Exhibition industry resilient to economic turbulence, says Lippman
BY TOM HALL
In a sign that economic volatility is not holding back the exhibition industry, six out of ten marketers have reported that attendance increased at their most recent event, according to a Lippman report.
That’s just one of the major findings of the 2016 Benchmarks & Trends in Attendee Acquisition, jointly released today by Exhibit Surveys, Lippman Connects and Trade Show Executive.
Another 18 per cent of respondents indicated that attendance had not changed; 21 per cent said attendance declined. “This increase in attendance is powered by new technologies and partnership opportunities that are helping marketers be more effective than ever,” noted Sam Lippman, president, Lippman Connects.
Jeff Stanley, executive director of Strategic Research, Exhibit Surveys added, “Our previous study of exhibit sales professionals indicated that while their primary responsibility was growing the square footage of their event, one of their largest concerns was that attendance at their shows needs to continue to grow. This study shows that events that are successful in reaching this goal of acquiring attendees are spending the money to do so and are also creative and resourceful in their methods.”
The survey examined not only attendee growth and decline trends, but the reasons for each. Other attendee acquisition topics probed included budgets, digital marketing, executive support, pricing, and revenue streams.
The survey is conducted in conjunction with the Attendee Acquisition Roundtable (AAR), a Lippman Connects event. AAR sponsors include Trade Show Executive and Exhibit Surveys.
