Vision Expo West 2018 Breaks Attendance Records in Las Vegas
October 12, 2018
Vision Expo West celebrated its 30thanniversary by achieving a nearly double-digit increase in attendance compared to the year before.
Held Sept. 26-29 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, the annual eyecare and eyewear conference and exhibition attracted 12,579 ophthalmic professionals from across the globe, a sizable increase compared to 2017, when 11,790 attended the event.
The show’s attendance increased in nearly every category, particularly in Opticians and Optometrists, as well as in Independent OD and MD practices, multidisciplinary practices, chains/superstores and laboratories, according to show officials.
The conference portion of Vision Expo West was also robustly attended, with more than 4,500 participants taking advantage of 233 leading-edge educational sessions covering key industry topics including contact lens, business solutions, optical technology, retail strategies and clinical concepts.
Starting at registration and extending throughout the exhibit hall, 422 exhibitors created unique experiences and memorable environments for attendees seeking to discover trends, interact with new technologies and access innovative products and services.
According to show officials, heavy foot traffic was evident throughout showfloor, including at BLOCK and NEXT, new exhibit hall neighborhoods that featured new exhibiting companies and standing-room-only fashion shows and panel discussions.
“Both teams at Reed and The Vision Council worked collaboratively to emphasize marketing programs that would cultivate excitement in the community for the show and the several new initiatives we launched, including new exhibit hall neighborhoods,” explained Joanne Mohr, event director for Reed Exhibitions, which co-owns Vision Expo with The Vision Council.
She continued, “We focused on marketing that allowed us to expand our reach by providing specifically tailored content to third-party databases as well as a dedication to increasing media placements and boosting social media impressions.”
Those efforts resulted in Vision Expo’s social channels garnering more than 3.8 million impressions, an 11 percent increase from the year before, according to show officials.
Exhibiting companies also enjoyed their fair share of accolades, including Europa Eyewear/STATE Optical Co., which won Best Brand Activation in the show’s Best Booth Awards with its 3D virtual experience that provided attendees with an inside look at their manufacturing process, and Costa, which took home the Best Booth Award for Most Creative Booth Design.
The winners of this year’s Vision Choice Award, in which attendees can view and vote for the best product featured in the Product Gallery, included first place winner, Miraflex; second place winner, Lunette and third place winner, Mó Eyewear.
OptiCon @ Vision Expo, a dedicated program for opticians and contact lens technicians, experienced a successful debut at the show by selling almost 700 packages and experiencing record attendee turnout at its welcome party and OptiCon Hub, a dedicated showfloor space that offered pop-up talks, networking, social events and access to special resources and vendor partners.
Throughout the show, a variety of other events and celebrations combined networking with education on and off the showfloor to provide attendees with plenty of opportunities to connect and collaborate.
“This year, Vision Expo West was extraordinary,” said Micki Lorelli, a licensed dispensing optician from Juno Beach Optical.
She continued, “I was excited to attend the 30th anniversary (and) the Show had thousands of collections of eyewear to explore! I even discovered a few brand-new collections. Anything you may need for your optical business can be found easily using the mobile app. My absolute favorite part of Vision Expo this year was meeting people that know me on social media from all over the world that are in our industry. It was wonderful to meet them in person.”
Vision Expo West will return to the Sands Sept. 18-21, while Vision Expo East is set for March 21-24 at the Javits Center in New York City.
Don’t miss any event news! Sign up for any (or all) of our e-newsletters HERE & engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram!
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
Add new comment