By a margin of two to one, independent special event producers predict that business this year will be better than last year, according to an informal survey conducted last month by Special Events Magazine.

Nearly three-fourths of respondents tell Special Events that they expect stronger event revenues in the second half of 2005 than the first half, with 80 percent saying they expect to see business up at least 5 percent in the second half over the first half of this year.

The biggest threats to their business, our respondents say, are the “weak economy” and “aggressive competition,” each cited as a top problem by 40 percent. Only 5 percent say that “terrorism fears” have a strong impact on their business.

Special Events publisher Lisa Perrin will present more on this topic during ISES Eventworld, Aug. 11-13 in Los Angeles. In “Predicting the Trends of Our Industry,” she will discuss forecasting tools and validation, using external resources, and how to garner publicity for events.

For more information on ISES Eventworld, visit www.ises.com or call 800/688-4737 or 312/321-6853.