Beyond politics, let’s look at the fall prospects for the expo industry

With the ultimate in conferences about to kick off next week when the Republicans meet in Tampa for their nominating convention, followed by the Democrat’s version in Charlotte right after Labor Day, I thought an advance look at the fall conference, expo and convention business might be worth a look.

This is a story you can approach from several angles:

The first day of Comic-Con 2011 included previews for four-day pass-holders. Photo: Ryan Ozawa

As an economic indicator.  Logically, convention and trade show business slumped in post-recession years; this azcentral.com story from April says shows in the Phoenix area are picking up.  The article is a good template for a look at the fall line-up in your area, and at how bookings for 2013 are looking at area convention centers, hotels, resorts and other conference facilities.

And in other conference news, it looks like the Veterans Administration didn’t get the memo about conference excess; it’s in hot water now for a couple of lavish 2011 training sessions, complete with expensive, commissioned spoofs of the movie “Patton.”  Cringe-worthy for taxpayers, sure, but as a contrarian, I always think – well, that “lavish” convention stimulated the local economy, provided a gig for a video maker and kept a number of service workers afloat a while longer.

The Convention Industry Council has published a study, “The economic significance of meetings to the U.S. Economy,” which says that the industry supports “1.7 million jobs, $263 billion in spending, a $106 billion contribution to GDP, $60 billion in labor revenue, $14.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $11.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.”   See what your local convention board has to offer in the way of local stats (which I always think tend to be a bit optimistic; ask about methodology.)

Are conference organizers pinching pennies, and if so, how?

Skimpier meals, cheaper swag, shorter programs or lower-end venues?  Are exhibitor rosters growing or shrinking? Ask industry members what they are hearing from conference organizers and suppliers.

Bathtub Racers were on display at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo.

The convention council study also claims that for every dollar spent on business travel, companies experience a $12.50 boost in revenue and a $3.80 profit increase.  It would be interesting to poll large employers in your region about policies regarding conference attendance and how they may have evolved in recent years.

The quirky.  Dropping in to a number of conferences this fall might provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of trades, professions, special interest groups, industry sectors and lobbying organizations you normally don’t get a chance to cover.  Readers might appreciate an inside view of, say, the  International Floriculture Expo or the Gem and Lapidary Wholesaler’s Show.      Hopefully your visitors’ bureau will have a good handle on the fall line-up — if not try online sites like The Conference Directory and Bvents.com.

A feast of sources and future story ideas.  Even if you don’t write about the trade shows you attend, the critical mass of industry players will help you gather business cards and story fodder.  And if the budget doesn’t allow you to attend in person, remember that many organizations these days offer live streaming, webinars or podcasts from their convention sites.  If nothing else, scroll the exhibitors lists for suppliers, vendors and consultants who might be good sources of industry information.

One last thing:  I didn’t know until a couple of years ago that many trade groups, especially those active only a few times a year, are actually managed by third-party for-profit firms that specialize in being the “executive directors” for multiple organizations.  It’s an interesting niche business that might be worthy of a profile, if you can find such in your area.  If not, you still might call one or two of these companies — which generally manage event planning for the groups they represent — for their take on trends in the conference and expo biz.  The Center for Association Leadership and the AMC Institute, both trade groups for the trade group operators, may point you to members in your market.