News

Jun 18, 2012
A task force comprised of snow sports industry representatives recently met in Denver to discuss and approve plans for a new trade show entitled Sourcing Snow. The new event is member-owned by the textile and material suppliersand will be collocated with the 2013 SIA Snow Showon tap Jan. 30-Feb. 1 at the Colorado Convention Center’s Mile High Ballroom. Sourcing Snow will showcase companies that manufacture materials and components essential to hundreds of snow sports brands, according to show organizers. “The dedication and commitment of SIA to its members is quite impressive,… more
Jun 18, 2012
The newly named Exhibit & Event Marketers Association (E2MA), formed by the combining of the Trade Show Exhibitors Association (TSEA) and the Exhibitor Appointed Contractors Association (EACA), has unveiled plans for the 3rd annual Red Diamond Congress.   The event will be held July 10-12 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.   This year’s event will be focused on both advocacy and education issues, said Jim Wurm, executive director of E2MA.   “This will be the first meeting of these combined associations,” he added. “We will have general sessions each… more
Jun 18, 2012
In this difficult financial climate, it can be a good thing to be a trade show representing an industry comprised of multiple market segments, especially when some of them are growing at a very rapid pace. Case in point is InfoComm International, the largest annual exhibition and conference for the professional audiovisual and information communications industries, held June 13-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. According to show officials, the event’s attendance grew by 4 percent, with 34,000 attendees from more than 90 countries and 925 exhibiting companies spanning 487,000 net… more
Jun 18, 2012
The Outdoor Industry Association and Outdoor Retailer will expand their partnership to offer more Outdoor University educational sessions at Outdoor Retailer trade shows.   Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, which takes place in early August in Salt Lake City, will feature a broadened curriculum designed to help the outdoor industry stay ahead of the curve on critical business topics. As part of the partnership, OIA's Outdoor University will work hand in hand with Outdoor Retailer to program the education curriculum at each OR trade show, with Outdoor Retailer contributing to the… more
Jun 14, 2012
Reed Exhibition’s The Americas Meetings & Events Exhibition (AIBTM) launched last year in Baltimore and is on tap for the second time June 19-21 in the Maryland-based city, but will head out of town next year to start a rotation between Chicago and Orlando. Choose Chicago, the Windy City’s convention and visitors bureau, will host AIBTM June 11-13, 2013.   In 2014, the event that pairs suppliers with hosted buyers will move June 10-12 to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. “We want to acknowledge and thank the great city of Baltimore for its… more
Jun 13, 2012
Opening day of the Licensing Expo at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas this week had some added excitement when a special ceremony was held announcing that Advanstar Communications, which runs Licensing, was forming a strategic and operating partnership with Stan Lee’s Comikaze Expo presented by POW! Entertainment. The announcement was made in Advanstar’s booth on the showfloor by Chris DeMoulin, executive vice president of customer development and president of licensing for Advanstar, as well as Stan Lee, who gave a video message, and another Comikaze event… more
Jun 13, 2012
Nielsen Expositions’ Interbike International Bike Expo and Health+Fitness Business Expo are leaving their home at the Sands Expo & Convention Center next year to move to the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Show officials have signed a three-year agreement with Mandalay to host the collocated events beginning in 2013 and continuing through 2015. Interbike’s OutDoor Demo product testing event, held for the two days preceding the show, will remain at the Bootleg Canyon venue in nearby Boulder City, Nev.  The 2013 Interbike and HFB shows will be held from… more
Jun 11, 2012
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research’s first quarter 2012 CEIR Index Report indicated yet another quarter of positive growth in the trade show industry, with a 2.7-percent increase, compared with the same period last year. The growth streak is in its seventh quarter straight and also continues to outperform the GDP’s rate of increase by 2 percent in the first quarter of 2012, compared with the same period in 2011. Attendance led the four key metrics that CEIR tracks for the report, and all the metrics, including net square feet, number of exhibitors and real revenues,… more
Jun 10, 2012
Billed as the world’s largest trade fair, the Canton Fair held biannually in Guangzhou China, closed its doors in early May with numbers that were only slightly up.   Difficult financial and job market conditions in Europe and the United States impacted the show, though less than what was expected, according to organizers.   There were approximately 210,000 buyers from 213 countries, up 0.23 percent and 1.23 percent from the 110th and 109th sessions in 2011, respectively.   Total value of export deals concluded at the Fair also fell to 2.3 percent year-on-year to US$36.03… more
Jun 10, 2012
A new exhibition for the brewing and beverage manufacturing industries, BevTec Asia 2014, will be launched by Germany’s Messe Duesseldorf and Asian Exhibition Services in collaboration with the with the Thailand Beer Industry Guild.   The show, scheduled February 2014 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Center, will take advantage of the growth in Thailand’s alcoholic and non-alcoholic manufacturing sectors.   Thebiennial exhibition will be geared toward international and regional manufacturers and suppliers of machinery, technology and materials for… 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