Should I be Worried about Today Worried about Tomorrow Or Should I be Worried at all

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Should I be Worried about Today?Worried about
Tomorrow?Or Should I be Worried at all?

• IAEE DC Chapter
• September 11, 2009
• Prepared by
• Douglas L. Ducate
• President CEO
• Center for Exhibition Industry Research

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History

• Late 1950s Interstate Highway system completed
  and commercial introduction of the Jet airplane.
• 1964-McCormick Place first purpose built
  exhibition center.
• CEIR Census identifies more than 13,000 meetings
  with exhibitions held each year.
• 10,000 of these exhibitions are B to B events
• Meetings with exhibitions represent 63.1 of
  total U.S. meetings market.
• 67 are owned by associations.

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Current Outlook

• Where are we today?
• What is the short term outlook?
• What does the future hold for exhibitions?

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Concerns?

• The Economy
• Housing Mess
• Reduced Travel Budgets
• Consumer Confidence
• Attendance Challenges
• Reduced Air Service/Lift Capacity
• The Internet
• Internet Commerce
• Virtual Trade Shows
• Web-based Solutions

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Concerns cont.

• Restrictions on Healthcare Marketing-Pharmacode
• Graying Industry
• The Administration
• Excessive Policy
• Blackball Destinations

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Challenges/Opportunities

• Popularizing Exhibition Participation
• Appealing to the new-to-work-force young people
• Enhancing the visitor experience
• Adding value for both visitors and exhibiting
  companies--ROI
• Making the case for Face-to-Face

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CEIR Generational Study

• Young people like the exhibition environment but
  some feel intimidated and ill equipped to handle
  its face-to-face aspect.
• Mentoring programs mean a lot if properly done
• They want Powerbars not Crispy Crème Doughnuts!
• Want electronic papers not printed.

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Generational study cont.

• Want central electronic source (blog, site) to
  find one anothernot a mixer!
• Want web sites to be more user friendly with more
  links and fewer logins.
• Want interactive sessionsnot lectures.
• Want exhibiting companies to treat them with
  respect.
• Want younger booth staff.

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Generational study cont.

• Want destinations to promote where their peers
  gather at night.
• Dont like Invitation Only parties.
• Want more sensitivity to the environment.
• Want social responsibility educational sessions.
• Want contemporary entertainersAndy Williams is
  no longer contemporary if he ever was!

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Want to know how to change Crisis into
Opportunity?
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