News

Oct 10, 2011
The Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus has changed its membership structure to better serve the MICE industry organizations across the Asian region, according to AACVB officials. The new membership structure will extend membership opportunities to provincial and city-level CVBs and will be in three membership tiered groups – Full CVB Member, Associate CVB Member and Associate Industry . With this new structure, membership in AACVB now will be available to MICE destination marketing organizations, venue operators, destination marketing companies, professional… more
Oct 10, 2011
The biennial FoodHotelVietnam2011, organized by Singapore Exhibition Services and co-organized by VCCI Exhibition Service Co Ltd., scored a 26-percent attendance increase, compared with the 2009 show, during its Sept. 26-28 event at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City. There were a total of 12,075 attendees, which included trade visitors, exhibiting staff, competition judges and participants and members of the media. Of that total, 9.860 were trade visitors. Besides higher attendance, the show also saw more exhibitors on the showfloor, with 373, 74 percent of… more
Oct 10, 2011
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has launched “The Next Best Shows” as part of its five-year plan to drive growth in the country’s MICE industry. The campaign is a three-year project which began in August 2011 and will run until September 2014. It aims to support existing international trade fairs in Thailand and to help these trade fairs to compete at an ASEAN level. To be eligible for benefits that the campaign provides, an applying Thai trade fair must meet five key criteria which in clued factors such as number of consecutive editions, percentage of international… more
Oct 10, 2011
AIMEX, Asia-Pacific’s International Mining Exhibition, saw a record of more than 17,000 visitors attend this year – a 40-percent increase, compared with its previous edition in 2007. Organised by Reed Exhibitions Australia, the event was held Sept. 6-9 at the Sydney Showground. According to Reed Exhibitions, AIMEX 2011 is the largest mining exhibition ever held in Australia, and hosted more than 600 exhibitors on more than 50,000 square meters of exhibition space. The event is held once every four years and saw the attendance of 1,288 international visitors from 49 countries… more
Oct 10, 2011
Earlier this week, UBM Asia announced the appointment of Paul Wan as the managing director of UBM Asia Trade Fairs Pte Ltd in Singapore, effective Nov. 1. Paul Wan has been with UBM Asia since September 2005, when he joined the company to lead its jewellery sales network as deputy jewellery fairs manager. Prior joining UBM Asia, he was general manager of Pico Hong Kong and Chongqing Pico Exhibition Service Company Ltd. Wan will succeed Michiel Kruse, who decided to leave UBM Asia after serving in the same role for the past two years.
Oct 10, 2011
UBM subsidiary, UBM India, announced more than 300 exhibitors and between 8,000 and 10,000 visitors will be present at its inaugural Mumbai Jewellery & Gem Fair this year. The three-day event will be held in December at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC). The Mumbai Jewellery & Gem Fair will be the third jewellery related trade show for UBM’s portfolio in India following the Gem & Jewellery India International Exhibition (GJIIE) in Chennai and the Hyderabad Jewellery, Pearl & Gem Fair (HJF). The first edition of the jewellery fair will feature international pavilions… more
Oct 08, 2011
We were so thrilled to receive several amazing submissions that we decided to choose FIVE nominees for TSNN’s inaugural “Best of Show” award. It’s pretty simple – Please fill out the form located HERE. One vote per e-mail is allowed. Voting closes Oct. 25 at 12:00 a.m. EST. The winner will be announced at the 2011 TSNN Event Excellence Awards Nov. 4-6 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in D.C. For more info please visit www.T-awards.com. Here are the five nominees: AIBTM - The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition European and Asian markets, but they decided to take a chance on launching in the… more
Oct 08, 2011
The 2011 TSNN Event Excellence Awards, Nov. 4-6 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., promises to be a stand-out event with thought-provoking keynotes, valuable educational sessions and the naming this year’s Industry Icon Award Honoree, Jason McGraw. McGraw is the senior vice president of expositions for InfoComm International and a 24-year veteran of the trade show industry. Besides InfoComm, he also has worked on some of the biggest shows, such as CONEXPO-CON/AGG and the International Builders Show. He also has managed international shows held in China, Europe, Japan,… more
Oct 07, 2011
Although you might think that a trade show dedicated to gambling wouldn’t be a very optimistic place to be these days, participants at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) appeared to have something to smile about. Held Oct. 4-6 in its new home at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, the world’s largest trade show and conference for the gaming entertainment industry attracted nearly 26,000 attendees and 440 exhibitors spanning 250,000 square feet of exhibit space. In 2010, the event attracted 24,941 attendees and 520 exhibitors occupying 250,000 sq. ft. According to… more
Oct 05, 2011
U.K.-based Tarsus Group sold its 51-percent stake in its French joint venture ModAmont SAS to joint venture partner Premiere Vision SAS for €6.1 million ($8.04 million). ModAmont takes place biannually in February and September in Paris and is the leading exhibition for fashion accessories in France. “The disposal of ModAmont will materially reduce our exposure to the lower growth European market and less than 10 percent of Group profits will now be generated from France. Tarsus France will continue to focus on its remaining wholly owned portfolio of exhibitions,” said… 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.