Coverings 2003, the stone and tile industry's annual trade show in Orlando, FL, was recently held from March 24 to 27, less than a week after the first allied military strikes on Iraq. Obviously, the timing of this unsettling event made many members of the stone industry think long and hard about whether they wanted to get on an airplane and head to this trade show. Even some members of the Stone World staff debated the issue before ultimately deciding to go ahead with their travel plans.
Those industry members who chose not to attend the exhibition could hardly be blamed. This is a difficult time to be traveling, and as people look inward and re-evaluate their priorities, sometimes the thought of leaving one's family during a time of war can be too much to bear. Certainly, the somewhat reduced crowd on the show floor illustrated that many people were indeed swayed against traveling. In some ways, it was eerily reminiscent of the 2001 Marmomacc exhibition in Verona, Italy. That show, which took place only a few weeks after the September 11 attacks, also saw a decline in attendance -- despite also being a top international event for the stone industry.