InfoComm 2009, the annual AV trade show held June 17-19 in Orlando, FL, gained the distinction of being one of the biggest commercial AV shows ever held on the East Coast. Exhibitors occupied more than 425,000 net square feet of exhibit and special events space in the Orlando Convention Center.
Initial estimates put this year’s attendance at more than 29,000 AV professionals from more than 80 countries, down about 16 percent from 2008, when the show was held in Las Vegas. Similarly, the total of 850 exhibitors was down compared to last year’s record show, which is typical for major technology trade shows during times of economic woes.
While numbers were down from the record-breaking 2008 show in Las Vegas, an apples-to-apples view shows that this year’s InfoComm looked significantly better when compared with 2006, the last time the show was held in Orlando. From that perspective, attendance, number of exhibitors and square footage were all up roughly 10 percent from the previous Orlando show, held a time when the economy was robust.
With its growing emphasis on education and certification for integrators, the show saw 7249 registrations for InfoComm Academy courses this year, including 388 enrollees in Institute of Professional Development. All 60 seats for the Certified Technology Specialist exam at a local testing center also were sold out.
Established in 1939, InfoComm has evolved to become the global leader in AV integration and education, encompassing technologies in display, projection, audio, collaborative conferencing, control and networking applications.
