The good news is that, despite falls in exhibitor and visitor numbers, exhibitions are holding up strongly against other media as customers continue to recognise the importance of conducting business face-to-face.
The latest EventView North America 2009 survey, published in February by Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and George P Johnson (GPJ), reveals that among all marketing channels, meetings and events are the discipline that best drives ROI, and accelerates and deepens brand relationships.
Additional surveys by other leading research organisations, including the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) and the Exhibitions Industry Alliance (EIA) provide a similarly rich source of powerful marketing ammunition.