Despite difficult economic conditions, attendee turnout at Las Vegas-based The Great West Truck Show held last month was excellent, said Mike Reilly, president and CEO of Randall-Reilly, the show’s owner. “To have a show hold up under such dramatic economic pressure and have such good attendance was better than anyone expected,” said Reilly.
“Although the show was smaller than in 2008, the quality and quantity of attendees, in such challenging times, was unprecedented,” said Alan K. Sims, vice president/executive director.
Show management reported that overall visitor registrations totaled 16,524, down 11.7 percent from last year. However, the show saw gains in key “qualified” attendee categories.
Of the qualified registered attendees, the executive management/owner category increased 11.8 percent. Private fleet attendance increased 3 percent. “We were pleased with the quality of attendees, but were even more pleased with exhibitor’s reactions,” Sims said.
“I thought it was the most productive show, in terms of the number of quality of contacts, of any show I’ve personally attended to date,” commented Lane Bartram, marketing manager, with Arrow Truck Sales. Bud Weisbart, vice president with A&R Tarpaulins said: “The quality of attendance was one of the best ever, and we actually made contacts on the show floor that are resulting in sales.”
Next year’s Great West Truck Show will be held June 17-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Randall-Reilly also produces the Great American Trucking Show, held annually in Dallas, Texas. GATS has been recognized by Tradeshow Week, a leading industry publication, as one of the “Fastest 50,” the fastest-growing events in the U.S. and Canada, as well as one of the “Tradeshow 200” events, which represent the 200 largest events in the U.S. and Canada.
