Reports of a decline in attendance, widely disseminated in a report by The Brookings Institution earlier this year, are dispelled by a recent analysis of events serviced by ExpoExchange, Conferon and ITS, industry-leading companies of Conferon Global Services (CGS).

The analysis compared year-to-year attendance figures for more than 200 events held annually in 2002, 2003 and 2004. (The 2002 baseline was 2.3 million attendees.)

The findings revealed that average attendance at these trade shows and association conventions grew at the rate of 2.2 and 2.7 percent in 2003 and 2004 respectively, and for shows held in the first quarter of 2005, attendance has grown to 4.24 percent. This climb exceeds the nation’s 3.5 percent GDP growth rate for Q1.

“Events in the CGS Trade Show/Convention Attendance Index represent a wide cross-section of industries,” said Bruce Harris, President, CGS. “There are clearly identifiable growth sectors as well as market segments that have struggled, but the breadth of the entire sample offers an accurate snapshot of heightened trade show and convention attendance.

“Benchmarking attendance figures from the economy’s high point in 1999 to the low point during the recession, which included the aftermath of 9/11, presents a skewed picture of industry trends,” he added, referring to The Brookings Institution’s report. “The 2002 to 2005 attendance history gives a better picture of what the short-term future holds for us. It’s an analysis CGS will continue to track and share with the industry.”