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Adult industry events are a breeding ground for contacts for some people and others tend to use them as socializing events as well as playtime. Are the two the same or are they completely different endeavors? Recently there was a thread on one of the Webmaster forums proclaiming that there were only 60 industry events left in 2006. It was stunning that the industry events business has grown as large as it has.

There might be some debate about whether industry events are a business. For some of the events I would have to say that it would not be considered an equitable business but for others the profits are staggering. One of the largest and oldest shows is Internext that is sponsored by AVN. It is typically held in early August and early January in Hollywood, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada respectively. According to many people it is the place to see and be seen and if you aren't attending this show you are never going to succeed. However, there are many adult webmasters that have never been to an industry even that have a net worth of much more than those that do attend.

The AVN show has grown over the last several years from charging under $100 per ticket to $300 currently after the pre-registration ends. The exhibitor’s price has increased significantly along with the cost of the hotel. There is also a stipulation at this time that if you do not have a show badge you are not allowed into the hotel in Florida any longer. The Florida hotel is closed to anyone outside the industry and this is labeled as a way to deter those that want to gawk at the pornographers from loitering. However, many attendees bring wives, girlfriends, husbands, boyfriends and even talent to the hotel. They may be going on an extended vacation after the show with their significant other or they may be bringing talent to attend parties and just look good on their arms. Either way, the people mentioned above will probably not attend the show but there are thousands of dollars in profit made on badges for these people so they can even stay in the same hotel as the attendee. There has also been a surge in exhibitor and advertiser space as well as for the extra charges for delivery of exhibiting materials, electricity, Internet and more. There seems to be a never-ending list of charges that attendees must incur. The reason I point out the costs and fees associated with AVN is because it is currently the largest show as well as the most well known and attended. There are some new shows that are beginning to gain popularity like the JBM Show, Quebec Expo and Webmaster Access but they still haven't gotten as large or as expensive as the AVN show.

If you are on a budget and don't have the resources to attend all the shows and only wish to select the ones that will give you the most opportunity to network all you need to do is research the forums and speak with attendees. I would have to rank the Phoenix Forum as one of the best shows at which to make new contacts and actually do business. The Phoenix Forum doesn't have a big show floor with a lot of attendees like the AVN show and it is a bit smaller so it gives a more intimate setting. There are other factors to consider when selecting events to attend but networking would be the most important if your motive is to actually further your business opportunities. There are many webmasters that simply go to the events to reconnect with old friends, blow off steam and have a good time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and the events are a great outlet for them to do so. However, there are also a lot of reputations that have been lost or scarred because of behavior at events.

The easy access to drugs, alcohol and sex can impair judgments and there is a tremendous amount of peer pressure to participate in everything that's going on. It may be taking 20 shots of alcohol on a dare or snorting coke off some chicks ass but they all can have devastating effects if not handled properly both physically and career wise. There have been shows where rooms were destroyed, furniture thrown from balconies, fights and subsequently jail, rampant drug use and there was even some guy that nailed his testicles to a board. These things apart from each other may be a flashy way to get attention but when they are all combined at one show it can put a black mark on the industry should the mainstream press get the information. It would prove the public’s perception of people in the adult industry as horrible creatures that are self-indulgent and only out to have a good time at the expense of others. As with any other business it is not too much to ask for people attending shows to keep things that need to be private confined to an area away from the public. I'm not saying that people should not enjoy themselves. However, there are enough stigmas in the adult industry without allowing a little partying to get out of hand and really bring a lot of bad attention our way.