The exhibition floor space and the number of exhibitors at COMDEX/Asia 2001 has been halved this year - amid a less than positive outlook for the tech industry.
Only 3,000 people pre-registered for the regional IT event, compared with 4,000 in 2000, a COMDEX spokesperson said.
COMDEX/Asia 2001 was held at Suntec International Conventions and Exhibition Centre in Singapore from April 10 to 12.
Last year, the event housed at the same location occupied 3,559 sq meters of exhibition floor. The event then had attracted over 20,000 visitors, 800 delegates and speakers, as well as approximately 225 exhibitors.
However, the floor space was cut down to 1,500 sq meters and the number of exhibitors has dwindled to a mere 125 this year.
Going cold
Moreover, some major names in the industry, who participated in COMDEX last year, did not even take part this year.
These prominent players include Microsoft Singapore, Sony Singapore, Fuji Photo Film, Trend Micro, Acer Computer, Singapore Computer Systems and Info-communications Development Authority of Singapore.
Responding to queries, a Microsoft spokesperson said: "It's not commercially viable for us to set up a booth this year and we don't have the resources to front the activities at COMDEX."
A second-time visitor and exhibitor at COMDEX here, Mark Warrener, who is attached to the Tasmanian Department of State Development Marketing for Investment Trade and Development unit, said: "COMDEX seems to be a lot smaller this year...if memory serves me right the exhibition hall went all the way to the other end last year."
"I see that most of the big names are not here this year," he added.
No traffic jam
"Today the traffic is lighter," he observed, on the first day of COMDEX. "Perhaps its Tuesday," he said, adding hopefully: "maybe we'll see more people tomorrow or the day after."
This year, the incessant freebies, usually given out by scantily-clad models which are almost a norm in high profile regional events, were a rare sight as exhibitors toned down their marketing efforts.
When asked about the possibility of the demise of COMDEX, its organising committee chairman Michael Ang explained that with the cooling of the dot-com craze now, "it's only natural to see the number fall."
On the bright side, he noted that "we were fortunate that we did not have any major vendors pulling out."
The conference this year covered topics on Application Service Provider (ASP), digital learning and wireless technology.
