Over 2,000 chairmen, 800 lighting designers, 1,000 engineers, 900 technicians / programmers and 500 installers are among them - with concert & touring, live events and theatre the fastest growing sectors and impressive growth coming from the AV visitor figures too. Confirming that PLASA 2010 continues to be viewed as a truly international event, 30% of registrations are from non-UK visitors.
Interest has been high as organiser PLASA Events has announced a stream of over 60 new and returning exhibitors over the summer, joining the show's regular cast of hundreds of key international brands, between them preparing to launch an estimated 500 new audio, video, lighting and stage technology products.
Also driving up interest is the expanded Education & Learning Programme and the co-location of two major new conferences: the first PLASA International Rigging Conference, with over 160 delegates signed up, and the inaugural AVNetworks 2010 Conference, aiming to bring people together at a critical time for standards developments in audio / video bridging (AVB), www.AVnetworks2010.com.
A new weekly email news service, launched this month, is keeping visitors abreast of what's new and what to bookmark, whilst new audio, video, lighting and stage technology & rigging web pages are providing a home for each sectors' latest news online (www.plasashow.com).
Show director Nicola Rowland comments, "This late surge before the end of the summer holidays is excellent news for exhibitors and visitors. There's a tremendous buzz about PLASA 2010 which always translates into a great atmosphere on the show floor. And that's just the daytime - this year's after-show events will be jumping with parties and press events at some of London's most iconic venues."
Adding to the hive of activity, the PLASA 2010 Bar will be open until 8pm on the first three days of the show, whilst the PLASA Awards for Innovation Ceremony will celebrate the best new products from this year's crop on Monday evening (6pm in the PLASA 2010 Bar). Plus there's Early Opening, allowing visitors to take a look at the Awards-nominated products in the Innovation Gallery from 9.30am each day, whilst grabbing a complimentary coffee and bookmarking products to view later.
(Jim Evans)
