Meeting News - January 7, 2008 - (Page 8)

Inside the Meetings Industry Edited by Elizabeth West elizabeth.west@nielsen.com IAEE S h o w i n V egas Underscor es China’s Incr e a s i n g P r e s e n c e Expo! Expo! show has China day, as CEIR cites industry growth in 2007 Las Vegas—The International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ (IAEE) Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition, Dec. 10-12 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino’s convention center, reported continuing growth in the exhibition industry and had a strong focus on China. “China Friendship Day” was created in order to recognize the strengthening relationship that IAEE has with member organizations and others in the rapidly expanding show market in China. That country’s growth surely influenced the numbers released by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), which merged with IAEE in 2006. CEIR reported that show revenue continued to flourish in Q3 2007, with growth of 5.8 percent versus Q3 2006. Also, year-to-date revenue rose 9.7 Eager attendees funnel through Expo! Expo!’s entrance to visit nearly 300 exhibitors. percent compared to the same period in 2006, while attendance grew 11.8 percent. The other Q3 2007 numbers compared to 2006 figures were net square feet, up 1.4 percent; and exhibitors, up 0.3 percent. Earlier this year, the CEIR Index reported the exhibition industry grew 4.8 percent in 2006 over 2005, a bit slower than the 5.8-percent gain posted in 2005 but nonetheless, it represented the fourth consecutive year of industry growth. The IAEE show also had “The Main Event,” a town hall where members had an opportunity to ask unfiltered questions and express their opinions to President Steven Hacker, 2007 Chairman Jeff Price, and 2008 Chairman Randy Bauler. The 2008 Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition will be held Dec. 9-11 in Miami. This past show attracted nearly 2,500 attendees, who chose from more than 50 educational sessions and browsed the 41,000-sf show floor with 280 exhibitors. The IAEE, at 80 years old, is the oldest event planner association. C h e c k I t O u t : I A E E L a u n c h e s E n h a n c e d Website T he International Association of Exhibitions and Events unwrapped an enhanced website during Expo! Expo! in Las Vegas. Exhibition operators can check it out at TradeshowStore.com. Run by the association’s subsidiary, IAEE Services Inc., and geared to benefit both members and non-members, the site offers products and services relevant to all facets of the exhibitions and events industry, including specialty products, event supplies, publications, and key resources. It now features quick links to IAEE services and information, easier navigation through product categories, monthly specials and featured items, refreshed views of mostsearched items, and an Idea Center with access to site administrator 4imprint.com for a broader selection of customers’ trade show needs. In addition, the site offers free services such as product samples, graphics consultations, and quality proofing. Meeting and convention planners purchasing products through TradeshowStore.com help fund IAEE programs in education, industry advocacy, and research. ASAE Study Says Associations Are Big, Generous Employers Trade group uses government stats in order to show ‘Associations Matter’ Washington, DC—According to a study released in late November by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) & The Center for Association Leadership, employment in associations totaled more than 1 million jobs in the country in 2006. More than 190,000 of those jobs were with 8 MeetingNews January 7, 2008 trade and professional associations. Furthermore, the average association wage was $40,250 in 2006, but was $58,500 for trade/professional associations. And that figure for trade/professional associations was 38 percent higher than the average private sector wage of $42,400 in 2006, according to the report. Washington, DC-based associations paid their workforces the highest annual average wage in 2006 ($77,500), followed by Virginia ($56,400), and New York ($51,500). And, association employ- ment is highest in California, New York, Illinois, Florida, and Pennsylvania. The new study, titled “Associations Matter: Associations by the Numbers,” uses U.S. government statistics to provide a review of the association community, with key metrics focusing primarily on employment, wages, revenue, and assets. The study also compares the association sector with other major industries and examines association employment and wage trends over a 10-year period. www.meetingnews.com http://www.TradeshowStore.com http://www.4imprint.com http://www.TradeshowStore.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - January 7, 2008

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