“When we took over the management of Coverings, we knew the show was widely respected for displaying some of the most exquisite tile and stone the world has to offer,†stated Tamara Christian, Coverings' show director and president of National Trade Productions. “We now want to take Coverings to the next level and provide a series of forums to promote the business of stone and ceramic tile. We have scheduled sessions on everything from mosaic design to green building to supply chain management to showroom marketing and the finer points of generating media exposure for products. We think the new hall, new sessions and new management will provide a fresh perspective to this beautiful show.â€
Last year's exhibition drew a total of 18,892 attendees, despite the turbulent world events, which prevented some from traveling. That number is expected to significantly increase in 2004. Of last year's visitors, 76% were from the U.S., while 24% hailed from foreign countries. Additionally, there were 7,824 people at the show from a total of 1,450 exhibiting companies. Exhibitors came from 45 different countries and occupied more than half a million square feet of floor space.