Few Shifts At the Top Of TSW 200

Year to year, the top rungs of the Tradeshow Week 200 see many of the same players.

This year was no different. As usual, Intl. CES is No. 1, as it is two out of every three years — the exception being when it has the triennial CONEXPO-CON/AGG as competition, which will be the case with next year's TSW 200.

But the interesting stories aren't necessarily which shows are at the top, but which experienced the greatest movement — be it up or down — and why.

ABC Kids Expo took the most meteoric jump up the list, from No. 129 last year to No. 70 this year. The 2007 show (with whose statistics the current rankings are figured) had a 323,600 net square feet showfloor, 1,018 exhibiting companies and 6,120 attendees, compared with 211,271 net sq. ft., 672 exhibiting companies and 4,833 attendees in 2006.

"We've been growing every year, and this year was an especially large growth," said Larry Schur, president of ABC Kids Expo. "A lot of it is word-of-mouth ... (and) a lot of it is existing exhibitors taking more space, plus an influx of new exhibitors."

Schur estimated the 2008 show, Sept. 7–11 in Las Vegas, would have an even bigger showfloor with about 450,000 net sq. ft. of exhibits, taking up the entire second level of the Las Vegas Convention Center's South Hall.

"Actually, this year, for our show in September, we're already sold out," he added, "and we've been sold out."

ABC Kids Expo wasn't the only show to make a significant move up the list: The Oregon Logging Conference & Equipment Show jumped 42 places, from No. 93 in 2007 to No. 51 this year.

"The main reason for the increase in our ... show was (that) the outside equipment display increased in size," said Rikki Wellman, conference coordinator. "We have expanded our show to include the construction industry, as it relates to our industry."

She added that the show likely would continue to grow as more equipment is displayed each year.

Even for the shows whose rankings dropped from the previous year, the numbers may not reflect the reality.

"Our ranking is expected to change frequently, getting lower, due to the growth of our campus and additional buildings being built housing permanent tenants," said Michelle Monteferrante, show director for the Las Vegas Market — Summer and Winter. "This allows for our inventory of temporaries to move into permanent spaces."

The 2006 Las Vegas Market — Winter had the highest ranking of any new show making its debut on the TSW 200 (at No. 41). This year, it fell to No. 67. The Las Vegas Market — Summer debuted on the 2006 TSW 200, after the World Market Center Las Vegas opened in 2005, and was ranked No. 26 on last year's list. This year, it's No. 71.

"It is merely an exchange of our business platform, converting temporary exhibitors to permanent ones," she added.

The West Coast gift shows also saw shifts in ranking.

January's California Gift Show fell from No. 94 in 2007 to No. 129 this year, while the July edition went from No. 105 last year to No. 132 this year.

The February edition of the San Francisco Intl. Gift Fair went from No. 119 last year to No. 136 this year; the August edition fell from No. 127 in 2007 to No. 148.

"There has been some consolidation in our business, in the wholesale gift side," said Chris Gowe, vice president of the West Coast gift show for George Little Management, a dmg world media company, which manages the four shows. "The dynamic in the wholesale gift industry has changed."

Gowe attributed the ranking shifts to that industry change and to exhibitors who consolidated exhibit space at the shows.

He said he expected more consolidation, but was also optimistic about sectors the shows are beginning to pursue.

"The whole sustainable green trend ... while it was on our radar, wasn't a major part of our show (before). ... There's a whole new growth wave of businesses that we're reaching out to," Gowe said.