The Lure of Miami

It's not news that tradeshows have experienced tough times in the past year. What is news is that some shows, especially those that target the countries south of Florida, have found a profitable home in Miami Beach, Fla., and are posting strong numbers.

“It's really the hub going into the Caribbean and Latin American (markets),” said Michael Breslow, president of Jewelers Intl. Showcase, which runs the jewelry tradeshow Jewelers Intl. Showcase three times each year.

The show, recently held Oct. 1-5 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, is scheduled there again Jan. 30-Feb. 1.

Breslow said “without a question” the show's success and its ability to draw buyers from the Caribbean and Latin American markets is because of the geographical position of the city and its strong Caribbean and Latin American influence, fueled by the waves of Cuban and South American immigrants that have poured into South Florida for decades.

“The show size had come down to some degree,” he added, but, “the attendance was stronger from the Latin and Caribbean markets.”

JIS isn't the only Miami Beach-based show that's seen strong numbers, despite the U.S. economic difficulties, thanks to the interest of buyers from those regions.

“The majority of U.S. exports to those markets come through the Miami port,” said Charlotte Gallogly, president of World Trade Center Miami, which produces the annual Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference at the Miami Beach CC. “There are a lot of things that make Miami work,” she added.

The show most recently ran Nov. 9-10, with a roughly 44,000 net square foot showfloor, 340 booths and 6,300 buyers, Gallogly said.

“We have built that core of buyers over the last 12 years,” she added.

Bob Balsam, Global Spectrum's general manager of the Miami Beach CC, said the center's location in relation to South and Central America and the Caribbean is vital.

“That's one of our biggest selling points,” he added.

Balsam also said the city's location makes it an affordable U.S. destination for travelers from Latin American and Caribbean countries.

“Miami's really a global marketplace,” Gallogly said.

Merchandise exports out of the Miami and Tampa, Fla., ports totaled $73 billion in 2008, according to Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership devoted to statewide economic development. That's a 23.9-percent increase, compared with 2007. Annual figures for 2009 were not available.

Of the top 10 export countries served by Miami in 2008, only two – Germany and India – were outside Latin America or the Caribbean.

Exports of natural stones, pearls and precious metals from Florida accounted for $2.1 billion in 2008, ranking them the sixth most popular exported product. Meat, a $518.2 million export from Florida in 2008, was ranked No. 21. Miscellaneous edible preparations, a $284.7 million export business last year, was No. 28. Fruits, nuts, dairy products, eggs, honey, vegetables, other food products and watches also made the list of the top 50 merchandise exports from Florida.

“Miami is an easy access point,” Gallogly said. “... That's the reason shows in Miami that are interested in foreign buying (from those regions) ... are successful.”

Breslow said his show's exhibitors agree Miami's location is the key.

Survey results from the most recent show support that, he added. When asked where they were most interested in selling to, “The No. 1 geographic area in that survey was the Caribbean,” Breslow said. “The No. 2 geographic area ... was Latin America.”

Both show managers said they wouldn't take their shows anywhere else.

“It's the right city, the right place,” Gallogly said.