Outdoor Retailer 2008: International Buyer's Reception - it's a trap!

Have you ever been to one of those high pressure time-share sales pitches? I went on a trip to Florida with some high school buddies, and we all marveled at how low the hotel rate was until the trip planner said one morning, "Okay, this morning we've all got to go to breakfast with this guy. It's no big deal. We'll be back before Typhoon Lagoon even opens." Three hours later, we were all fried from the glaring light of an extended high pressure sales pitch from a rotating team of three interrogators.

Well, chalk one on the board for those wily Utahans. Contrary to our belief, there was not a single international buyer at the International Buyer's Reception. Instead, we enjoyed some speeches by the glad-handing Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, a representative from the Utah Governor's office, and some sales people from the Utah World Trade Center. It was a sales pitch. "Use our services to export your schtuff."

They all looked like this:


And we, the duped, looked more like unshaven guys in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals.

However, there were hors d'oeuvres and free beverages.

So who really got duped, Utah?!