ANAHEIM, Calif. — While foot traffic was down, total number of rental companies increased slightly at the American Rental Association convention and trade show in Anaheim, Calif., last month.

Gary Goldman, ARA's vice president of marketing, told RER that the total rental delegates dropped from 4,654 at last year's New Orleans show to 4,058, while the total rental companies in attendance increased from 1,795 to 1,810. The numbers supported the general perception of exhibitors that floor traffic was slower at the Feb. 10-13 show, but that the mood was serious and quality of attendees was businesslike and committed to shopping and buying equipment.

Goldman said that ARA staff attributed the decrease in number of attendees per company to the shaky economy, which contributed to owners' hesitance to spend money on travel. ARA also attributed the decrease in foot traffic to the relatively remote location of Anaheim, which draws from a smaller outlying area than shows on the East Coast. Also, strong rains leading to flooding in some areas of Southern California probably limited the number of local members who might otherwise have taken advantage of ARA's offer of free admission to California members.

There were 733 exhibiting companies spread through 2,750 booths. More significantly, 165 first-time exhibitors took part, showing that a growing number of companies see the rental industry as a market of significant opportunity. “This shows that over the next five or six years, as the economy straightens out, there will be new vitality in the rental market,” Goldman said.

Next year's convention in Atlanta, Feb. 26-29, will be held over a weekend.