News

Mar 19, 2019
The inaugural edition of SIGN China – Shenzhen, LED CHINA – Shenzhen and Digital Signage – Shenzhen concluded last month, held at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center (SZCEC). The co-located events featured over 550 brands. Organised by UBM Trust, the co-located shows ran from 21st to 23rd February 2019. Three-day shows attracted a total of 24,039 professional buyers – 3,071 visitors, or 13%, were international buyers from 104 countries and regions. Exhibitors covered a wide range of segments from the sign, LED, and digital signage industries, while visitors were primarily from… more
Mar 19, 2019
Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), Malaysia’s largest furniture fair, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. Some 600 exhibitors from 14 countries and regions attended the exhibition this year.   Running from 8th to 11th March, MIFF was held at two separate venues in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) and Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC). According to the organiser, UBM Malaysia (a subsidiary of Informa Global Exhibitions), pre-registered international buyers increased by 10% at this edition with strong numbers from North America, Africa… more
Mar 19, 2019
More than 300 delegates from 22 countries and regions attended the sold-out UFI Asia-Pacific Conference this week in Tokyo, making it the biggest of its kind in the event’s 14-year history. Held at Tokyo Big Sight March 14-15, it marked the first time that UFI has held the annual Asia-Pacific industry conference in Japan.A mix of speakers from inside and outside the business events industry covered this year’s theme of “Facing the Future”:Among them was Kengo Kuma, the world-renowned Japanese architect who designed the stadium for next year’s Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. He opened the… more
Mar 19, 2019
SIAF concluded its 10th edition March 12 to overwhelmingly positive approval. The show was once again held concurrently with Asiamold – Guangzhou International Mould & Die Exhibition to provide a one-stop sourcing platform for industrial automation and the mould, die casting and additive manufacturing markets in South China. T he two fairs spanned three days and attracted 988 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions (2018: 896, 20 countries and regions). Additionally, a total of 252 delegations added to record visitor figures of 98,776 – which grew by 37 percent from last year – from 45… more
Mar 19, 2019
Strategic events and meetings management firm MCI has launched its Investment & Management Partnership initiative, designed to help U.S. associations accelerate the growth and market impact of their event portfolios. Events are a critical revenue driver for associations. MCI’s Investment & Management Partnership frees association partners from the responsibility of planning and executing their events so they can focus on membership, education, advocacy and other areas of expertise that differentiate them in the market. Meanwhile, MCI is able to implement efficiencies and introduce… more
Mar 18, 2019
For any event organizer worth his or her salt, safety and security is always top of mind. In light of last week’s tragedy in New Zealand and today’s in the Netherlands, as well as many others — including the Las Vegas shooting outside Mandalay Bay in October 2017 — having an action plan in place in event of a security threat has never been more important.   Demonstrating this fact, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority will host the one of the industry’s largest, most comprehensive active shooter exercises to date at Boston Convention & Exhibition Center this Friday, March 22.… more
Mar 15, 2019
The $130 million, 250,000-square-foot expansion of MGM Grand Conference Center is now complete, meaning MGM Resorts now offers a total of 4 million square feet of meeting and convention space on the Las Vegas Strip. (For reference, that’s more than all the convention space in Manhattan combined.) “With our expansion, upgraded amenities, new outdoor space and user-friendly connectivity packages, we provide our convention customers an enhanced meeting experience with more options,” said Ernest Stovall, vice president of Sales for MGM Grand. He continued, “I’m proud that many of our clients… more
Mar 14, 2019
On March 12, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) board of directors agreed to move forward with an upgrade and expansion of Cox Business’ wireless and wireline services at Las Vegas Convention Center. The renewed agreement includes a high-density network upgrade to the Wi-Fi installation in the existing convention space with new access points that power the latest 802.11ax standard. The three-year, multi-million-dollar renewed agreement also includes the design and management of a comprehensive Wi-Fi and distributed antenna system at LVCC’s $935.1 million, 1.4 million-… more
Mar 13, 2019
Sitting on your trade show floor is an exhibitor who is spending quite a bit of money to be there, but he or she may be thinking, “For this type of investment, I could be doing an amazing brand activation out of the confines of this booth.” Or, “We really would like our products to be seen by our end-users, the consumers, but they aren’t allowed into this show.” As a result, some shows are losing major exhibitors, such as E3 — the big video gaming show held annually in Los Angeles that’s had several major gaming companies drop out wanting to use their marketing dollars in other ways. A… more
Mar 13, 2019
You could say the team members behind MAD Event Management are masters of creativity. Based in Warwick, New York, they’re owners and operators of several large pop culture conventions, from Long Beach Comic Expo to C3: Comic Creator Conference. As such, they’re frequently managing events that involve large numbers of attendees dressed in costume, as well as in-depth education sessions designed to help high-level comics creatives learn and grow in the industry. Yet for its latest challenge, MAD stepped into a similar, yet different role in a new location: Havana, Cuba. Working with the… 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