Every winter, Tucson becomes the center of the gem, mineral, bead, and jewelry world. Buyers arrive with full calendars, specific interests, and only so many hours to visit more than 40 shows spread across the city. For exhibitors, that creates both an extraordinary opportunity and a serious marketing challenge.
A good booth, strong inventory, and a respected show location remain essential. But by the time buyers arrive in Tucson, many have already decided where they intend to shop. Exhibitors who start communicating before the shows open have a better chance of earning a place on those schedules.
Experience Behind the Advice
Kay Schabilion Clift, known to Tucson vendors throughout most of her career as Kay Schabilion, has seen this market from nearly every angle. After leaving G&LW, she founded AKS Gem Shows around 1995. Her earliest independent Tucson projects included a show at the Expo Center, and AKS shows at the Howard Johnson and Holiday Inn near Interstate 10 and 22nd Street…