Coverings 2007 Nears 37,000 Mark

CHICAGO – The registration count went up for this year’s Coverings tile-and-stone event here in April – and nearly half the names turned out to be new to the big show.
National Trade Productions, the producer of Coverings, noted that registered attendance totaled nearly 37,000 for the four-day exposition and conference at McCormick Place Convention Center on April 17-20, representing an increase of eight percent from last year in Orlando.
The big increase came with architects and designers, with their attendance up 87 percent from 2006. And, almost half — 49 percent — of all registered attendees acknowledged that this was their first Coverings.
“Coverings attendance has been steadily on the rise over the past four years, growing 30.3 percent in this period,” said Tamara Christian, NTP’s CEO in Alexandria, Va. “Tile and stone are emerging as fashion statements in design. And, though housing has slowed, home improvement hasn’t, and consumers are clamoring for the types of style and individuality that these materials can create. The demand is there.”
Data from Coverings 2007 also showed:
• Retailer attendance up 17 percent;
• Contractor attendance up 22 percent; and
• Stone-distributor attendance up nearly eight percent.
The Chicago event also brought attendees from other parts of the country. Attendance was up 48 percent from the East North Central region (including the Chicago area); 28 percent from the Pacific West; and 22 percent from the Mountain region.
Coverings 2008 is scheduled for April 29-May 2 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.