Can big trade shows survive Apple and Google?
betanews
The problem with big trade shows is the size. There are so many new product announcements, many good ones get lost in the noise. By holding separate big events, Apple and Google can capture the most publicity for the buck -- as in what they spend to host their own events and what they don't spend to attend the trade show or for additional marketing. It's a strange turnaround. Tech companies are supposed to ride the tradeshow's coattails by attending the event. More

Companies turn to virtual trade shows to save money
USA Today
With travel budgets deeply slashed across corporate america, more companies are turning to virtual trade shows to connect with customers and suppliers. Virtual shows combine the latest technology in webcasting, online chats, video streaming, webinars and avatar graphics to offer the elements of trade shows: exhibitor booths, speeches, seminars, distribution of marketing literature and social "gatherings." More

2010 looking good for Sydney events
Spice News
CEO of Business Events Sydney Jon Hutchison said 2010 is destined to be a big year for business events in Sydney despite slashed travel budgets. BE Sydney, supporting the 2010 launch of the Events NSW Master Events Calendar, has marked the upcoming year as an attractive year for business events. "Many companies are vigilant about travel budgets, however others are continuing to realize that face-to-face meetings are important for business, helping to drive growth by fostering collaboration, idea-sharing and generation, and employee retention," said Hutchison. More

How To Work Franchise Trade Shows
Franchise Update
Franchise shows have experienced an exciting rebirth during the past few years. The annual International Franchise Expo in Washington, D.C., as well as regional shows in the U.S. and international expos, has provided a valuable recruiting venue for generating qualified buyers. But not everybody is jumping aboard. Some franchisors confess they aren't interested in trying this successful, revitalized lead source. More

Montreal North America's top city for international association events
MeetingsCanada.com
Montreal is now North America’s number-one host city for international association events, according to the recent results from the 2009 preliminary rankings of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). According to the ICCA rankings, Montreal places first among all North American destinations, ahead of top U.S. and Canadian meeting places, including New York, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, Miami and Chicago, as well as Vancouver and Toronto. More

Event planners try to dodge slide of dollar
The New York Times
Although it has ticked up a bit recently, the U.S. dollar did not have a particularly good 2009. Nor was its value against competing currencies like the euro and Japanese yen easy to predict. Coming on top of global economic weakness, the dollar’s travails just compounded the financial hardships faced by the professionals who plan and attend overseas meetings. While the general economic weakness plays a role in the decision to attend or not attend a meeting, Michael Payne, executive vice president of SmithBucklin, an association management company, said the current low value of the dollar added to the challenges faced by business travelers. More