Mar 01, 2021
Last year wasn’t exactly a great one for Nashville. The popular music and events destination not only suffered fallout from the pandemic, but also a Christmas morning suicide bombing that injured eight people, severely damaged more than 40 buildings in a historic downtown district and crippled telecommunication systems throughout the Southeast for days.
While some cities might still be reeling from the one-two punch of such overlapping misfortune, the Music City is doing anything but ruminating. In the more than two months since the bombing, Nashville has been picking up the pieces, focusing… more
Feb 26, 2021
A bipartisan bill to provide a much-needed jolt to the travel and hospitality industries reached the U.S. Senate floor Thursday. Dubbed the Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act, the legislation proposes tax incentives to reimplement meetings and events programs and other related services that would bring back millions of jobs lost during the pandemic.
Highlights include:
A temporary business tax credit to revitalize business meetings, conferences and other structured events.
A temporarily restored entertainment business expense deduction to help entertainment venues and performing… more
Feb 25, 2021
Three was certainly company at the Orange County Convention Center when a trio of fashion shows resumed in-person events in Orlando recently. MAGIC Pop-Up Orlando, OFFPRICE Orlando Market and WWIN Orlando Showcase, held Feb. 9-11, relied on three titans of the trade show industry — Informa Markets, Clarion Events and Tarsus Group — to present a unified front to ensure safety measures were upheld while important business was conducted.
With the tactile nature of the fashion industry, many buyers and exhibitors were eager to move their networking and deal brokering back to an in-person format… more
Feb 24, 2021
It goes without saying that the past 12 months have been an incredibly challenging and stressful time for event professionals. To lend a hand to fellow #eventprofs who may be suffering from job losses and mental health challenges, mark your calendars for the first-ever Event Relief 2021, a 24-hour global “vodcast” marathon created to raise funds for event industry professionals experiencing personal and financial hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Set for Wednesday, March 3, the event is organized and hosted by events and exhibitions professional, Dan Assor, creator and host of The Dan… more
Feb 22, 2021
TCF Center and Detroit Metro CVB officials hope a statewide volleyball tournament sets the Motor City up for its recovery from the pandemic.
The convention center, formerly known as Cobo Center, hosted 1,000 young athletes and socially distanced spectators over President's Day weekend. The tournament was the first event inside TCF Center since March 2020, when COVID-19 brought much of the travel and hospitality industry to a halt.
Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, which organized the President's Day Challenge, is planning for a return to TCF Center in April. “It was great to see people… more
Feb 19, 2021
A bevy of good news and in-person events held recently signal positive momentum toward a restart of the trade show industry in the United States that effectively has been put on hold since spring of last year.
Among the news, it was announced that the business events industry will be represented under a unified voice with the formation of the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA), an advocacy group that will champion the common interests of U.S. exhibitions and conferences with legislators.
This new coalition of eight industry associations will promote the impact of the sector, drive… more
Feb 17, 2021
Swapcard announced on Wednesday that events industry leader Julius Solaris has joined its team as head of engagement.
With more than 15 years of experience in event management, long standing relationships with some of the world’s most respected brands and deep knowledge of the global events industry, Solaris was a clear choice for the role, according to Swapcard.
Prior to joining Swapcard, he served as founder and editor-in-chief of EventMB, a respected resource on event technology, where he operated at the forefront of the event app revolution, integrating social media with both live and… more
Feb 17, 2021
How do you guarantee a new experience for your next meeting? Book at a hotel that is not even open yet.
That’s what Sandra Geiger, a global account executive with ConferenceDirect, opted for when planning an Alabama association’s annual membership meeting.
The June 2021 event will be held at Hotel Effie in Destin, Florida. The boutique property opened its doors the first week of February.
From all accounts, the hotel appears to be the latest gem along the Emerald Coast. Geiger is certainly counting on it—as she signed the contract without setting foot on the property.
“We have never… more
Feb 16, 2021
An army of events industry leaders is taking a stand to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. Take a look:
Reed Exhibitions
On Jan. 15, global event producer Reed Exhibitions announced that it will donate $1 million over the next five years to select global charity partners that are working to improve inclusivity and diversity in their local communities by supporting social change, fighting injustice and fostering development.
The charities that will benefit from the first portion of donations through the Reed Exhibitions Charity Fund include The Adus Instituto, Business Initiative for… more
Feb 11, 2021
Representatives from CVBs across the world are scheduled to descend on Baltimore July 10-15 for Destinations International’s annual convention. The summer event is the highlight of DI’s lineup, announced last week, as the association looks to play a pivotal role in the travel and hospitality industries’ recovery.
As is to be expected, the Baltimore-based convention will be hybrid, allowing attendees unable to travel to participate in the education and network virtually. All of DI’s major events this year will be hybrid, with only CDME courses being solely face-to-face.
“The 2021 Annual… 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