Consumer Shows Hit By Economic Turmoil

Last year, the news from the Tradeshow Week Annual Survey of Consumer Show Organizers pointed to the robust nature of the consumer show market. This year, tight economic conditions make the picture a little bleaker.

Of the show organizers who responded to the survey, only 15 percent said they expected revenue growth of at least 10 percent in 2009. Another 30 percent of respondents said they expected 1- to 10-percent growth next year.

In 2007, 28 percent of show organizers expected at least a 10-percent increase, and 48 percent anticipated growth between 1 and 10 percent.

What changed?

“It’s the economy,” said Kristie Gonsalves, president of the Natl. Assn. of Consumer Shows and owner of North East Expos. “Everything is tough out there.”

Gonsalves said her shows – the Home Show at Harbor Yard, Dodge Truck North East Fishing & Hunting Show and Connecticut Flower & Garden Show – cater to mom-and-pop businesses.

“Businesses are struggling, so people aren’t spending their money to purchase a booth,” she added.

Despite the bleaker outlook heading into 2009, some show managers who responded to the survey said they’re noting problems – but they could be worse.

“We’re optimists,” said Joe Pate, president of Exposure, which produces the KEZI Eugene Boat & Sportsmen’s Show, Northwest Community Credit Union Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Show and KDRV Jackson County Sportsmen’s & Outdoor Recreation Show.

Even though the survey pointed to slight increases in admissions and exhibit space fees – 2007 admissions averaged $15.79, while 2008’s average was $16.03; the 2007 average for exhibit space was $7.88 per square foot, while the 2008 average was $8.06 – Pate said his rates haven’t changed.

“I have not changed my admission fees in 10 years,” he added. Booths have cost the same for the past decade, too, Pate said.

Glenn Helgeland, president of Target Communications, echoed Pate’s comments: “This is not the time to raise rates,” he said.

Target Communications has five shows: the Wisconsin Deer & Turkey Expo, Minnesota Deer & Turkey Expo, Michigan Deer & Turkey Spectacular, Illinois Deer & Turkey Classic and Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo.

To boost attendance, Helgeland said, he plans a promotion in 2009 that will offer potential attendees a $1 discount coupon on admission that can be downloaded from the shows’ Web sites.

He added that his shows did well this year.

“At Ohio and Illinois, we had record attendance and record booth sales,” Helgeland said. The show in Michigan was flat, but he added, he considered that good, given the difficulties with Michigan’s economic woes.

Even with the tight economy, survey respondents said they were seeing both solid exhibitor retention and new exhibitors. In fact, 56 percent of those responding said new exhibitors were a segment where they were seeing the most growth.

“I think, as show managers, we recognize that for every exhibitor lost through attrition ..., there’s another enthusiastic exhibitor waiting in the wings,” Pate said, “and it’s our job to find them.”

Patrycja Towns, president and CEO of Alive! Expo, also said she’s not feeling the economic pinch as acutely as others in the consumer show industry.

Two of her five events – both called Alive! Expo, one in Atlanta, the other in Seattle – are consumer shows and are growing, she added.

The attendance in Atlanta grew 35 percent this year to about 15,000 people, Towns said. She anticipates about 18,000 in 2009.

The Seattle show’s attendance increased about 30 percent from 2006 (the first year of the show) to 2007, and, she added, she’s predicting about the same jump for the show scheduled Nov. 8-9.

Plus, the show’s experiencing growth with exhibitors.

“We are pre-selling booth spaces right now ..., and companies are paying in full,” Towns said.

Despite those positive anecdotes, 45 percent of survey respondents said attendance decreased at their show in the past two years, most attributing it to the struggling economy, rising fuel costs or both.

“You’re competing more for the attendee dollar,” Gonsalves said.

But, she added, lower attendance is not always a bad thing: Those who do attend are more likely to be serious buyers.

“There used to be more lookers,” Gonsalves said.

The third annual Tradeshow Week survey of consumer show organizers was conducted via e-mail during the month of September. The survey includes responses from 53 show organizers.