Industry View
The end of the
large events expo?
Charlotte Gentry, founder of Pure Events, asks if
large trade shows are the best way of providing value
for event profs
I
“Technology is
becoming a real
threat to large
exhibitions unless
they move with
the times”
62 — April
s it not time that we asked ourselves whether
the large expos are really offering us the
knowledge and networking value that industry
sponges are looking for? Although I personally
haven’t been to the big three IMEX, IBTM or
Confex for a few years, I think we need to ask
ourselves whether the content and format has
moved on over the past five to ten years? In
order to attract senior industry professionals,
the content needs to be the frontrunner when
planning these expos – most of us have got the
industry contacts and aren’t going for that reason.
Should these larger exhibitions not give
much greater thought to knowledge sharing and
content-based seminars which really address true
industry issues? I am asking not to be antagonistic
but rather to be thought-provoking as I wonder
now whether the emphasis is on selling the
exhibition stands and revenue generation rather
than giving some considered and measured
thought as to what the industry really needs.
Other bright, intelligent and feisty young
things from my agency visit IBTM and IMEX but
rarely do they come back to the office bouncing
with joy about the inspiring experience they have
had (and by the way they often bounce back into
our office after various meetings and experiences,
so it's not because they feel unfulfilled in their
jobs). Having said this, our junior members of the
team are often given the opportunity to go as it’s
the quickest way to understand how the industry
works and meet as many people as possible in a
relatively short space of time. Therefore, I suspect
now that it is rarely senior industry bods who
attend but mainly people starting out or mid-level.
Are we therefore beginning to see the death
of the large expo, which is being replaced by
smaller more targeted forums alongside the rise of
industry networking technology?
I for one, recently went to inVOYAGE, which
is a boutique forum focusing on luxury boutique
and unique properties worldwide and is hosted
internationally every year. It’s a supplier speed-
dating exercise, however in a smaller environment
the level of the conversations seems to be more
productive and the actual destinations and venues
were more applicable to our client base. I found it
significantly more inspiring than any large expos
I’ve been to recently and the venues they chose
for the offsite lunches and dinners similarly were
creative, not just thrown at you.
My final point is that the rise in technology is
becoming a real threat to these large exhibitions
unless they actually move with the times. With
increasing aggregate platforms on the rise
alongside venue finding platforms, these large
expos have their work cut out. We are all time
poor and finding the time to visit for 48 hours is
quite a challenge and if we can learn about venues
online in one platform, then do we actually need
to wander around an exhibition hall? What do
these exhibition producers need to do to attract
more guests and compete against the threats they
face? My view is they need to look at what they are
doing to increase the level of guest engagement
at their events. Rather than just booking in the
same suppliers year on year, they need to actively
seek out more unique locations. There could be
master classes on production, a greater number of
industry speakers and an area dedicated to event
tech so guests can actually engage rather than
just be sold something. How about set designing
a venue within a venue and having a competition
to see who can design the most innovative events
space? This could generate fantastic PR and social
media opportunities. It is time for change!