camexpo reports successful 2011 show!
The ninth edition of the UK’s only dedicated professional CAM show – camexpo – has been a huge success, with both exhibitors and visitors reporting a very productive and vibrant event. Organised by Diversified Business Communications UK, camexpo attracted a total of 5333 attendees over 22-23 October at Earls Court, London, and was praised yet again for the quality of its visitors, its Keynote speakers, and the wide choice of CAM products and services on offer.
Zoe Campbell, event manager of camexpo, is delighted by the overwhelmingly positive feedback received so far: “I would like to say a huge thank you to all of our exhibitors, visitors, speakers, and supporters, for making this year’s camexpo the most successful, inspiring and educational event yet!”
Despite severe disruptions on the tube lines serving Earls Court over the weekend, thousands of dedicated practitioners, therapists, CAM students and health store buyers flocked to the show. Attendees benefited from incredible ‘show only’ savings on thousands of essential CAM purchases, plus an unrivalled opportunity to be kept up-to-date with all the latest research and developments by big name industry speakers and trainers in the show’s 22 free Keynote seminars (sponsored by The Nutri Centre), 34 free demos, and 48 Taster Workshops (sponsored by Balens). With the show floor buzzing with business throughout the two days, this year’s show also saw an increased social media presence, with thousands of Twitter and facebook followers able to share in the show’s activities via live updates and photos from camexpo’s exhibitors and attendees.
Firmly established at the forefront of the CAM profession, the success of the show has been reflected in the fantastic re-booking rate for next year – with around 65% of the 190 exhibiting companies demonstrating their continued support for camexpo by booking stand space for 2012, which marks the tenth anniversary of the event. Highly satisfied exhibitors included Jonathan Orchard, director of Lyposphericnutrients.com, who commented: “camexpo was our first trade show and proved to be way beyond our expectations in terms of overall value. Speaking face to face with so many practitioners, clinic/shop owners, buyers and even some of our own existing customers was fantastic. We also made contact with several key journalists. We will be back again next year for sure.”
Exhibitor Sam Tucker, web marketer at NES Health, was equally upbeat: “This is the 4th year that NES Health has exhibited at camexpo. It is always an excellent show for us and this year was no exception. camexpo was filled with excited practitioners all eager to try out our new NES miHealth healthcare device. With non-stop demonstrations this was a phenomenal launch weekend for us!”
“Busy show, it’s unbelievable, if there is a recession it’s not in here. Level of interest is really amazing and we have been busy the whole time,” says Sarah Daly, sales manager at A.Vogel.
“Excellent show, we met the key people we needed to see and some fantastic buyers we did not expect,” says Adeniyi Okinikan, UK distributor of Grander Water.
“This is our first camexpo. It has been brilliant! Lots of visitors to our stand – amazed at how busy we have been,” says Gillian Edwards, chairman of The Association of Registered Colon Hydrotherapists (ARCH).
“The show experience has been amazing – great new connections, very vibrant and excellent for business,” says Paul Kensett, course director of The Smart School.
Hundreds of surveyed visitors also sang the show’s praises. “camexpo is fantastic! I find it very informative and also a great place to source lots of products in one place. Everything I am looking for is here,” says massage therapist Judith Ravelo Alvarez.
“camexpo, as always, is an excellent way of keeping up with what is going on in an industry that is very fragmented, with most of us working as micro businesses in isolation,” says Dr Alyssa Burns-Hill, hormone & holistic health specialist, Harley Street Hormone Health. “It's an important event that helps us to reconnect with the bigger picture, keep an eye on the regulatory ball and explore new, quality educational opportunities...as well as catch up with old friends. I'm so pleased that I came again this year!”
“Fantastic seminars – full of up-to-date research results, advice and information,” says Sarah Veale, trainee reflexologist at Tranquil Moods.
Show highlights included the announcement of the winners of camexpo’s three prestigious annual awards, including the Best New CAM Product Award 2011, voted for by visitors to the show’s New Products Showcase on Saturday 22 October. The winner – by some margin, was Sappho Organic Cosmetics by Xynergy Health Products (distributed by The Nutri Centre).
“I knew when I was introduced to Sappho Organic Mineral Make-up that I had found a truly wonderful, professional-level product,” says Soo Cieszynska, sales & managing director at Xynergy Health Products. “To win the award, with JoAnn Fowler, the creator of Sappho, with me at camexpo, completed a fabulous weekend for us. Thank you!”
