Its rivals in the exhibitions game on the other hand (namely the Australian Events Expo and Melbourne’s AIME) would be something more akin to Evian water – business without the froth and bubbles.
Whereas RSVP is full of light, action, movement, activity, and those exhibiting more likely to consult a stylist to find “the look” they’re after, AEE and AIME are more subdued, calming even, with exhibitors preferring business suits to designer denim.
Perhaps this is part of the reason why this year RSVP Sydney held in early July kicked butt in visitor numbers over AEE. RSVP 08 Sydney may have had just over 40 more exhibitors than its Melbourne counterpart but it certainly whipped it in the visitor stakes, recording a whopping 6046 people coming through the doors.
Put this down to good marketing, good branding, or whatever, but it seems that there are plenty of people out there who had to visit the “cooler” event in 2008.
RSVP Sydney in 2008 delivered plenty of exhibitors with new products and enthusiasm, although some believed not as much colour as RSVP 08 Melbourne, or indeed the quality of buyers that the Melbourne event did.
Exhibitor at RSVP Sydney, RSVP Melbourne and AEE, Jacqueline Caldecoat of CLV Smart Stays said she found the Sydney market a tougher market.
“The willingness for delegates to stop and discuss the product was not as frequent as at the Melbourne market. In fact, I found one in 10 delegates who attended were in fact developing their own company and were not a genuine delegate looking for suppliers.
“Unfortunately, the look and atmosphere from the entertainers at the show through to the post-production event (the boat cruise) did not come anywhere near the standard Melbourne’s RSVP event expo delivered.”
Anybody who attended the 2007 RSVP party after dark would have experienced a marked difference at this year’s event.
A boat transfer aboard the Bella Vista from Darling Harbour took guests to Circular Quay and the all-new Argyle Venues at The Rocks which had none of the difficulties seating the oversized group. With more space to move around there was plenty of food for hungry guests.
The proprietors even accommodated guests who were hanging out to watch the final State of Origin rugby league game, showing it on the big screen in the cobblestone courtyard.
Exhibitors and business event tradeshow visitors will be celebrating with news that the Australian Events Expo (AEE) and RSVP’s Sydney event will be held side-by-side in 2009.
Owner of both shows, ETF, says the decision was made following heavy consultation with exhibitors and show visitors.
ETF’s director of exhibitions Rodney Cox told mice.net magazine time-poor visitors was a strong reason for the decision to co-locate the events as was the ability (or lack thereof) for exhibitors to continue to support both shows.
He said ETF anticipated that it may “take a hit” financially because some companies who had exhibited at both shows in the past may elect to only exhibit at one in 2009, but believed that the future success of the events were assured with the co-location strategy.
Mr Cox said there was a 10 to 20 per cent crossover of visitors to AEE and RSVP although a considerably higher percent (around 70 per cent) had intentions of attending both prior to the shows. But this 70 per cent figure of those wanting to attend both did not materialise, with many buyers claiming they found it increasingly hard to get out of the office to attend two events.
ETF general manager, Matthew Walton said co-locating RSVP and AEE will deliver real benefits to all stakeholders.
“RSVP is a powerful and well established brand dedicated to corporate hospitality and special events in Australia,” he said.
“Our objective for AEE is for it to become a truly national expo for business events, based in Sydney. Under this strategy it is important that both events retain their existing identity, so a merger was not appropriate.”
Each event will retain its individual branding and have separate entry points, however, visitors will be able to visit both shows through connecting aisles.
Mr Cox said the expansion of AEE this year to include exhibitors from New Zealand was not a strategy that would see AEE turned into a Sydney version of AIME in Melbourne.
He said the predominantly Sydney audience who attend AEE buy product nationally and in New Zealand, which is often viewed as an extension of Australia.
“We are not trying to build an empire [with this show] but it does need to reflect the audience and their purchasing patterns.”
The RSVP Sydney and AEE events will be held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday, July 22, and Thursday, July 23, 2009, with RSVP Sydney in Halls 5 and 6 and AEE in Hall 4.
A representative of Single Market Events, which owns the ESP exhibition, targeted at office professionals, said ESP will also be held at the venue at the same time.
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