(New Orleans) – Retail sales are going up this Halloween season, and so are booth sales and registration numbers for the 2015 Halloween & Party Expo. There is no shortage of people preparing to take and place orders in New Orleans in February, an exciting time to travel to the vibrant city famous for food, music, multicultural events, and Mardi Gras.
With this year’s Halloween falling on a Friday, “more costumes than ever will be flying off the shelves as Americans gear up to celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year,” notes NRF’s Halloween Consumer Spending Survey. After a great season in 2014, Buyers will need to stock up for another heavy-hitter in 2015, when Halloween is on Saturday.
“Sales are always best when Halloween falls on the weekend,” says Kim Dean, the lead buyer for Wally’s Party Factory, a large chain of Halloween and party-supplies stores in Texas and Oklahoma. “We will definitely need to replenish our inventory after this season, especially in preparation for a Saturday Halloween. We are already having an outstanding year, sales-wise, and we are still two weeks out.”
Where are retailers going to re-stock for next year? The Halloween & Party Expo. As Sharon Wiess of Joe Sam’s Fun Shop says, “This show is very important. It’s our #1 show. If you don’t make this Expo, and buy at this Expo, you’ve pretty much lost all the insight of what’s going on in the industry.”
The Expo is definitely the place where the industry goes to shop. And a big reason for its success is the number and diversity of exhibitors that it attracts. In fact, last year’s post-convention survey shows that “95% of buyers are happy with the variety of different exhibitors at the show.” The 2015 Expo promises to have an even better roster of exhibitors, as the space on the show floor has almost reached max capacity. (If you an exhibitor and have not signed a booth contract yet, hurry! The last booths are going fast.) Also, hotel bookings for the 2015 Expo are up 57% over last year, so attendees should make their travel plans soon.
So, don’t delay in your plans to come to New Orleans and join the ranks of the top industry players. It will be a busy time in the city, so start your planning today!
Make a point to join us the night before the show opens, Thursday, February 5, for the new Kick-Off celebration. The party starts at 7 p.m. and will combine the best of both events into one grand spectacular event you will not want to miss. Check out the complete list of education sessions online under the Events Tab. And, begin using the MapYourShow Planner to begin making appointments. Visit www.HalloweenPartyExpo.com for more information on how to register or to view available booths.
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