Convention Insider (Conventions.net)

It seems that everywhere I go online and where I read most o my news about the trade show industry, all I can see is the worst of times.  The business and industry of trade shows and conventions is filled with gloom and doom.  Attendance at shows or events is down, and sponsors are difficult to get, and exhibitors are tough to get commitments for the events.  This seems to be the flavor of the month for the last few months until I read recently of a study completed by UFI The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and their Global Exhibition Barometer.

It appears that across the world in most regions profits are on the ride from this time last year and in most case by more than 10%.  This is good news compared to the losses of years past.  It appears that most of the respondents in the study indicate that in the Americas and in the Asia/Pacific regions that we are on the doorstep of economic recovery being it will take place in the second half of 2010.  Those surveyed in other parts of the world believe that the economic recovery will not yet be seen until 2011.  Either is good news being that the economic slide may be over.

This survey was conducted in December of 2009 by 176 companies in 54 different countries and provides an overall look at the exhibitions industry.  If you want to get a look at the survey and its conclusions you can read the report at the UFI site.  How about in your industry, are you seeing the economic turnaround we all are now hearing about or is it still time to knuckle under and tighten the belts for a long hot summer or a long cold winter?  I am beginning to see the writing on the wall that we may have hit bottom. Now if we can only head upward I would be thankful.