tradeshows

media type="custom" key="26093882" align="right"Status Report: Travel Trade Shows and Hybrid Variations
related: events, hybrid slideshare: [|engaging events] editing: [|events]


 * The travel trade show needs re-imagining, re-inventing and rethinking.**

More people seem to be outside than inside the tent. While it's well and good to host physical meetups, are the trade shows using livestreaming video and engaging remote participants?

Essays
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Examples
Compare and contrast the global shows: itb (berlin, germany) indaba (durban, south africa) tianguis turístico (mexico) trenz (new zealand) wtm (london, england)

[|NY Travel Festival]
 * Innovation**

Questions
How will the success of the trade show be evaluated? Is there livestreaming video? Are there tips for remote participants? Are trade show newspapers available for simultaneous pdf download? Is there a directory of exhibitors? Are press releases archived online? How much are speakers paid? How much are celebrities paid for endorsements?

Buzzword Bingo
Admission - Break Down - Convention - Economic Impact - Pavilion - Set Up - **Trade Show** - Vendor - VIP

Elsewhere on the Web
[|Indaba 2014 & I’m not there] http://www.thesocialcmo.com/blog/2014/01/how-to-use-social-media-at-a-trade-show

Slideshare
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YouTube
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Essay
What bothers me about travel trade shows in particular is that it’s all about the people not in the room — the locals scattered around the country and the visitors, national and international. If there are no attempts to inform and engage everyone, the travel trade show in particular is doing a lousy job.

Trade shows rarely provide an opportunity to discuss critical issues. If there is controversy or disagreement, the topic is usually off the radar and left unspoken at these events.

The majority of tourism players are the mom and pop businesses which curiously are rarely able to afford a stand at these events. This is business as usual. 95% of who shows up are the intermediaries and resellers of local travel. It's not just the unwillingness to pay that keeps local businesses out of the loop, most of the events are also quite political in nature with little opportunity to question the politics. For operators who are great on the ground interacting with visitors and neighbors, they often have no patience dealing with the latest bureaucrats in charge of tourism.

If the budgets for the events are not disclosed, then there is little incentive for these events to pull their weight. In terms of longevity, the big ticket trade shows will continue to thrive as long as there is little to no accountability and transparency.

How often do we simply stay indoors and look at pictures of the outside?

1) Criticism: Trade shows are expensive and superficial

2) Criticism: Grassroots operations cannot afford to attend (unless they 'scale up' or are subsidized)

2) Online connectivity remains poor and engagement an afterthought

3) Local connections remain poor

4) Greenwashing occurs within the framework of the event

Surprising Examples of Positive Momentum
1) WTM Leo Hickman Q&A webcast on Facebook (2011)

2) Livestreaming UNWTO on Tourism and Media (2012)

Suggestions
If you don't want a stale event, it's time for a reboot


 * How to use social media to boost your presence at trade shows:**

Article on Search Engine Journal
 * 1) Twitter
 * 2) YouTube
 * 3) Promote your booth before the show begins
 * 4) Collect information using mobile polling
 * 5) Make contacts on Facebook
 * 6) Also: QR codes - make it easy for your visitors to access your information on line

Twitter https://twitter.com/ICCAWorld

Questions
How well do travel trade shows benefit locally-owned or community-driven tourism services? media type="custom" key="24317800" media type="custom" key="24318284"

Embedded Tweets
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https://twitter.com/jasonclampet/status/825048640259387393