Despite the recent gloomy news about trade show attendance, it is clear that companies in our sector still believe that events are a great promotional vehicle. The organisers of DATE 2010, which will be held from 8th to 12th March in the Dresden Congress Centre, Germany, have announced a record number of submissions for the event, with 980 papers submitted for consideration. Hopefully this is a sign of confidence, not only in conferences and trade shows, but also in the likelihood of recovery for both the industry and the economy in general.