News

Kathleen Thomas, who has worked for several high-profile investment banking firms in the business-to-business exhibitions and conferences space, was named managing director at New York City-based JEGI, effective immediately. Thomas will further expand JEGI’s global leadership across the global media, information, marketing, software and tech‐enabled services sectors, according to company officials. “We are delighted to welcome Kathleen on board,” said Wilma Jordan, founder and CEO of JEGI. Jordan added, “She and Richard Mead, our long‐tenured managing director and B2B specialist, together… more
U.K.-based Informa is set to acquire U.S.-based Penton in a deal worth $1.56 billion from private equity owners MidOcean Partners and Wasserstein & Co. The transaction is subject to approval by Informa shareholders and customary regulatory and closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016. "Today, we are announcing continued progress on our Growth Acceleration Plan with the proposed addition of Penton Information Services,” said Stephen A. Carter, Informa Group CEO.  “This combination will further strengthen our capabilities in Global Exhibitions… more
The seven-year-old Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre continues to record healthy growth in all business segments, despite headwinds from the United States and Europe. Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, KLCC hosted 1,258 events, a 15-percent increase, compared with the 1,097 held in the previous corresponding period, serving 1.37 million delegates and visitors. Here are some of the more notable events: The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons 81st Annual Scientific Congressin May, which saw 1,250 delegates come together during five days, making this the largest multi-disciplinary surgical meeting… more
Messe Düsseldorf India concluded the 2017 edition of Medical Fair India in April and just recently published key statistics from the event. The exhibition ran from 6th to 8th April at the Pragati Exhibition Center in New Delhi. The three-day event featured 519 exhibitors. According to the organiser, a total of 13,480 trade visitors attended the fair, which represents an increase of 15% compared with the 2016 edition. The space occupied by exhibitors grew by 16% year-on-year. Medical Fair India is held alternately between New Delhi and Mumbai. The 2018 edition will be held at the Bombay… more
Aromatherapy, easier group transportation booking, language interpretation and a cloud-based event management platform were some of the meeting tools vying for the top prize at this year’s Society of Independent Show Organizer’s Event Battlefield. The competition was held during SISO’s Leadership conference, Aug. 1-4 in Philadelphia, at which just under 200 attendees voted for one of five companies. The top company was EventBots by Sciensio, which is a technology that allows attendees at an event to text any question they have about it to the EventBot tool and receive an immediate answer… more
The American Thoracic Society selected Sherpa Solutions to deploy its indoor positioning system at the ATS 2017 International Conference, which is on tap May 19-24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The system will be deployed on multiple floors in all public spaces, including meeting rooms, ballrooms, exhibit halls and poster sessions. “The Sherpa indoor positioning system is the only one of its kind. It’s like providing participants with their very own GPS, accurate to 6’, so they can accurately find their way within the venue. They can locate and meet with the people who… more
At the National Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo, held Feb. 8-11 in Orlando, attendees had the opportunity to try out something new - a2z, Inc.'s ChirpE Photo Booth. At the booth during the show,  not only did people have fun dressing up and sharing photos through social media, it also created a lot of buzz during and after the show. The ChirpE Photo Booth is an easy-to-use iPad-based Photo Booth with robust social media capabilities. The ChirpE Photo Booth enables event attendees to take their own picture, add a quote or testimonial and post it to their Facebook Page… more
Four show managers have been selected to receive The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year (SMOTY) award for excellence in serving their attendee and exhibitor communities. Since 2000, The Expo Group has honored unsung heroes committed innovation and service. “The Expo Group SMOTY awards program is one way we give back to the industry, and we are proud to honor people adopting new ideas and creating change,” said President and COO of The Expo Group Randy Pekowski. He added, “These honorees are not our clients, they are simply show managers doing great work that should be recognized.” 2017 The… more
In mid-April, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) concluded its Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition) and International ICT Expo. The concurrent fairs ran from 13th to 16th April, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), attracting more than 3,500 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. The Electronics Fair, is positioned as the largest spring electronics event in Asia, showcasing more than 2,900 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions, with new exhibitors from Singapore and Spain. New at this edition is a Tech Hall with four themed zones, Connected Home… more
According to an industry review released by the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB), Penang hosted 1,251 events and generated RM 808 million (US$182 million) in 2016, the first full year of the Penang bureau’s operations. The PCEB supported 37 international and national business events, featuring an estimated 29,000 participants. The majority of international business events originated from Singapore and South Asia. In terms of the incentive segment, 82% were domestic groups, while 16% were groups from Singapore. The average number of participants per congress and corporate event… more
Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact