The trials and tribulations of a whistle-stop holiday in Europe were humorously portrayed in a film quaintly called If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium.
The same sentiment springs to mind when you scan the international air show calendar, which now boasts a plethora of events, both major and minor.
The challenge facing many exhibitors, budgets and logistics aside, must be the problems encountered by personnel staffing the shows who presumably have work to do in the office as well.
As the industry generally acknowledges the trend towards mergers and collaboration, the reverse appears true in the exhibition arena, where national ambitions and market opportunities have combined to contribute to the growing number of aerospace expos.
Clearly a good place to market your exhibition is at an exhibition where your clients and potential clients are taking part. So Paris includes exhibits by some of the major international shows in Canada, the US, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Taiwan and Thailand.
Each claims its respective merits as a major market place in its respective region. Clearly, exhibitors have to make strategic decisions on the shows they plan to attend.
Dictate
Ultimately, as in any business though, the customers will dictate which shows will succeed.
One thing the exhibition industry can learn from the aerospace sector is that cost is paramount in the decision-making process, and any efforts to reduce the budgets which have been typically attached to air shows will be more than welcome.
To help you plan your itinerary until the end of next year, here is a line-up of some of the more important events on the calendar.
Source: Flight Daily News
