What is the future of the trade show? There are several short-term and long-term factors that can have an impact on the answer to this question. One relatively short-term factor that plays into the equation is the struggling economy, which has caused a decline in many companies’ and individual’s travel budgets. A long-term factor to consider is the Internet and how it is evolving more and more everyday into our primary source for information. When the information is at our fingertips, we may not be as inclined to physically go out and seek it, nor do we have as much time to do so.

On the other hand, the Internet cannot replace the networking opportunities and expert lectures/workshops that often accompany a trade show. Also, the increasing trend of requiring continuing education and professional development hours may draw more people than ever to attend trade shows. It’s a tough call, but perhaps the results of this Point of View poll give some insight into the future of the trade show. Surveyors seem to have a positive outlook, almost 80 percent of those who responded to this poll said they thought the future of surveying conferences is strong.