Multiple overlapping events are bad for business; organizers start talking about collaborating on schedules and sharing best practices

As in-person events mount a comeback, a footwear association is bringing show organizers together to resolve a longstanding problem for the industry: too many shows overlap, overwhelming attendees and exhibitors.

Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America recently announced the formation of the Footwear Trade Show Council, a collaborative alliance "to increase information sharing, explore best practices and align critical dates for the industry," according to the association. Members include other associations, such as the National Shoe Retailers Association, as well as individual show producers.

The timing of footwear industry shows has been a topic of conversation for many years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic brought many events to a halt, according to Sandi Mines, FDRA's vice president of corporate engagement. Different segments of the industry complained the shows took place either too early or too late. Many show dates overlapped, forcing companies and attendees to split their teams among competing events.

The scheduling issues have hurt the industry and caused some shows to fold, Mines said.

"Sales reps don't have their full teams, they don't have their market people… because they have to divide and conquer or they just can't show up," she said. "There's missed business all over the place."

As a nonprofit association, FDRA decided to lead a conversation about coordination among the various events. The group approached the 14 or 15 entities that organize footwear trade shows and all said they wanted a seat at the table, Mines said. On its website, FDRA lists roughly three dozen industry events scheduled for 2022, including events organized by the Fashion Footwear Association of New York, which the group manages.

"We felt it was time to pull everyone together … to have a conversation and share intel primarily about our dates—that would be one of the bigger initiatives," Mines said. "Also, maybe we can share resources about who provides great technology resources, or quicker check-in, or safety protocols."

The fresh look comes as the in-person events industry ramps up for what it hopes to be a recovery year after two years of pandemic-related cancellations. A survey of nearly 2,600 business travelers released April 6 by the U.S. Travel Association found that 84% of respondents expect to take at least one trip to attend conferences, conventions or trade shows in the next six months. Roughly a quarter of respondents said they planned to attend more events than they did before the pandemic.

The Footwear Trade Council recently held its first meeting but no decisions were reached, Mines said. Rather, everyone is using the opportunity to build relationships and open up channels for sharing information. The council plans to meet on a quarterly basis, with most meetings taking place via videoconferencing.

"We'll try to do maybe one or two in person," she added.