News

Feb 24, 2015
By Alexa Newman and Benjamin Rabe Even if you have years of event-planning experience, healthcare meetings are a different ballgame. As a healthcare meeting planner, you’ll need to be up-to-speed on the ever-changing rules, restrictions and legislation of this complex industry. From audiovisual considerations to continuing medical education requirements, the following tips will help prepare you for a successful healthcare meeting.   Get to Know Your Speakers and Their Presentations   Healthcare speakers are often experts – not only in their area of specialty, but in the… more
Feb 23, 2015
It is hard to imagine that the Medical Design & Manufacturing West (MD&M West) show hit its 30th year, but with seeing the numbers across the entire UBM Canon event (35,000 attendees, 2,100-plus exhibits and 365,000 square feet of show floor space), it is clear just how far the show has come.  Stephen Corrick, executive vice president and managing director at UBM Canon, which runs the show, said, “There is such an investment by all on a great show, including seeing such highly qualified audience members engage with the educational programs at the show.” Roger Burg, vice president… more
Feb 23, 2015
Smack dab in the middle of a busy trade show season in Boston, the city and surrounding areas have been hit by four blizzards in less than a month’s time. Mother Nature doesn’t care if a show needs to be moved in or opened on time, but a lot of hard-working and quick-thinking show organizers, meeting planners and the Boston trade show community supporting them somehow made it through. “We’ve had 70 inches of snow in just over 17 days,” said James E. Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority a few days before the New England Boat Show was scheduled to open… more
Feb 22, 2015
Each year, Trade Show News Network compiles a list of the Top 250 Trade Shows ranked by net square footage in the United States and Top 50 trade shows ranked by net sq. footage in Canada. Submissions to be included on the 2014 lists are now open, and the shows must have occurred in 2014. The form to fill out is HERE, and the deadline is Feb. 28. TSNN is proud to present valuable data to the industry, which is based on in-depth information provided by show organizers about their events. In 2013, the Consumer Electronic Association’s massive International CES show in Las Vegas topped the TSNN… more
Feb 22, 2015
An Infographic published a couple of years ago by SITA , a leading world specialist in air transport communications and information technology, anticipated that the air passenger experience would be in for a major transformation in 2015. With 9 out of 10 passengers wanting to see their flight status info on their personal mobile devices, the service industry has been gearing up to respond with appropriate options. This year, a majority of the airlines are offering mobile check-in and other services to passengers.   Indeed, customer expectations are driving similar paradigm shifts across… more
Feb 22, 2015
An Infographic published a couple of years ago by SITA , a leading world specialist in air transport communications and information technology, anticipated that the air passenger experience would be in for a major transformation in 2015. With 9 out of 10 passengers wanting to see their flight status info on their personal mobile devices, the service industry has been gearing up to respond with appropriate options. This year, a majority of the airlines are offering mobile check-in and other services to passengers.   Indeed, customer expectations are driving similar paradigm shifts across… more
Feb 21, 2015
The Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority’s Board of Directors voted to approve a contract for the purchase of the historic Riviera Hotel & Casino’s 26-acre site as the cornerstone for its planned Las Vegas Global Business District.  The District will expand the Las Vegas Convention Center’s footprint from 3.2 million square feet to nearly 5.7 million square feet and give it a Strip-front location. “The Las Vegas Global Business District is the single most important economic development project in the state,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the LVCVA. He added, “… more
Feb 20, 2015
In its 87th year, Western Veterinary Conference evolves with the times just like the dynamic industry it’s serving. For its annual event that took place Feb. 16-19 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, it made strides into the RFID technology and Amazon-inspired marketing model for its continued education offerings, as well as revealed its new branding, to stay on the cutting edge. “It’s about having an accessible, customized and personalized experience,” said WVC CEO David Little. “If we can enhance that, it makes our attendee experience more valuable.” One of the steps on that… more
Feb 17, 2015
In a letter to UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s members, UFI President Andrés Lopez-Valderrama said Paul Woodward, the organization’s managing director, would be stepping down later this year. Lopez-Valderrama added that Woodward had made the decision “to spend more time with family and to cut down on travel and business commitments. UFI is in a very strong position, but we now have to embark on the task of finding a replacement for Paul.” Woodward, who has been in the position for the past five years, will remain in his post until at least after the Milan Congress,… more
Feb 17, 2015
Supplier and show organizers alike promoted from within and brought on new personnel for a variety of positions across the trade show industry in the past month. Reed Exhibitions appointed Nick Pilbeam to the position of divisional director – Travel. Pilbeam will oversee the travel division under Reed Travel Exhibitions, which includes the International Luxury Travel Market portfolio, World Travel Market portfolio and the newly branded ibtm events portfolio of global and regional events providing business solutions on five continents.  They include ibtm world, ibtm arabia, ibtm… 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