Firearms industry professionals boosted by record gun sales nationwide and musical instruments and products professionals riding the wave of positive times in that industry flocked to the showfloors of the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show and the NAMM Show, respectively, breaking all-time attendance records at both events. The SHOT Show, owned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and produced by Reed Exhibitions, drew more than 61,000 attendees to a 630,000 net square foot showfloor with 1,600 exhibitors Jan. 17-20 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. The National Association of Music Merchants' NAMM Show broke a 110-year-old attendance record when it attracted 95,709 attendees Jan. 19-22 to the Anaheim Convention Center, a 6-percent increase compared with last year's event. International registration also experienced a 15-percent increase from last year to 11,981 attendees this year. NAMM also previously reported strong exhibitor numbers, with 1,441 exhibitors at this year's show, including 236 new exhibitors. At the SHOT Show, where the booming firearms industry was reflected by success on the showfloor, exhibitors gave the busy event high marks. ﾓTraffic is like we've never seen it before,ﾔ said Mark Malkowski, president of Stag Arms, maker of modern sporting rifles (AR-style rifles). He added, ﾓRetailers we've talked to are expecting a record year.ﾔ Another firearms retailer, Todd Vance of Vance Outdoors in Columbus, Ohio, agreed, ﾓWe had our best-ever year in 2011, and we've started off this year great and expect to be up.ﾔ Revenues from the SHOT Show support NSSF's many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports. ﾓThe SHOT Show allows NSSF to do many good things for industry, shooting and hunting,ﾔ said NSSF President and Steve Sanetti. Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer, added, ﾓWe have worked hard to make sure SHOT is a great selling and buying experience, and it has resulted in our best show ever.ﾔ The four-day NAMM Show is where music products retailers meet face-to-face with manufacturers to make purchases and gain product knowledge for their stores in the year ahead. "Once again, the NAMM Show served as the crossroads for musical instrument and live sound products manufacturers, retailers and their guests from all over the world,ﾔ said NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond. He added, "We are extremely grateful to all of the NAMM Members, music educators, artists, partners and media who made this 110th NAMM Show a resounding success for the industry and a great start to 2012." First-time exhibitors, such as John R. Gibson, president and CEO of Wi Digital Systems, were impressed with what the show had to offer. "We'd like to deeply thank NAMM for their incredible support during our first show as exhibitors," Gibson said. He added, "Thanks to NAMM, we hit every stretch target, including major media exposure and signing up significant new accounts." Themed "Make It Count,ﾔ this year's NAMM Show focused on innovation in the form of apps and technology products designed to make playing music more accessible and easier for consumers.