Tip 55:  The Future of the Exhibition Industry 

Here are the significant findings of IAEM's white paper on The Future of the Exhibition Industry:

• The exhibition industry will continue into the future as part of an integrated marketing effort.
• Organizers face competition for attendance at in-person events from virtual alternates.
• B2B Internet options threaten to shift a significant portion of buyer/seller transactions away from exhibitions.
• The U.S. population is undergoing major changes in demographic and ethnic composition, which organizers need to recognize.
• Bill Gates is quoted as saying, "Face-to-face interaction will remain an important part of business... expositions provide an important marketing and sales opportunity to reach customers."

The 52-page white paper goes on to give recommendations as to what we can do to address these challenges. It is available for $59.95 from IAEM ($39.95 for members). To obtain a copy, go to www.iaem.org or call 972-458-8002.