AHR Expo returns but attendance is 40% down
11th February 2022
USA: The AHR Expo made a welcome return to Las Vegas last week, but the attendance was nearly 40% down on the last event in Orlando in 2020.
Lingering concerns over the coronavirus, which forced the cancellation of last year’s AHR Expo, might be blamed for limiting the attendance to 30,678 for the three-day event. The 1,573 exhibitors, spread across the Central and North halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, were also down around 20% on the 1,988 exhibitors in 2020.
That said, the event represented an eagerness to return to business after the hiatus of the last two years. “It was impossible to miss the energy in the halls this year,” said Mark Stevens, show manager. “There have been some heavy ups and downs across the industry in recent years and we, as a community, needed to feel the inspiration that happens when we gather together under one roof. The 2022 AHR Expo surpassed any expectation — our exhibitors, attendees, associations, speakers and everyone involved made this event one of the most special we’ve ever hosted. If you were there, the camaraderie was hard to miss. This industry is strong and we are back on track to tackle the challenges before us.”
The 2023 AHR Expo is scheduled to be held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, from February 6-8.
Meanwhile, the more than 2,800 attendees to the concurrent ASHRAE Winter Conference was said to have exceeded expectations.
“This year’s conference and expo marked the first time that the Society has been together for our Winter Conference in two years and the return to the AHR Expo after last year’s cancellation,” said 2021-22 ASHRAE president Mick Schwedler.
