News
Dec 15, 2023
Maritz, an experience design company that provides event registration services, has partnered with CLEAR, an identity platform with 19 million members, to launch an identity verification solution for trade shows, corporate events and conventions. The goal: Deliver friction-free, secure customer experiences for on-site event registration.
At the recent International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Expo! Expo!, we caught up with Maritz Vice President Product Management Aaron Dorsey and CLEAR Senior Director Channel Partnership Sam Adeyemi to find out the scoop on the new… more
Dec 14, 2023
People News: VISIT Denver, IBTM World and More Elevate Seasoned Professionals, Grow Leadership Teams
An array of show organizers, CVBs, event agencies and industry associations have been steadily hiring and promoting staff while bolstering their executive teams as they look ahead to a busy New Year.
VISIT DENVER
Twenty-five-year hospitality industry veteran Lee Ann Benevidez has joined VISIT DENVER as its new senior vice president and chief sales and services officer. In her new role, she leads and directs convention and meeting sales efforts, including driving convention bookings for the newly expanded Colorado Convention Center and overseeing the organization’s destination strategy… more
Dec 13, 2023
Geopolitics and political uncertainty now pose the greatest risk to business growth, according to a recent survey of more than 1,300 CEOs of the world’s largest businesses. The persistent flux in global politics, trade dynamics and international relations has required a new level of resilience from business leaders, who have been tasked with re-assessing their strategic priorities, focusing on the rise of generative AI, talent management and elevated stakeholder expectations in addressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
Derived from the KPMG 2023 CEO Outlook — the annual… more
Dec 12, 2023
Held in conjunction with the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) Expo! Expo! Annual Meeting & Exhibition, the Exhibition Services and Contractors Association hosted its Winter Celebration and Awards on Dec. 4 at the House of Blues in Dallas. ESCA announced its 2023 Award Winners, surprising former Fern CEO Aaron Bludworth with the ESCA Lifetime Achievement Award.
This year’s ESCA President Damon Ross, who serves as senior group vice president for CORT Events, officially handed over the association’s leadership to 2024 ESCA President Taylor Vriens, who serves as… more
Dec 11, 2023
Article exclusively sponsored by Meet Ribbon
It’s a conversation happening behind closed doors, in boardrooms and on the showroom floor: how have online wholesale platforms changed the trade show industry? We wanted to lift the curtain on this debate and have an honest conversation on the impact of Faire and similar platforms. So we brought in a panel of experts from all over the retail ecosystem: sales agency owners, exhibitors, trade show organizers and retail buyers to give their opinion on what it all means and how the industry should pivot.
Ribbon’s Co-Founder and CEO Vinit Patil… more
Dec 11, 2023
Q4 2023 has been a busy time for the trade show industry, with event-related organizations across the country inking new business deals, extending partnerships and consolidating companies as they prepare for a robust start to 2024.
STAR Group
Experiential marketing and trade show exhibit company STAR Group recently acquired Exhibit Edge, a Washington, DC-based exhibition and events company.
According to STAR Group officials, the combined expertise of both companies will not only elevate the level of creativity, innovation and client-focused solutions for the exhibits, environments and… more
Dec 08, 2023
AWS re:Invent 2023, a conference and expo hosted by Amazon Web Service (AWS) for the global cloud-computing community, attracted tens of thousands customers, partners and AWS team members to Las Vegas Nov. 27-Dec. 1. AWS, producer of one of the largest U.S. corporate events of the year, generated Q3 revenues of $23.06 billion, according to a statement. The cloud unit, which CNBC calls the world’s top provider of computing and storage services, grew revenue 12% year over year for the quarter.
“Generative AI took center stage during keynotes, race cars and robots wowed at the expo, and no one… more
Dec 07, 2023
Beginning in 2024, The Venetian Resort Las Vegas will begin a $188 million renovation of its meeting and convention facilities as part of an extensive $1 billion capital investment project. Set to be completed in stages through 2026, the renovation of the 2.25-million-square-foot Venetian Convention Center and Expo will include an elegant new color palette, luxury lounge spaces for meetings and state-of-the-art technology.
“Embarking on a refresh of a convention center that hosts back-to-back events year in and year out is no easy task, but our promise is to provide our guests a best-in-… more
Dec 06, 2023
Exclusively sponsored by Honeycomb Strategies.
When it comes to sustainable innovations, one thing that sets apart Greenbuild International Conference + Expo is its sophisticated exhibitor engagement programs. Interlacing strategies for operations and communications have allowed Greenbuild to convince exhibitors of their stake in a sustainable event and to garner acclaim, awards and a stellar reputation. Along with their signature exhibitor requirement, the Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibitor Greening Guidelines (GMEGG), Greenbuild and show partner U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched a… more
Dec 05, 2023
Three global trade show producers recently reported financials, and revenue from exhibitions is soaring, with all three posting double-digit growth. Highlights from RELX, Informa plc and Easyfairs financials include:
RX, the global exhibitions division of RELX, reported underlying revenue growth of 32% for the first nine months of 2023. Overall, RELX reported underlying revenue growth of 8.0% YTD through Sept. 30.
Informa plc reported strength and momentum across its portfolio with underlying revenue growth of 31.7% for the first 10 months of 2023.
Easyfairs 2022-23 revenues grew to €193.… 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