Water Quality Association is taking steps to ensure that its 2003 convention and exhibition in Las Vegas, scheduled for March 18-22, will have significantly higher attendance than its 2002 event. Its New Orleans convention and exhibition had 19% fewer registrants than the 2001 show in Orlando. Among the steps planned are:

• Investigate venues near international air hubs

• Identify target industry trade shows where WQA can organize pavilions in which manufacturers can exhibit

• Review "wraparound" and "wrap-through" exhibitions where advertisers and exhibitors can pre-sell via the WQA Web site and then do targeted, post-convention marketing.