New Ulm, Minnesota - The 2010 ATA Trade Show adopted a new online system, making event registration the most automated and seamlessly integrated process ever used by the Archery Trade Association.

For the first time in the Show's history, the integrated digital platform provided a final report that allowed Show comparisons between preregistration numbers and actual verified attendance. The ATA can now identify exactly how many individuals attended the Show as well as how many companies attended. With more sophisticated reporting, the ATA's data also revealed new truths.

In both 2009 and 2010, between 15 to 20 percent of preregistered individuals did not make the trip to actually attend the Show. This percentage is actually better than benchmark figures from other trade shows that track those who preregister for an event and decide not to attend. In many cases, no-shows to the ATA Trade Show were due to last minute company staffing decisions or shop owners who changed work schedules to be sure sales and service work for their customers wasn't put on hold.

Given this adjustment in reporting, the attendance for 2009 and 2010 can be accurately measured against historical Trade Show attendance by factoring out the group that preregistered and did not attend. This is possible by reducing total individual registration counts for the years 2003-2008 by an average of 17.5 percent - the average estimated percentage of people who preregistered but did not attend the Show. Once this adjustment is made, the 2009 Show proves to be the 5th highest attended Trade Show, while the 2010 Show is the best attended Show in the history of the ATA Trade Show. It's also the first Show to top 7,000 verified attendees.

In addition to the ATA's ability to report show attendance with much greater accuracy, the new preregistration and onsite registration system offered huge advantages for Show attendees. Online preregistration went live in November 2009 and, with one week remaining before the Trade Show opened, more people were preregistered for the 2010 Show than the total number registered to attend each of several previous shows. While there were the usual first-time glitches, industry ATA members were registering at rates up to 300 on peak days within weeks of the online registration launch.

Onsite registration was integrated using the same digital platform featured in online preregistration. By all accounts, attendees registered onsite flawlessly, making badge pickup a fast and efficient process. Many attendees noted the easy registration process and all appreciated the opportunity this system afforded them to focus their full attention on conducting business at the Show. For those who registered onsite, there were no long lines as in past years. During the first day - the opening morning "rush" - the wait was seldom more than 10 minutes.

For more information about the 2010 ATA Trade Show or information about the 2011 ATA Trade Show, please call (866) 266-2776 or e-mail info@archerytrade.org .

About the ATA Trade Show: The ATA Trade Show is the archery and bowhunting industry's largest and most inclusive show. The member-driven event promotes commerce within the industry, and is owned and operated by the ATA. As the only industry show that funds archery and bowhunting growth, the ATA invests in state agencies to coordinate introductory archery initiatives such as National Archery in the Schools Program and the After School Archery Program. Over the past five years, the ATA has invested and pledged nearly $2 million to bring archery shooting facilities and introductory programs to U.S. cities. Meanwhile, the ATA also fights for bowhunting rights in courtrooms across the country. The show is closed to the public and is an order-writing event.