Numbers Stronger - and More Last-Minute - for ACA Meeting

 Event: American Camp Association (ACA) National Conference

2007 MEETING (Feb. 13-16):
Austin drew slightly larger attendance than the 2006 meeting in Chicago (which had exceeded expectations). Amy Katzenberger, ACA's director of education services, attributed this in part to curiosity; ACA had never met in Austin.

Challenge: Both attendees and exhibitors are making travel and participation decisions much later than in years past, according to Katzenberger. The smaller window of time has made sleeping room management more challenging.

INITIATIVES: "We've become more nimble," Katzenberger said. "The response is encouraging."

The association has begun working closely with evaluations and needs assessment data to develop programs that meet the evolving needs of its audience.

In the last two years, ACA has tightened exhibit hours, offering more focused time in the hall. The association has also repositioned exhibits as being educational, not only platforms for commerce. Traffic has improved and pre-show sales are holding strong.

SPECIAL REPORT: Columbus

Acentral location - and an aggressive sales and marketing initiative with increased trade show participation - have expanded the meetings business in Ohio's capital city. "Associations are learning what we have to offer, specifically in the engineering, health and medical, and education markets. The religious market remains strong and we're making headway in the direct selling market," said Shellie O'Toole, Experience Columbus director of sales and services. The numbers: 47,000 more room nights in 2006 than 2005; 26,000 more room nights booked in 2007 than recorded at the same time for 2006, and there are an additional 44,000 pending rooms; a lead of 49,000 room nights ahead of the five-year historical booking pace; and the room nights remain ahead for 2009, 2010, and 2012.

Small Changes for ARA Awards Market Are Well Received

Event: Awards and Recognition Association (ARA) Annual International Awards Market

2007 MEETING (Feb. 21-24): Always held in Las Vegas

Challenge: The show has maintained a successful pattern, with more than geography remaining unchanged. Attendance has held steady - the last 10 years have seen only the slightest fluctuations in ARA's numbers. The number of exhibitors didn't shift from 2006, but the size of the exhibit hall increased. "We had a larger hall this year, so I feared that there would be a perception that attendance was down," said Brian Fitzgerald, ARA sales manager.

Initiatives: Leading into the exhibit area, attendees passed a product showcase and a silent auction area. And in the exhibit area, arrangement of booths and good traffic kept the hall from feeling empty. For the first time, the association offered three sessions in Spanish, giving the content of the "International" show a more multicultural feel. And the typical silent auction, which raises funds for an industry educational foundation, was expanded and well received.