Trade Show Newsletter October 2023

There are several reasons why many companies across sizes and industries consider physical trade shows crucial to their marketing mix. Be it improving brand awareness, launching a new product/service, or connecting with new and existing customers, the one-to-one interaction opportunity offered by physical events is like no other.

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But success at trade shows often boils down to how you plan the event. Taking the latest news and trends into consideration will only amplify the impact of your exhibit, helping you get closer to your event objectives. So, here’s our October 2023 newsletter with some of the most newsworthy updates-

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[READ: 10 Key Elements of Trade Show Planning]

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1. TSE’s Gold 100 Class of 2022 Demonstrates Strong Industry Rebound

Trade Show Executive (TSE) recently revealed its “Gold 100 Class of 2022” rankings to honor the top 100 events in the US. The results demonstrated a strong rebound in the trade show industry compared to the number in 2021. Here are some of the highlights-

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• The top events occupied 18,408,021 NSF (Net Square Feet), an uptick of 32.3% compared to 2021.
• The events featured 46,643 exhibitors, witnessing a strong growth rate of 42.9%.
• The total number of attendees at these events stood at 1,296,629, which is 34.1% higher than 2021.

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2. Biggest PACK EXPO Held in Las Vegas

The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PACK EXPO) was organized between 11-13 September at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). The event had over 2,300 exhibitors across 1 million NSF, making it the biggest exhibition in the event’s history.

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In comparison, PACK EXPO 2021 had around 1,500 exhibitors spread over 740,000 NSF of exhibit space. The next PACK EXPO is scheduled from 18-20 March 2024 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, followed by PACK EXPO Mexico (4-7 June 2024) and PACK EXPO International (10-12 March 2025).

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[READ: 7 Best Trade Show Activities on a Budget]

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3. Trade Shows on Course to Reach Pre-Pandemic Levels According to EXHIBITOR’S Economic Outlook Survey 2023

The pandemic has had a significant impact on the trade show industry. But things are looking better than ever with record exhibitors and attendees participating in the recent events. EXHIBITOR found out something similar in its Economic Outlook Survey 2023. Here are the highlights-

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• Around 74% of the companies interviewed plan to participate in more physical events in 2023.
• 49% of the respondents agree their exhibit-marketing budgets have returned or even exceeded the pre-COVID allocations.
• 44% of the companies are planning to increase their booth size.
•  43% of the exhibitors are “Optimistic”, and 45% are “Hopeful” about the effectiveness of trade shows.
• Some of the top ways for exhibitors to reduce their trade show expenses are sending fewer staffers (49%), reducing booth size (31%), and exhibiting at fewer shows (30%).

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[READ: Strategies for Creating the Best Attendee Experience at Trade Shows]

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4. Exhibition Industry Posts Double-Digit YoY Q2 Growth

The CEIR Total Index, widely considered the overall performance of the exhibition industry, has increased by 21.8% in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2022. Here are some other highlights from the report-

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• Among all the events completed in Q2 2023, almost 23% of them have surpassed the pre-COVID levels. The number stood at 11.7% in Q2 2022
• Excluding cancellations, the overall performance of exhibitions in Q2 2023 is 13.3% down compared to Q2 2019. In Q2 2022, there was a decline of 25.7%.
• Only 0.6% of in-person events were canceled in Q2 2023. The number was 1.9% in Q2 2022 and 66.4% in Q2 2021.

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Upcoming Trade Shows in the USA in October 2023

Audiencegage Trade Show Games to Boost Event ROI

With trade shows about to regain and surpass their pre-pandemic glory, this could be an excellent time for businesses to add a physical event to their marketing mix. Start working on your trade show plan at least a few months before the event to ensure you have adequate time to strategize every critical aspect of your exhibit.

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A fun and engaging trade show game from Audiencegage can help your booth attract more attendees, collect more engaged leads, and ensure people have a memorable experience. Register for a free demo to know how our digital games can help.

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