News

Aug 26, 2022
  Destinations International, the world’s largest association for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus, unveiled a groundbreaking tool to measure equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and discover ways to improve upon the results. The EDI Assessment Tool is designed to help its member organizations understand how EDI has been incorporated into their operational practices as a basis to elevate and integrate performance, and it is also expected to be a model for other entities in the business events industry to embrace.  The tool allows users to… more
Aug 25, 2022
Trade Show News Network (TSNN) is thrilled to unveil the 2022 TSNN Awards top honorees for the Industry Icon Award, Sustainability Award, DEI Leadership Award and Industry Support Award. All of the award honorees will be celebrated Nov. 8-9 at the 2022 TSNN Awards at the event’s host venue, Caesars Forum, in Las Vegas. The two-day event will kick off with an opening party at Nobu Villa sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, followed the next day by an education conference, awards gala at Caesars Forum and after-party at the Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace.… more
Aug 25, 2022
As climate change increasingly becomes an undeniable reality across the globe, certain entities within the trade show and events industry are beginning to take the lead toward a less wasteful and more sustainable future. Here are two leading organizations working to lessen the industry’s environmental impact. SCS Global Services  SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing and standards development, recently launched Zero Waste for Events, its newest Zero Waste Standard.  Designed to recognize… more
Aug 24, 2022
Lippman Connects, producer of information-sharing and networking experiences for the convention and exhibition industry, added to its portfolio the Midsize Show Roundtable (MSR), set to take place Nov. 17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. MSR will be an information-sharing and networking event for executives, directors, show managers, marketing managers, sales managers and department managers making decisions for shows with less than 125,000 net square feet of exhibit space. The event will include a networking reception and dinner on Nov. 16, and the next morning,… more
Aug 23, 2022
Sponsored exclusively by Hubilo For the past two years, the events industry has been in a flux. The pandemic made us rethink our event strategies, and we pivoted to the planning mode that worked best—virtual events. The pivot was hard, but we learned a new way of delivering content and building relationships.  At Hubilo, we enabled virtual experiences that delivered ROI that set the bar high. The benefits of virtual events seemed to be scalable. That was the past, what now?  The world is coming back to normal. The pent up demand for in-person meetings is driving a new wave of change. In-… more
Aug 22, 2022
While many event-related companies and organizations remain laser-focused on getting back to business as usual, that hasn’t stopped a leading trade show and a venue management company from going the extra mile to make a difference for the environment and those in need. Check out who has been walking the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility lately!  ASM Global Leading venue management and event strategy partner, ASM Global, has been delivering on its almost year-old corporate social responsibility initiative, ASM Global Acts, which focuses on protecting the environment,… more
Aug 19, 2022
The IMEX Group is looking to a renowned, 20-plus-year industry veteran to remodel the professional learning offerings at its two annual shows: IMEX America and IMEX Frankfurt. The group appointed Tahira Endean, author, event instructor and event producer celebrated for her expertise in experience design, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and event tech, as its newly created head of programme.   Endean embraces a role that signals a new era for IMEX. Under her direction, a three-year education strategy will capitalize on IMEX’s free programming to meet the industry’s thirst for… more
Aug 19, 2022
Advito, a leading global travel consultancy, has partnered with BCD Meetings and Events (BCD M&E) to create the industry’s first carbon emissions calculator that is certified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and designed to help event professionals reduce the overall environmental impact of their programs.   The innovative event tech tool was developed in response to BCD M&E’s needs to factor sustainability into their event strategies and their desire to understand and measure the non-traditional elements contributing to overall emissions.  With the… more
Aug 18, 2022
Despite the fact that summer tends to be a slower season for the trade show industry, event-related organizations across the country are sizzling with activity, busily forming new business partnerships and acquisitions as they look toward a robust fall and beyond. Take a look! ASM Global Global venue and event strategy and management leader ASM Global has formed a sustainability partnership with Honeycomb Strategies, a leading sustainability consultant for the hospitality, sports and event industries. Announced on Aug. 17, the multi-year action plan will enable ASM Global facility owners… more
Aug 16, 2022
While the trade show industry tends to slow down during the dog days of summer, that hasn’t stopped event-related organizations from welcoming established industry professionals to their teams while rewarding hard-working staff with elevated titles and responsibilities. Check them out! MAD Event Management  Full-service event planning and management company MAD Event Management LLC (MAD) recently partnered with award-winning journalist Danica Tormohlen to drive content creation for UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and the wider business events industry. Tormohlen is… more
Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.