The Direct Marketing Association has reversed a decision it made earlier this year, and will feature an International Pavilion at its fall conference.

In late January, the DMA announced that it would eliminate the pavilion after the number of participants fell from nearly 70 to around 20, Chris Gallagher, senior vice president of conferences for the DMA, said at the time.

But marketers and vendors that cater to international audiences were chagrined at the change, and made their feelings known to the DMA leadership.

Their feedback influenced the decision to retain the pavilion. “The DMA is pleased to give our members what they want, and they clearly want the International Pavilion at this year’s Annual Conference,” H. Robert Wientzen, the DMA’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

On Feb. 27, the DMA sent out 22 e-mails to marketers that exhibited in the International Pavilion during the fall 2002 show. The e-mail was apparently passed along – among the 14 respondents were a few that were not originally sent queries, Christina Duffney, a spokesperson for the DMA said.

According to Duffney, eight respondents wanted the pavilion reinstated, and six said that they were happy being elsewhere in the exhibit hall. Among the eight that wanted it reinstated, three are currently exhibitors in the main hall. They will be moved to the International Pavilion.

While Duffney cautioned that the three in the pavilion may not represent the most recent counts – today’s numbers weren’t available – she said that the DMA would host the International Pavilion regardless of the number of exhibitors.

The fall conference will be held Oct. 12-15, 2003 in Orlando, FL.

The Direct Marketing Association has reversed a decision it made earlier this year, and will feature an International Pavilion at its fall conference.

In late January, the DMA announced that it would eliminate the pavilion after the number of participants fell from nearly 70 to around 20, Chris Gallagher, senior vice president of conferences for the DMA, said at the time.

But marketers and vendors that cater to international audiences were chagrined at the change, and made their feelings known to the DMA leadership.

Their feedback influenced the decision to retain the pavilion. “The DMA is pleased to give our members what they want, and they clearly want the International Pavilion at this year