Last week’s ISE 2013 was the best-attended AV industry tradeshow ever held, anywhere in the world.
Once again, the show’s attendance set a new record. This year’s total of 44,151 registered attendees is an 8% increase on 2012’s world record of 40,869. Just under 900 exhibitors – also a record for ISE – occupied all 12 halls of the Amsterdam RAI.
“Few who attended our inaugural event in 2004 could have imagined just how big, how interconnected and how inclusive ISE would become within less than a decade,” commented Mike Blackman, managing director of show organiser Integrated Systems Events. “ISE 2013 demonstrated more clearly than ever that the electronic systems integration industry is capable of defying economic headwinds and encouraging its stakeholder companies toward continued growth.”
In the on-site exhibitor rebooking process for ISE 2014, over 500 companies reserved space totalling more than 30,000 square metres; this is 93% of the show’s 2013 footprint and over 75% of the expanded area that ISE will occupy in Amsterdam next year. The organisers note that many of these were smaller to medium-sized exhibitors that are relatively new to the show.
“What we clearly see emerging now at ISE is a fresh wave of exhibitors that are building their businesses on the back of their ability to inspire new connections, greater collaboration and, perhaps above all, wonderful content,” Blackman concluded.
“All the signs point to a wonderful show in 2014, and a rosy future for an industry that continues to grow into business sectors that would have seemed out-of-bounds to us only a few short years ago.”
