News

Jul 13, 2018
As the sun rose over the Detroit River on the morning of May 23, employees, event attendees and members of the Detroit community helped jump-start Cobo Center’s 2018 community engagement series, Cobo Cares, with “Sunrise Riverfront Yoga,” held on the outdoor terrace of Cobo’s Grand Riverview Ballroom. Launched in 2017 as part of Cobo’s commitment to social responsibility and sustainability, Cobo Cares offers free exercise, networking and community engagement opportunities for the local downtown community, facility employees and onsite event attendees. Ongoing during the spring, summer and… more
Jul 12, 2018
etouches is now known as Aventri, a new name that stems from three ideas: avenue, events and entry. The rebrand combines these three elements as part of the company’s continuing effort to transform the event experience through products, people and innovation. Aventri’s new tagline “Connect Better” reflects the company’s mission to foster deeper relationships with event, meeting and strategic marketing professionals and enable them to create deeper and more meaningful relationships with their own networks.  “Our rebranding project was ignited by the desire to take our former name and… more
Jul 12, 2018
The Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) is working to reinforce the value of face-to-face meetings by reframing its Worth Meeting About campaign during the 2018 midterm election cycle.  Continuing the success of the campaign, the coalition will highlight numerous ways that candidates rely on face-to-face meetings to connect with constituents as well as inform, persuade and recruit supporters, including talking to voters one-on-one, participating in town hall discussions, canvassing neighborhoods, hosting fundraising events or participating in onstage debates with their political… more
Jul 12, 2018
Mexico City will soon have its very own fan event for comics, pop culture, cosplay, anime, K-Pop, gaming and entertainment. Set to debut March 21-24 at the Pepsi Center, WTC, the inaugural Mexico City Comic Con will offer Latin American fans a plethora of features to get excited about, including 200 exhibits, original content with creators, publishers and authors in several tracks of programming, and entertainment including Q&A sessions, live bands and pavilions with interactive activities such as RPG play, card gaming tournaments, video gaming and anime content. Produced in… more
Jul 11, 2018
Encore Event Technologies, a global provider of audiovisual (AV), event technology and production services for some of the world’s largest hotels and corporate clients, has aligned Staging Connections’ name and brand with Encore. Earlier this year, Encore announced the rebranding of ETG Staging Connections in China to the Encore brand. The addition of the Staging Connections team in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji completes the rebranding process. Staging Connections is the region’s leading provider of in-house event services, technology and event staging services. Becoming aligned under… more
Jul 11, 2018
Several trade show management companies and event solutions providers have been spending their summer renewing long-term partnerships and acquiring new business.  Event producer, Reed Exhibitions, has renewed its contract with CompuSystems through 2019. CompuSystems, provider of registration, data management and lead retrieval services, has been providing full-service registration for Reed for the past 33 years.  “We are excited to continue our long-running partnership with Reed Exhibitions,” said Chris Williams, president of CompuSystems. “Our team remains focused on providing innovative… more
Jul 11, 2018
Deputy General Manager of Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai, Heiko M. Stutzinger, will take an additional role of Deputy Managing Director of MesseDüsseldorf China Ltd. (MDC) in Hong Kong. Heiko M. Stutzinger is experienced in the trade show industry and has long focused on the areas of strategic growth and business development. He joined Messe Düsseldorf in 2008 and became Deputy Manager of Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai in 2015. Hans Werner Reinhard, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MDC, commented, “Besides the outbound business, Messe Düsseldorf China is actively developing exhibitions also in… more
Jul 11, 2018
The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has appointed Carolyn Johnson as its Director of Marketing and Communications, effective from 9th July 2018. Previously, Johnson was Head of Marketing of Hostplus. She has also held senior marketing positions at various premium brands in Australia. She has extensive experience in customer experience design, development and implementation of business and digital transformation, and communications. MCEC Chief Executive Peter King, stated, “I have no doubt that Carolyn’s background and wealth of experience will serve our venue well. This is… more
Jul 11, 2018
The board of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) announced this week that its long-serving CEO, Martin Sirk, will step down from his position at the end of this month. Sirk, who joined ICCA as CEO in 2002, has led the association through substantial growth overseeing a rise in membership from 600 to over 1,100 companies and organisations across 97 countries. ICCA will appoint a new CEO in the coming months. In the meantime, ICCA’s Chief Value Officer, Dennis Speets, will stand in as acting CEO. ICCA President Nina Freysen Pretorius, stated, “We would like to thank… more
Jul 11, 2018
The inaugural edition of Hotelex Indonesia& Finefood Indonesia will be held from 18th to 20th July 2018 at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) in Jakarta. The event is expected to feature more than 200 companies from 26 countries, covering an exhibition space of more than 10,000 m2. Organised by PT Pamerindo Indonesia, a subsidiary of UBM plc, the new food and hospitality show will target the high-end speciality food, drink and hotel sectors. Exhibitors will cover a wide range of products including catering equipment, tableware to catering supplies, fine food, beverage, bakery & ice… 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