Security and U.S. trade shows

International attendance at U.S. expositions and conferences has taken a hit the last few years due to Homeland Security stemming from 9-11-01. Typically, international visitors decide to attend a show three to four months preceding the event. Visa applications to travel to the U.S. from countries such as China or India can take as long as nine months. So, a packaging machinery or materials company in the U.S. that markets to global prospects has to find new ways to reach these international customers. That heightens the importance of your Web site, and the use of new technology such as Webcasts (see next article).