In fairness to Internext, all those add-ons happen at every tradeshow. Anything you cant bring with you, you're going to pay thru the nose for.
But the mainstream shows have been hurting as bad or as worse for many of the same reasons. The bubble burst, and everyone is taking a look at return on investment and figuring out that with the web the shows are losing value.
I remember one year where the entire main hall of the LVCC was pretty much home to 3 booths (Microsoft, IBM and Compaq). They took up entire bays of the convention center. Everyone else was rung aroung them, co-exhibiting with them as a partner or relegated to North Hall, the Hilton, Sands or any of another half dozen lesser locations.
For anyone in position of being a purchaser of IT, Comdex used to be a must-see because that was where you'd go not only to meet your vendors but learn about what's coming and what's new and see it demo'd. Now, we all get all of that stuff the minute it is announced on the web. Who needs to go to a show, walk several miles of aisles and tote a bag full of glossies now?
For our industry, it used to be a dick waving contest driving the size of booths. Now I think it's mostly about putting faces, conversations and handshakes with the names you do business with already and maybe, just maybe discovering some companies you weren't aware of already to hook up with when you get home.
Parties, hospitality suites, etc are perhaps better than the show floor for these activities. However, there's that large percentage of webmasters who aren't business minded, they're party minded. They do not run companies, but they have enough coin to support themselves thru school or whatever and buy a few toys. They might accidently get a little business done, but they show up to party first. They see the shows as a social event first, business event second....if at all.
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