FAIRFAX, Va. June 9, 2005 - The International Communications Industries Association, Inc.® (ICIA®) announced final attendance figures for InfoComm 05. The annual conference and exhibition for audiovisual buyers and sellers worldwide held June 4-10 in Las Vegas grew 15 percent over 2004, attracting 26,322 AV professionals from more than 80 countries. Last year, 22,894 attended from 75 countries.
"InfoComm continues to be the one tradeshow where most professional AV service providers make their important buying decisions for the year," said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., ICIA executive director. "We are also seeing a strong increase in the number of AV and IT managers who attend. Buyers of information communications technologies see InfoComm as their best opportunity to network with product and service providers, as well as to enhance their skills through our robust educational program."
InfoComm attracted 11,489 commercial service providers as well as 6,346 technology manager end users, a segment that increased 31 percent over the 2004 Show. Seventy percent of technology manager end-users who attended work in education, business and government, a reflection of the growth in the use of information communication, presentation and AV technologies worldwide. The number of professionals from the education market doubled over the previous year. Other large growth sectors included sports, entertainment and hospitality, up 160 percent compared to 2004, and the retail and sales sector, which emerged as an important vertical market at InfoComm for the first time.
According to ICIA, 90 percent of InfoComm 05 attendees stated that they either authorize or recommend equipment purchases. Thirty-two percent of attendees have annual AV communications technology budgets over $5 million. According to Exhibit Surveys, an independent market research company, InfoComm was the leading show for highest net buying influence in 2004.
Industry Conference at InfoComm
InfoComm Academy sessions set a record pace with 6,677 registrations, a 12-percent increase over 2004. Super Tuesday sessions attracted 716 registrants, an increase of 20 percent.
ICIA's three-day Institute for Professional Development attracted a record of 345 attendees, up 52 percent from 2004. The InfoComm Academy Certification Prep Course, among many that sold out, attracted 90 participants at its premiere InfoComm appearance. At its conclusion, more than two-thirds of those sat for their exam and earned their Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) credentials.
Another popular sold-out course was Networking for the Commercial AV Professional, a course geared to the growing need to learn how information and AV technologies must be addressed jointly. Other IPD courses included Facilities Design for Universities, Lighting for Videoconference and Presentation Space, Videoconference: Technology, Applications and Trends, and Design School Level 1.
Courses on videoconferencing, technology trends, interactive classrooms, AV/IT convergence, flat panel display technologies and streaming media were among the top draws.
Record Exposition
A record 725 exhibitors participated at InfoComm this year, representing a 12-percent increase over the previous record of 647 in 2004. Exhibitors occupied 385,540 net square feet of paid exhibits, meeting and special events space, compared to 319,860 square feet in 2004. More than 170 new exhibitors joined this year's show.
About ICIA/InfoComm
ICIA is the international trade association of the professional audiovisual and information communications industries. Established in 1939, ICIA's 3,300 members include manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end-users and multimedia professionals from more than 70 countries. ICIA is the founder of InfoComm, a conference and exhibition for AV buyers and sellers worldwide. ICIA also co-sponsors the Integrated Systems Asia, Integrated Systems China and Integrated Systems Europe industry expositions.
InfoComm is a communications tradeshow, offering attendees the opportunity to explore first-hand the many audio, video, display, projection, conferencing, streaming media, lighting, staging, digital signage, presentations, control, networked and wireless AV systems and applications for professional environments in one location. Visitors include service providers such as systems integrators, dealers, design consultants and rental & staging, presentations and production professionals.
The show also attracts the buyers, designers and users of AV technology, including IT professionals, architects, facilities managers, engineers, presentations designers, end-users, sales and marketing staff and meeting planners. InfoComm caters to a broad spectrum of market sectors, including business, government, military, education, worship, healthcare, entertainment and conventions. InfoComm 05 was sponsored by leading audiovisual and information communications manufacturers.