Sadly, our industry isn’t always great at unifying itself and being heard. Part of the problem, I’m sure, stems from our segmentation. Are we the exhibition industry? The meeting industry? The association industry? We’re so disjointed and represented by so many varying organizations that we don’t really have recognition in the business community as one “industry.”

I also think it’s really easy to get caught up in the minutia of running a show and forget to step back and see the bigger picture. No, I’m not talking about your strategic plan. I’m talking about the really big picture — international trade.

President Obama has set a goal for doubling U.S. exports by 2015. Do you see what a huge role we could play in that? And how solidly would that position you with your exhibiting customers — if you could double their exports — or, for many, even begin their exports? We know that U.S. exhibitions could easily allow U.S. companies to reach international buyers. But no one outside our industry really gets that because we don’t have the voice we need.

The International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), and a few other “international” players and organizations are stepping up to help, but this is going to take much more of a unified effort — from everyone. Some of the current recommendations include:

•    A  material increase of resources to the U.S. Department of Commerce's Trade Fair Certification and International Buyers Programs;
•    Getting the Department of Homeland Security on the newly appointed Export Promotion Cabinet because Homeland Security issues are materially impeding international in-bound travel;
•    Providing substantially more resources to U.S. embassies and consulates in key trading nations to expedite the issuance of U.S. visas;
•    Recommending the immediate expansion of the U.S. Visa Waiver Program to include key trading partners like China, India and Brazil where the prospects for the purchase of U.S. goods and services is greatest;
•    Recommending the establishment of a "Trusted Business Traveler" program to expedite the return to U.S. trade events of foreign buyers with a track record of compliance and who are not included on any security watch lists;
•    Recommending that "Exhibition Desks" be established in each of the embassies and consulates of key trading nations.

Beyond that, we need a voice. We need to be recognized as an industry responsible for trade. We need letters, lobbying, advertising and PR. Without such an effort, not only might we miss this opportunity, but we’ll leave a void others will fill. Let’s not forget what the word “trade” in “trade show” means.