Association Show News
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Feb 23, 2016
By Elizabeth Johnson
From classic toys like Lincoln Logs and Legos to innovative tech toys like drones, the world of toys came together for the 113th time Feb. 13-16 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York.
This year’s North American International Toy Fair exceeded 30,000 play professionals from 92 countries - a 16-percent increase, compared with 2015.
The show also included 1,237 exhibitors covering 415,000 net square feet. And, amongst the fanfare, excitement and business deals, the Toy Industry Association that supports it all quietly turned 100.
"With hundreds of thousands of… more
Feb 19, 2016
The 15th anniversary of the Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum will feature a bevy of high-profile speakers when the one-day conference is held June 1 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C.
“The ECEF 2016 program has confirmed the participation of 11 ‘A-list’ executive presenters and panelists” said Sam Lippman, president, Lippman Connect.
He added, “Because ECEF is renowned for its C-level program, I am keenly aware that expectations for the 15th Anniversary are extraordinarily high. To meet the challenge, the 2016 agenda takes an unblinking look at the… more
Feb 17, 2016
At last year’s AAPEX, a show for the aftermarket auto parts industry that is held in November at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, decided to up their attendee engagement game by hiring a bevy of customer service staff members they called “Ask Joes” to help people out at the show.
The “Ask Joes” auditioned for their roles to demonstrate their ability to meet and greet attendees with enthusiasm, according to show management, and then they also received comprehensive training and were stationed at custom-designed Ask Joe Service Stations throughout the showfloor.
As a result of this effort and other… more
Feb 16, 2016
It isn’t always easy to meet all the ‘right’ people at an event, but a new event app, SummitSync, takes some of the struggle out of networking onsite.
The app combines a fun, easy-to-use social networking and discovery frontend with enterprise-class features for data capture and CRM integration on the backend.
A user sign-ups by using their LinkedIn credentials, selects the conference they are attending and swipes right (interested) or left (not interested) when event attendees appear.
This upfront filtering system and inherent double-blinded opt-in nature of the app, makes it an easier… more
Feb 16, 2016
The National Restaurant Association announced that US Foods will collocate its traveling road show Food Fanatics LIVE March 15 during the 2016 New England Food Show.
“The National Restaurant Association is pleased to share the BCEC with US Foods during NEFS 2016,” said Mary Pat Heftman, executive vice president, Convention at National Restaurant Association.
She added, “Bringing these two events together provides a one-stop shop for New England foodservice professionals looking to explore new products, participate in robust educational and edutainment-type programming and connect with one… more
Feb 16, 2016
The American Society of Association Executives is introducing a hybrid membership model, which will provide associations and Association Management Companies (AMC) the option of joining or renewing through an organizational purchasing model.
For one flat annual fee determined by staff size, every employee in any size association or AMC office can opt to join ASAE and reap all available member benefits.
“We’ve had tremendous success with our small staff organizational membership. ASAE wanted to engage more association professionals who are employed by more than 15,000 associations… more
Feb 11, 2016
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has announced that its annual Fall Meeting, an event that regularly attracts more than 25,000 Earth and space scientists and other participants from around the world, will move to New Orleans in 2017 and in Washington, D.C. in 2018.
For nearly 50 years, the AGU Fall Meeting has been held in San Francisco.
During that time, it has grown from a gathering of a few hundred researchers to the largest Earth and space science event in the world.
In 2015, it included more than 23,000 poster and oral presentations; hundreds of networking,… more
Feb 02, 2016
UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s Global Barometer Survey, which takes the pulse of the trade show industry worldwide, indicated that North America and Europe, with the exception of Russia, are predicting positive revenue results in 2016.
On the other hand, in the Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, the situations remain generally positive, but with a certain level of uncertainty.
In Central and South America half of the surveyed companies are expecting decreases of turnover, but an improvement is expected in Brazil for the second half of 2016.
“Despite limited… more
Feb 01, 2016
The trade show industry had a strong kick off for 2016, with shows posting big exhibitor and attendee numbers that focused on not only what the newest gourmet food trends might be, but also the latest in musical instruments and everything that someone interested in shooting and hunting might need.
The 2016 Winter Fancy Food Show, owned by the Specialty Food Association and held Jan. 17-19 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, drew 1,500 exhibitors from across the U.S. and 28 countries to exhibit space that covered 215,000 square feet, enough to fill more than four football fields with food.… more
Jan 31, 2016
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 2015 lists are now open, and the shows must have occurred in 2015. Shows that are over 40,000 net sq. ft. have an opportunity to make the list. The form to fill out is HERE, and the deadline is Feb. 15.
TSNN is proud to present valuable data to the industry, which is based on in-depth information provided by show organizers about their events.
The Association of Equipment… 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