Pluses and minuses

摘要

After 23 years at the Adam's Mark Hotel in western Houston, the Independent Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) this year moved its annual international operating conference and trade show downtown to the George R Brown Convention Center and the newly completed Hilton Americas. What was gained by the move was a greatly expanded trade show floor and a modern hotel venue. What was lost was some of the homeliness and camaraderie that the Adam's Mark provided, as well as the wider choice of eateries that are found out on Westheimer. What also seemed to be missing were trade show visitors. A straw poll of exhibitors suggested that overall foot traffic was well down on previous years and that overseas visitors in particular were in short supply. Part of this might be explained by the tiresomeness of complying with current US immigration requirements (not least for journalists, who stand more of a chance than most of getting slung out unceremoniously). As far as the local industry is concerned, it may well be that the prospect of heading downtown from the petrochemical complexes in south-east Houston is less attractive than the longer but more straightforward trip around the beltway to the Adam's Mark.