Travelling Shows Face Major Challenges

Australia's major agricultural shows are facing major challenges, as evidenced by the mixed results of the 2008 Sydney Royal Easter Show.

With the Royal Easter Show held outside the school holiday period, overall attendance was down 10%. However, amusement ride operators and showbag sellers reported an even larger decline in takings. Another trend was ride operators indicating a rise in credit card and EFT payments.

Reporting at the recent AALARA 2008 Conference, ride operator Phil Durkin, who also Chairs AALARAâs Transportable Rides Committee, expressed his concerns about show security, referring to 'several unsavoury incidents' before highlighting that "private security is doing the best it can while police numbers appear to be, in some instances, inadequate.

"However, these are issues facing our industry now, and they are also a significant cost to promoters when staging an event.

"Anyone who comes to a public event carrying a large knife and a steel ânight stickâ is not interested in having a good time but only interested in causing carnage. It would be a sad day in this wonderful country if it were to come to the stage where every one had to pass through metal detectors to attend an event."

As for recent regional shows, Durkin indicated that "Hawkesbury was, as always, an impressive event with the best machinery and wide ranging commercial displays. The crowds flocked to the show over three days, and it was a spurt of confidence to see large crowds spending and riding, providing a great example that other shows would do well to follow."

Durkin also referred to a disappointing Toowoomba Royal Show and the cancellation of the Coffs Harbour Show. He also expressed in interest in the NSW Government having appointed administrators to several country showgrounds with strategic locations near the centre of their host towns, referring to a report in The Land that had pointed out the strong value that the showgrounds bring to each town.