Another camexpo winner was Clare Brown, who together with her husband Richard owns Revitalise in Hove, East Sussex, which won the CAM Clinic of the Year Award 2011. The Award, sponsored by Viridian Nutrition, in association with The Nutri Centre, included £500 prize money, and was presented by Jayney Goddard, president of The Complementary Medical Association (CMA). The Award, which is now in its second year, was judged on the treatments offered, marketing, client testimonials, unique selling points and all round client experience. The final shortlist, drawn from over 35 entries from clinics all around the UK, also included Gaia Lifestyle in Pontcanna, Cardiff, and Atman Clinic in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
The judging panel were impressed by the high quality of entries but singled out Revitalise Hove for its distinctive approach and “fantastic client testimonials”, commenting: “The winning clinic not only offers a wide range of therapies, it also has a great eco-friendly ethic using solar power and 100% recycled paper in their marketing material. They also have a health food store alongside the clinic selling health foods, ecover refills and vegan organic supplements.”
“We are absolutely delighted to have received the camexpo CAM Clinic of the Year Award 2011,” says Richard Brown, co-owner of the winning clinic Revitalise Hove. “We have a superb team of receptionists, and expert therapists and teachers working at Revitalise, and this award is a testimony to them too. In the past few years we have invested in our website and promotional material, launched our new health shop to compliment the range of therapies offered, and expanded the range of services we offer – this award recognises those achievements and that makes it all worthwhile.”
The recipients of camexpo’s third annual, industry-voted CAM Outstanding Achievement Award were also a popular choice. With the winners Meghan Mari and Rachel Fairweather, directors and co-founders of the Jing Institute of Advanced Massage Training, enjoying a standing ovation as they accepted the honour from last year’s winner, complementary therapist, tutor and author, Mary Atkinson. Aside from winning an overwhelming majority of votes, many of Meghan Mari and Rachel Fairweather’s legion of followers submitted glowing testimonials on their behalf, including the following by one anonymous supporter:
“Their aim was to start a revolution in massage therapy in the UK and provide the type of advanced massage training available in other countries such as the USA. In 2003, they ran three short weekend workshops in the cutting edge techniques that had helped make their own practices successful. The feedback was phenomenal and students started to build their own successful practices using their proven protocols incorporating trigger point therapy, myofascial release, advanced stretching and hot stone massage. Their rallying cry of “join the revolution” spread and they started growing a passionate, dedicated community of students and teachers who wanted to make a difference.”
“We are thrilled and honoured to be this year's recipients of the CAM outstanding achievement award,” commented Mari and Fairweather earlier today. “We are humbled by the incredible outpouring of support of the CAM community. We feel this award belongs not only to ourselves but also to our amazing teachers, staff and inspiring students who have been with us every step of this wonderful journey. This award is an important recognition of our collective triumph. Together, we have raised the standard of professionalism of the UK massage industry. The success of Jing is a testament to the power of positivity, passion, enthusiasm and co-operation in achieving any goal you set your mind to.”
“We would like to thank the camexpo team for all their help and dedication through the years and everyone who has joined the Jing revolution; those we have met and those we have yet to meet.”
camexpo will return to Earls Court, London, on 20-21 October 2012. For further information, please visit www.camexpo.co.uk, or stay up-to-date with all the latest news and 2012 exhibitor information via the show’s facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001522315531) and twitter account (@camexpo).
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Media enquiries to:
Emma-Louise Jones, PR Executive
t: 44 (0)1273 645134 e: ejones@divcom.co.uk www.twitter.com/DiversifiedUK
camexpo Exhibitor enquiries to:
Zoe Campbell, camexpo Event Manager
t: 44 (0)1273 645119 e: zcampbell@divcom.co.uk
www.camexpo.co.uk www.twitter.com/camexpo http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=79414022075
camexpo has been shortlisted for Best UK Trade Show Exhibition (Under 2,000m2) at the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) Excellence Awards for three consecutive years. In July 2011, it was awarded Highly Commended by the AEO judges.
camexpo is the UK’s leading event for complementary and alternative healthcare. It is the key event of the year for practitioners, therapists, students and independent health store retailers looking to source all the latest CAM products and services, keep up-to-date with new industry developments, and invest time in their own professional training and development.
Diversified Business Communications (UK) Ltd (Diversified UK) is a fast growing event organising and publishing company based in Brighton. In addition to camexpo, Diversified UK also organises the Independent Health Store Conference, Natural & Organic Products Europe, lunch!, office* and Servive Desk & IT Support Show. It publishes Natural Products – the industry’s leading trade magazine, and the Natural Beauty Yearbook.
Diversified UK is part of Diversified Business Communications, a leading international media company with a successful portfolio of sector leading exhibition, conferences, publications and websites.
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