Latest Trade Show News: February 2023 Edition

Constantly staying updated is vital to your success as an exhibitor or event planner, especially when the industry is still in recovery mode. The latest trade show news and updates can help you refine your event plan, making it more effective and successful.

So, what’s up with trade shows in February 2023? Here are the latest updates-

1. Exhibition Industry Encouraged by US GDP Q3 Estimates

According to the estimates released by the BEA, the USA’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased at a rate of 3.2% in Q3 of 2022. In Q2, the GDP decreased by 0.6%.

The early estimate signals that the US economy is steadily recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the worst is probably behind us. This is an excellent sign for the trade show industry, which was one of the worst hits as the majority of the physical events were canceled due to the pandemic.

2. CES Shatters Expected Attendance

CES Las Vegas 2023 was held from January 5 to 8. The largest tech event surpassed expected attendance by drawing 115,000+ professionals and around 3,200 exhibitors. More than 1,000 startups participated in the event to showcase next-gen innovation for mobility, digital health, transformation, metaverse, Web3, and a lot more.

Here’s a quick overview of the total number of people attending CES in recent years-

• CES 2020- 170,000+
• CES 2021- 80,000+ (Virtual event with digital attendees)
• CES 2022- 40,000+
• CES 2023- 115,000+

CES 2023 was a humongous success, given that the footfall was only 45,000 at CES 2022. While the numbers didn't reach the pre-COVID levels, it demonstrates a noteworthy recovery for the exhibition industry.

[READ: Trade Shows in 2023: What Will Work & What Won’t]

3. Experiential Booths Ruled CES 2023

Experiential trade show booths use elements that make the visitor experience more immersive and engaging. At CES 2023, exhibitors leveraged this growing trend in all its glory. From Canon’s “Knock at the Cabin” inspired booth to Caterpillar displaying its Cat777, a 110-ton, and 20-feet tall off-road truck, at the booth, the event was loaded with unique experiential ideas.

Exhibitors can take clues from these exhibits to plan their trade show booth in 2023. Something as simple and effective as custom trade show trivia can work wonders for your booth by offering visitors something they can engage with.

[READ: The Science of Trivia Gamification at Live Events]

4. More Visitors, More Records, More Success

CES 2023 was not the only trade show to witness a strong rebound. Here are some other exhibitions that exceeded expectations-

• Surf Expo by Emerald attracted 21% more attendees compared to January 2022. Exhibitors also reported a higher level of engagement.
• NSSF’s 45^th Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor (SHOT) trade show held between January 17 to 20 in Las Vegas was the biggest ever SHOT Show and surpassed its previous exhibit space record.
• The Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) 2023 witnessed record-breaking attendance of over 29,000 during the January 14 to 18 show in Orlando, Florida.

Need Help with Trade Show Engagement Strategy?

Trade shows are recovering, and there's plenty of evidence suggesting the same. With experiential and engagement strategies helping exhibitors with their event objectives, you should think about adding such elements to your trade show booth in 2023.

We can help you take your exhibit to the next level with our custom trade show trivia. The fun and challenging booth game can be customized as per your business goals to help you make the most of your investment. Schedule a free demo to learn more.

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