trade-consumer events this year.
• The average Southwestern tradeshow will occupy 79,184 net sq. ft. with 264 exhibitors and 8,416 professional attendees.
• At the average consumer show, 49,941 consumers will visit the booths of 329 companies spanning 83,636 net sq. ft.
• More than 7,000 attendees will walk the 19,050 net sq. ft. showfloor to visit 169 exhibitors at the average hybrid show.
• The average exhibit booth will occupy 380 sq. ft.

The medical and health care industry may boast the most shows in the region with 40, but the home furnishings and interior design sector is close behind with 39, including Expo Tu Casa — Phoenix and Tulsa House Beautiful Show. With the Dallas Market Center in the region, it's only fitting that apparel has the third most shows in the Southwest with 25.

The Dallas Market Center will be the busiest venue in the region, hosting 39 shows this year. Intl. Exhibitions comes in second with 23 shows. Bringing home the bronze with eight shows is Intl. Gem & Jewelry Show.

When choosing the time of year to hold an event, March and the first quarter continue to be the preferences of show managers. Sixty-one Southwestern shows were scheduled to take place in March, while January had 54. April, which was responsible for the third most shows, had 40.

The year began with a good start as 39 percent of the region's shows took place during the first quarter and declined from there. The numbers dwindled as 27 percent of the region's shows were scheduled during the second quarter and 19 percent during the summer months of the third quarter. Only 15 percent of shows in the region are expected in the fourth quarter of this year.

The region is on the rise with anticipated increases across the board, compared with last year. The planned expansions at the convention centers in Phoenix and Tuwcson indicate that the Grand Canyon State is anxious to attract more tradeshow business, while the rise in the number of events taking place in Texas proves that no one has forgotten The Alamo.