The number of buyers attending the 37th annual SIA.08 SnowSports Trade Show dipped slightly (-1.4%) on flat overall attendance, according to figures provided by SnowSports Industries America.
Exhibitors displaying new product lines for the 2008-09 season represented over 95% of the market share for the ski and snowboard sectors and 80% of the Nordic, telemark and snowshoe market, the SIA said.
The SIA said 421 exhibitors representing nearly 1,000 brands exhibited in more than 3,570 booths over 357,000 net exhibit square feet at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas from Jan. 29-Feb. 1. On the buyer side, 4,800 buyers representing 1,532 buying company managements and 29,301 storefronts, resorts and buying companies worldwide attended.
By comparison, SIA.07 welcomed 17,332 attendees, including 4,870 buyers, up 3% from the prior year. They represented 1,555 shops and 23,770 storefronts worldwide. The buying power index, measured by Leisure Trends Group, for this years show topped out at 89% for the U.S. retail buying power represented at SIA.07.
