New regime, new management, new ideas! Only taking over the show from last November, so how did it work out? Did they rejuvenate it or did they blow it?

The Photographic competition exhibition was gone, bad news – good news the sound system was much improved in all the talk areas. Travel lecture open theatres, did well for Nomad and even attracted more audience. Not so good for lectures using slides but I’m told made little difference for the ones who used digital presentations.

Amongst Gap year, and the sports adventure stands were others that believed in sustainable tourism; in fact, now a days all companies say they believe in this type of tourism; some I believe more than others! Dragon Overland, Queensland and even Gap for grown ups, were among the many exhibitors.

Wanderlust Magazine, Editor in Chief, Lyn Hughes led from the front by not only by having her large stand but also by putting her travel Advice Theatre next to it and importantly kept the sides covered to concentrate attention on her speakers and it worked very well in her case.

The Globetrotters Club had their own Travel Advisor Stand, (see picture left with some of our members and committee members) a little bit more out of the way than usual but it received many visitors and I hope new members. Personally I spoke to several who said they would check out the web site and think about joining. Dick Curtis who runs the London Globetrotter meetings (see photo below right) as usual did sterling work and organized everything with the new management. The members and committee covered the three days, each of them with an expertise in some part of the world or other.

Guys and girls from Adez fruit juice kept us supplied with cold juice which made up for the fact that food and drink is so expensive at the show. As is the custom with the Globetrotters Club, after the event in the evening, Matt our chair, guided us to a fine pub behind Olympia, without the aid of GPS and a compass – later I rolled off my bus outside my flat and thought a good night was had by all.

The climbing wall and the diving pool were good to see but I think the show lacked a few visual events; otherwise it is too much like one stand after the other. All the exhibitors were on hand to help or cajole us into going on to some amazing trip or other. Plus presentations on nearly every place you could wish to visit.

Visitor numbers seemed a bit down, but the new regime (ATS Events, UK Ltd) is going to have a few more visitor participant companies in next year’s show, and that they will start to plan for this, as this year’s show ends.

How did it work out? I think the jury still out but as they only had from November to plan and as they are continuing the rejuvenation process, we will know by next years Adventure Show. Every show of every type, whether west end musical or travel show, needs a shake up now and again as nothing can stay the same without starting to look tired and the boring. Visitors need to think they need to come every year and not just once every five years or so.

About the author Tony Annis: have camera will travel. Over the top but not yet over the hill. Past sixty five and still alive, my get up and go has not entirely got up and gone – like good whisky, I’m still going strong. I am always available for writing and photography commissions and still work professionally in journalism and broadcasting.

See you over the next horizon, Tony, e-mail: tony@annis.co.uk