News
Mar 30, 2017
Nursing mothers now have a couple of private sanctuaries to retreat to when attending conventions and meetings at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.
The SMG-managed facility has installed two portable lactation suites for female attendees and exhibitors wishing to breast feed their infants or use breast pumps in privacy.
“We are offering the new lactation suites during conventions, meetings, and trade shows to offer comfort and convenience for our guests,” said Mark J. Leahy, general manager of the HCCC.
He continued, “Young mothers have had to utilize public restroom spaces or… more
Mar 29, 2017
By Elizabeth Johnson
Aisles of pipe and drape; panels, roundtables, keynotes; networking mixers and the standard preshow marketing of emails, postcards and social media updates – safe to say, there is a tradeshow model. However, this model can make it hard for an attendee to differentiate one show from another.
What can tradeshows do to stand out, change the attendee experience and see different results in terms of attendance numbers and exhibitor sales and leads? Personalize it.
“Event attendees look for an experience that is tailored to helping them achieve their goals: making the right… more
Mar 29, 2017
Kaon Interactive’s new augmented reality solution, Kaon AR, made a big splash in Las Vegas – so much so it won the EXHIBITORLive 2017 New Product Showcase Buyer’s Choice Award.
Kaon AR was one of 44 products debuted in the New Product Showcase at EXHIBITOR, an annual event for trade show and corporate event marketers that took place March 12-16 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
The software company was one of five innovators to take home the annual award that recognizes the top product innovations of the year.
“We are honored to have been recognized as the… more
Mar 28, 2017
In order to meet the growing needs of convention groups, retain existing clients and compete with other similar-sized destinations for group business, more and more cities and their convention and visitors bureaus are recognizing the importance of investing in convention center upgrade and expansion projects.
The city of Cincinnati, Ohio is such a destination. The Queen City is setting its sights on expanding the 49-year-old Duke Energy Convention Center, which was renovated in 2006 but hasn’t undergone a significant exhibition space expansion in nearly three decades.
At the Cincinnati USA… more
Mar 27, 2017
Global events strategy consultancy AMR International and U.S.-based event organizer Lippman Connects will partner to launch Transform, a new conference that will tackle the data, analytics and digital strategy revolution of the exhibition industry.
The conference will provide critical insight to senior leaders of U.S. exhibition organizers, as the industry struggles to embrace data, analytics and digital technologies.
The Transform conference follows on from AMR’s Data and Digital Event Strategy Symposium held in London.
“This event comes in response to the industry’s ongoing reluctance to… more
Mar 25, 2017
It’s not about registration types or membership categories when it comes to acquiring attendees for your events.
Attendees are motivated by what is important to them, personally, professionally, at the time of clicking “register here.”
On this week’s #ExpoChat we’re going to unpack what Personas are, why they are important, and how you can use them to enhance attendee acquisition and retention.
Here are some questions that will be discussed:
· What are “Attendee Personas” and how are they different from membership or registration types?
· … more
Mar 25, 2017
The Association for Women in Events (AWE), a not for profit organization supporting gender equality and diversity in the event industry, has unveiled its Hall of Fame Recognition Program, hosted by the AWE Awards Committee.
The AWE Awards Committee was formed with a vision to create an engaged group of recognized people and programs that exemplify AWE values to serve as an ongoing resource for inspiration, guidance and leadership.
The AWE Hall of Fame will recognize the advancement of women in events by honoring women and men with a categorical award.
Categories for nominations are: Disruptor… more
Mar 24, 2017
Vinexpo, the international exhibition for wine and spirits professionals, is gearing up enter the world’s largest wine-consuming market with its first U.S. trade show.
Scheduled March 5-6, 2018, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, Vinexpo New York is expected to host 200 exhibitors from wine-producing regions throughout the globe, along with 3,000 attendees, including importers, distributors, retailers, brokers, e-commerce, on-trade buyers and sommeliers.
“We’re excited to combine forces with Vinexpo to bring the international world of wine and spirits to New York – the… more
Mar 23, 2017
Trade Show News Network will collocate its 8th Annual 2017 TSNN Awards: Celebrating Success with Connect Expo, which is a part of Connect Marketplace, Aug. 21-23 in New Orleans.
As the premiere awards program in the trade show industry celebrating fastest-growing shows, more than 50 show organizers will be feted during the three-day event (www.T-awards.com).
“We are very excited to do something a little different this year and collocate the 8th Annual TSNN Awards with Connect Expo,” said TSNN President Rachel Wimberly.
She added, “Connect Expo is a perfect fit for the TSNN Awards, with each… more
Mar 23, 2017
Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Chairman Gary C. Sherwin, CDME and President and CEO of Visit Newport Beach, Inc. and President and CEO Don Welsh unveiled that DMAI will become Destinations International, effective July 2017 during its Annual Convention in Montreal.
The announcement was made during the 2017 CEO Summit at The Westin Nashville, where a record 182 guests were in attendance.
Through collaboration with Miles Partnership, feedback gathered from stakeholder interviews, paired with extensive analysis of key operational facets of the Association… 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