Comdex Cancelled For 2005...Again

by , 8:30 AM EST, March 31st, 2005

For the second year in a row, the Comdex technology trade show has been cancelled due to little interest among vendors, show organizers MediaLive International confirmed late Wednesday.

In a confusing press statement, the company said the industry is still evolving and "considerable work remains" to build an event for the entire industry. "As such, Comdex 2005 will not be held this November in Las Vegas," the company said.

"Since the postponement of Comdex 2004 we've been working diligently to determine how Comdex can best meet the future needs of the industry," a MediaLive spokesman said. "Through our continued discourse across the community of IT buyers, vendors and other stakeholders, we've made significant progress. However, considerable work remains to build an industry event to serve the industry as it matures with the same success that Comdex did in its infancy."

With 2005 now history, MediaLive International said it will focus on a 2006 show. The statement was very similar to a statement the company released at this same time last year, when it cancelled the 2004 show.

The annual Consumer Electronics Show, also held in Las Vegas every January, has picked up the slack of the missing Comdex event. Its 2005 show was one of its biggest shows in over ten years, held in six different buildings. Unlike other years, CES exhibitors now include many of those who would have attended Comdex.

About 40,000 visitors attended the last Comdex show in 2003, down from some 200,000 during successful shows of the mid 1990s.