As predicted based on earlier post-recession trade shows, this season’s MAGIC show is notably smaller, but most suppliers and vendors are upbeat about business.
The Advanstar trade shows"five MAGIC shows, PROJECT, and POOL"opened this season with a few format changes. PROJECT moved to Mandalay Bay, with some PROJECT brands leaving PROJECT for the Premier section of MAGIC. The South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center was not being used, although more than half of that reduction in space was due to moving PROJECT.
Although there were many fewer vendors this season, the traffic on the floor seemed only slightly less dense than in previous seasons.
The surprise was that many of the suppliers and vendors were upbeat about sales, in stark contrast to media reports about the demise of retail. We’ll be talking to more vendors to learn how the vendors’ perception of the business climate differs from the media’s and what differentiates the vendors who are doing well.
