Attendance was definitely lower than previous years. Taxi lines were shorter, and sometimes even non-existent. There was a bit more elbow room on the show floor, and there were even vacant spaces at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
In these tough economic times, CES organizers and hotels did something completely unprecedented. Hotels agreed to offer discounted rates and applied them RETROACTIVELY to those who booked in advance. Hotels had gouged CES attendees over the last 10 years, to the point where $100 rooms were jacked up to $400 per night. Not this time around. Not when there are vacancies and alot of companies looking to cut back on travel expenses.
I'm still scratching my head, not believing that my hotel bill came to $35 for 3 nights. This was including complimentary buffet breakfast!!! It was at the non-descript and very dated Excalibur, but it is still conveniently located on the Las Vegas strip.
It looks like hotel operators were desperate to keep rooms filled and show organizers were desperate to keep CES relevant. Here's an upbeat show summary that was issued as an official
CES press release
In this digital age, new product announcements can all be done through the speed and vast reach of the internet. However, I still think CES is an important venue for the consumer electronics business, as there will always be a need for hands-on interaction with products. It also provides a venue by which one can easily share feedback with engineers, product reps, and buyers alike.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment