5 Reasons Why CES Attendance Was Up This Year

Attendance at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show reportedly reached 120,000 visitors this year, an increase of about 6 percent from last year but still off the peak of 130,000 in 2008. Still, it's a good sign for the show at a time when the economy is still trying to figure out what it wants to do and many people and companies are reluctant to spend money. Here are five reasons CES got back on track this year.

1. The Economy

Simply put, we're in a much better position now than we were a year ago. Though unemployment is still troubling at 10 percent, more consumers (and more companies) have regained trust in the economy and are willing to spend more money. It's also a new year, so travel budgets have been replenished.

2. The Wow Factor

CES has always been the show to introduce products that buzz, and that certainly didn't change this year. A slew of companies touted upcoming 3-D TVs and it didn't hurt that ESPN announced it planned to launch a new network later this year specifically for 3-D content. And there's always a bunch of products that we're not sure what to do with but we want to have them anyway.

3. The Technology

While 3-D TVs are cool, what really gave CES a kick this year was the introduction of products that will matter. From e-readers to slate PCs to wireless innovations, the show not only gave us a good look at where technology is going, but also how it can improve our lives. That's key. The more that consumers (and businesses) believe technology can make everyday tasks easier, the more likely they are to adopt that technology.

4. The Bargains

With the prospect of tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms, Las Vegas did the best thing it could to attract more visitors -- lower its prices. Hotel rooms were going for half as much as they were a few years ago, and the Strip offers a multitude of other bargains to entice shoppers to spend more money.

5. The Weather

The average high temperature for Las Vegas has only been 64 degrees this month, but that's 40 or 50 degrees warmer than it's been in many other parts of the country. Heck, it's even snowed in Florida, where frozen iguanas are falling out of trees. Spending a week in 64-degree weather sounds pretty good right about now.