The Future of Trade Shows & Exhbitions
Wendy Rosen
Event Mgt, Marketing and Communications. Consultant to non-profits and creative communities. CEM
Like you, I want to believe that our post-Covid trade shows will return to look a lot like the pre-Covid shows…
But my own experience tells me that there are underlying obstacles that will prevent our industry and the economy returning to pre-Covid levels.
Most trade shows have experienced a decline in small domestic start-up and entrepreneurial exhibitors. When NAFTA opened up our marketplace to the world, every country subsidized entrepreneurs to come to the USA and exhibit.
Foreign governments paid for not only trade show exhibit costs but also freight, travel and hotels. Our government failed to recognize the unfair advantage these exhibitors had over our domestic manufacturers. Trade show costs and venue expenses grew at an alarming rate and space at some shows actually exploited the situation increasing booth fees by 500%.
If we want a healthy trade show and meeting sector to grow in a sustainable way… subsidizing venues and expo contractors is just a bandaid over a gaping wound. We must compete in the global marketplace using the same strategies that other nations use.
Additionally, we must find ways to support small business attendees.
You can call it socialism if you like, but, I call it fair competition.