A TOTAL of 8,254 fleet managers and fleet decision-makers attended the 1998 Fleet Motor Show, it was announced this week. And while the attendance was down on 1997's Fleet Motor Show figure of 10,047, the quality of attendees was significantly higher with record numbers of fleet managers in charge of the UK's largest fleets and company directors with fleet responsibility attending.

A total of 15,334 people pre-registered to attend the show, giving a conversion rate to actual show visitors of 54% - significantly higher than the 1997 Fleet Motor Show conversion rate of 39.5% on a pre-registration figure of 25,389 people. The number of Fleet Gold Club members - open to fleet managers in charge of fleets of more than 400 vehicles - who attended the show, held at Donington Park from May 11-14, almost doubled this year to just under 500 people.

And early indications from an analysis of visitors reveals that a high percentage of visitors were of board level and therefore highly influential in their company's fleet decision-making. Following the show's debut at Donington Park after six years at Silverstone there were fears that the move north could result in some people from the south of the country not attending, but the statistics reveal no clear attendance pattern in terms of a north/south attendance split or decline in people from southern-based companies.

Chris Lester, event manager at Emap Automotive, which organised the show, said: 'Even though there was a reduction in attendance it is clear from the comments we have received from exhibitors as well as our own analysis of who attended the 1998 Fleet Motor Show that the quality of attendees was significantly higher than in previous years. Exhibitors from across the fleet spectrum from the largest manufacturers to the smaller fleet service companies have constantly told us that quality not quantity is their requirement - this year we believe we have delivered that audience.'