15 June 2001
The Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) has completed a nine-month review into trade show marketing from which, it says, important lessons can be learned about making the best possible use of show opportunities.
The Global Trade Show Review (GTSR) says that no other medium delivers as much face-to-face contact with a company, its products, services and people in such a time effective manner.
“However, trade shows are operating in a rapidly changing environment. The Internet, changing distribution channels and emerging markets are just some of the factors affecting this dynamic environment,” the review notes.
The ATC said that one of the key issues to emerge from the trade show research has been the way various industry organisations approach trade shows in their marketing plans.
Respondents to one survey indicated that more than half of their international marketing budgets were allocated to trade shows. Too often, a trade show represents the complete marketing strategy, according to the report.
It was found that many organisations needed to review their approach and consider trade shows as a component of a broader plan. Budgets should allow for pre and post trade show activity, face-to-face meetings, training trips and so on.
“Put simply, trade shows are part of the marketing solution – not the sole answer.”
The ATC suggests that tourism operators should work closely with their local and regional tourism associations, and with the NTO, to ensure they are prepared and approaching the right people and events for their needs.
Speaking at Australian Tourism Exchange in Brisbane, Rhett Lego, ATC group director of trade marketing services, said that it was foolish for companies to spend all their marketing budget on a trade show and then have nothing left to follow up on opportunities provided by the show.
The ATC said that running a major tourism trade event like ATE had become increasingly complex.
Since 1987, Australian sellers have increased by more than 330 percent, international buyer companies by 107 percent and buyer delegates by 52 percent.
“The most significant factor in terms of success of ATE clearly relates to the availability of confirmed appointment schedules. Maintaining quality scheduled appointments is a priority for both buyers and sellers.”
At ATE 2001, the ATC introduced separate modules for the western hemisphere and the eastern hemisphere.
Typically at ATE, only about 30 percent of sellers’ appointments schedules were with buyers from Asia. The revised format of separate modules is intended to give sellers the option of having three full days of appointments with buyers from the eastern hemisphere.
“This is, in fact, greater than the amount of time they have had to meet with buyers under the old TABS format and will provide a much greater focus on specific customer needs in both modules.”
ATE 2002 will again be held in Brisbane before moving to Melbourne in 2003 and 2004.
From there, the show will move around Australia in a clockwise direction with Adelaide (2005) and Perth (2006) being given an opportunity to bid for the event.