World Trade Center Las Vegas Continues to Expand Its Global Business Partnerships

April 26, 2018

In a continuing effort to enhance its international business relationships, World Trade Center Las Vegas recently signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) at the 49thWorld Trade Center Association General Assembly in the Netherlands with host World Trade Center Leeuwarden, World Trade Center Twente and World Trade Center Denver.

The agreements encourage Las Vegas to co-market with the three cities under the WTCA’s expansive brand to create access to key trade information and market research as well as facilitate business trade missions around the world. 

“Following a record-breaking year for business travel, with more than 6.6 million people traveling to the destination to attend a meeting or convention, there is no question Las Vegas is a place where business gets done,” said Chris Meyer, WTC Las Vegas executive director and vice president of sales at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). 

He continued, “The WTCA network provides a valuable resource to make connections that will drive business forward and our MOU agreements with WTC Leeuwarden, WTC Twente and WTC Denver are sure to generate new and lucrative opportunities.” 

The partnership between WTC Las Vegas and WTC Twente has already shown itself to be beneficial for both destinations as evidenced by the successful arrangement of a Netherlands delegation at the most recent POWER-GEN International, held Dec. 5-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

“After the WTCA General Assembly in 2017 in Las Vegas and in participating with a Dutch trade delegation during POWER-GEN International 2017 at the Las Vegas Convention and World Trade Center, the MOU between our World Trade Centers is a next step in strengthening our economic ties,” explained Freerk Faber, director of WTC Twente.

The Netherlands is one of the top fifteen international markets for Las Vegas that brought in nearly 58,000 visitors in 2016, a 4 percent increase from the previous year. 

The newly signed MOUs will further enhance collaboration to build and reinforce the Las Vegas brand as a serious global business destination while growing international visitation to both the destination and large trade shows such as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). 

Additionally, the MOUs provide the opportunity to expand business opportunities across a number of industry sectors. 

WTC Las Vegas’ MOU partnership with WTC Leeuwarden represents an instrumental collaboration between the “Entertainment Capital of the World” and the “European Capital of Culture,” with the two organizations making plans to collaborate on elevating the reputation of each destination’s versatile offerings. 

“We look forward working together with World Trade Center Las Vegas because we can offer them the latest technologies in the water sector and they are the specialist in the organization of congresses and expositions,” said Evert Jan Schouwstra, managing director of WTC Leeuwarden. 

He added, “It is a clear win-win situation.”

In addition to the new memorandums of understanding with WTC Leeuwarden, WTC Twente and WTC Denver, the WTC Las Vegas has signed MOUs with WTC Montevideo; WTC Dulles Airport; WTC Taipei; WTC Mexico City; WTC Brussels; WTC Beijing; WTC Miami; WTC Istanbul; WTC Seoul; WTC Sao Paulo; WTC Ft. Lauderdale, WTC Santiago and WTC Trieste. 

These relationships are mutually beneficial in providing information and business contacts, promoting the destination, developing educational programs and creating an open forum for discussion of trade-related, international and travel issues.

The LVCVA also has a MOU with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration to promote travel and tourism exports. 

“With the new World Trade Center Denver Development breaking ground and opening in 2020, we will now be in the business of offering larger global conventions,” said Karen Gerwitz, president of the World Trade Center Denver.  

She added, “We are honored to enter into a partnership with WTC Las Vegas and the LVCVA to learn from the very best in the business.”

WTC Las Vegas is a partnership between the LVCVA and the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES, known as the world’s largest global technology event. 

In addition to marketing and branding Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, the LVCVA operates the LVCC, the nation’s only convention center designated as a World Trade Center site and one of the largest convention facilities in the U.S. 

Together, the LVCVA and CTA market Las Vegas to business travelers around the globe under the World Trade Center brand.

“World Trade Center Las Vegas has experienced incredible success in fostering mutually-beneficial relationships in southern Nevada and around the globe,” said Karen Chupka, CES executive vice president. 

She continued, “The international appeal of efforts and initiatives from both CTA and the LVCVA align perfectly with the World Trade Center Association’s mission of helping member organizations connect globally and prosper locally.”

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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.