THEORGANISERof Short Breaks ’99 plans to hold a second event in 2000, despite poor attendance figures this year.
An estimated 5,500 visitors – rather than the forecast 12,000 – attended the exhibition at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London between January 22 and 24.
Touchwood Exhibitions director Richard Wright admitted attendance had been disappointing and a review of the event would be held. But he insisted plans for a second one would go ahead.
Wright claimed many of the 150 exhibitors had a good response from visitors, particularly those selling product, as opposed to promoting awareness among the public.
The company issued 350,000 tickets and spent ú100,00 on promotion.
Condor Ferries sales and marketing manager Nick Dobbs, whose company was an exhibitor, said visitor numbers had ranged from fair to dismal over the three days of the event.
The company invested in point-of-sale material and special stand facilities for the event, which Dobbs said might prove hard to justify in the light of the poor attendance.
He was uncertain whether Condor would exhibit again if another event is held.
However, a spokeswoman for Thomson Breakaway, which was involved in promoting Short Breaks ’99, said it would consider taking part again next year.
“Although there weren’t huge numbers of people coming through the door, those who did were in the right kind of target market,” she said.