DEMA'S "Water, Sports, and Travel show"?

[Leadking]

Just returned from DEMA's annual show and tried getting a grip on the future of DEMA's new consumer show in Ft Lauderdale.

I talked with a major manufacturer, and he was not only opposed, he said DEMA put themselves on the financial hook to the extent that if the show fails, it may take DEMA down with it.

Looking at the show website, it looks unchanged since June and you cannot find out who is exhibiting.

What are you hearing?

 

[mdb]

Leadking:
]
You have a good read on what is going on with the failing DEMA.
The Las Vegas show was very lightly attended, quite a few folks on the East Coast were not there.

DEMA is,and has been for some time, nothing more than travel, training and trinkets-sunglasses, and t-shirts, and comp tours, some parties, etc.
The real business days at a DEMA show are long gone.

The incestuous Board of Directors is just the good old boys club, elected and re-elected by each others vote.

Sad indeed.

 

[Leadking]

Seemed to be a fair amount of activity on the floor but very little order writing, according to my sources. It was stated that exhibitors were not even pushing retailers to commit. This might still be a reflection of the weak economy and exhibitors do no want to push to hard, for fear of alienating potential customers