PAACE Automechanika Mexico
OVERALL TOP 25 RANK: 1

Organizer: Messe Frankfurt Inc.
Location: Centro Banamex, Mexico City, Mexico

2010 Exhibit Hall Square Footage: 101,784
Rank: 9
Growth from 2009: 95 percent
Rank: 4

2010 Attendance: 12,154
Rank: 8
Growth from 2009: 7 percent
Rank: 21

2010 Exhibitors: 647
Rank: 8
Growth from 2009: 174 percent
Rank: 1

Attendees Per Square Foot of Exhibit-Hall Space: .119
Rank: 10

Revenue Growth from 2009: 74 percent
Rank: 3

This Central American powerhouse of a show produced by Messe Frankfurt for the automotive industry took our number-one spot. The show saw significant growth across all key metrics, especially on the show floor where net square feet and booths virtually doubled.

Exhibitor revenue shot up an astounding 97 percentage points and overall revenue was up 74.5 percent. While attendee growth did not leap as dramatically, its associated revenue did. Total attendees in 2010 were 12,154 compared to 2009’s 11,409, but revenues were up 52 percent year-over-year.

Different for the show in 2010 was the enlistment of exhibitors to help drive attendee growth. “We relied on our exhibitors to use the VIP invitations provided to them to mail to their customers,” says Messe Frankfurt spokeswoman Kristen Woodburn. “The invitations provided a discounted entrance fee to the show. Ten percent of our attendees came to the show using exhibitor invites.”

Show organizers focused attendee promotions on both online and direct mail efforts. Digital marketing had a particularly high return. Email campaigns, Web site partnerships and social media all helped draw just over a third of the attendees.

While new technology initiatives were limited, careful attention was paid to matching visitor demographic profiles to the categories listed in the onsite show directory. “Attendee engagement became most possible through our official show directory by providing easy product lists to help navigate the show floor and locate exhibitors,” Woodburn said.

Also new for 2010 was a live television recording of the Mexican TV show Tuneame la Nave. Attendees were treated to a live automotive workshop on the show floor, which featured the customization of a car and a “reveal” on the last day. The workshop drew thousands of attendees.

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