The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) reported that Expo! Expo! IAEE’s annual meeting and exhibition, held Dec. 6-8, 2011 in Las Vegas, yielded higher attendance than in 2010, according to an independent attendance verification audit conducted by Exhibit Surveys, Inc. The audit was conducted in compliance with the requirements of attendance audits circulated by the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission (EEIAC).
Key statistics comparing Expo! Expo! 2011 to the 2010 event reflect that overall attendance increased by 13 percent; the total number of attendees (those not exhibiting) increased 16 percent; corporate organizers increased from 7.6 percent to 14.3 percent; and first-time meeting attendees increased from 21.9 percent to 27.4 percent.
“This a great sign not only for IAEE, but for the exhibitions and events industry as a whole,” said Steven Hacker, president, IAEE. “As for Expo! Expo!, we are constantly evaluating our programs and offerings to make sure attendees receive the most benefits possible from our event.”
Another successful program at Expo! Expo! 2011 was IAEE’s partnership with Repurpose AMERICA to recycle unwanted materials from the show and benefit the local community. Repurpose AMERICA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization, whose mission is to enable a sustainable community through innovation and education. Repurpose AMERICA works to achieve its mission by partnering with organizations to generate new revenue streams and decrease expenses.
“We used the Expo! Expo! materials in a great art event that is a part of the First Friday event in downtown Las Vegas,” said Zachary Delbex, CEO, Repurpose AMERICA. “The organization Zappos.com has been investing in the downtown art scene and this is the first time a live animation was created during their event. We are in talks to use more material from Expo! Expo! to create an interactive art event.”
IAEE is also preparing another series of education sessions at IAEE’s mid-year meeting, which will be held May 30-June 1, 2012, at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. In addition to specialized programs, IAEE’s mid-year meeting will include Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) courses, the IAEE Krakoff Leadership Institute and IAEE Krakoff Advanced Leadership Institute, and the IAEE Sales Academy professional certification program.
