Despite a 12 percent drop in its Medtrade Conference and Exhibition (which still drew 21,000 attendees), held October 23 to 25 in New Orleans, Atlanta-based VNU Expositions is anticipating a banner year for its Medtrade Spring 2002, scheduled for April 22 to 24 in Las Vegas.

“We should be up about 20 percent for exhibitors, and expect to draw about 5,000 attendees” says Corey Smith, VNU's director of sales, of the conference and exhibition for home medical equipment suppliers. In fact, the show is growing so much that it had to move from the Las Vegas Hilton to the Sands Expo and Convention Center for its spring 2002 show.

Smith attributes the show's phenomenal 70 percent growth since 1997 to a recent repositioning, including the new name — it used to be the Future Show. “We saw an immediate boost both in attendance and exhibitors,” says Smith, adding that they've also devoted more resources, and are marketing it nationally instead of just regionally. He expects the larger fall show also will outstrip its usual one percent to 2 percent annual increase because of a broadening of scope that will pull in new exhibitors without alienating its core group.

The American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2001, held November 11 to 14 in the Anaheim Convention Center, the Anaheim Marriott, and the Anaheim Hilton, pulled more than 25,000 health care professionals to discuss the latest in treating cardiovascular patients and related research. According to Elaine Cali, an Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau spokesperson, it was the largest convention held at the Anaheim Convention Center to date since the September 11 attacks.