News
Oct 18, 2023
Exclusively sponsored by Honeycomb Strategies
When Honeycomb Strategies talks to planners and venues about sustainability, the first challenge we hear about is cost. Naturally, to start up any operational change requires investment. But it’s a myth that sustainability is more expensive than operations-as-normal. In fact, we’re increasingly seeing cost savings from sustainable practices both in the short and long term.
Let’s start with some sustainable solutions with short-term benefits for event planners. To reduce energy costs, contract with venues that have undergone improvements and… more
Oct 17, 2023
Reflecting a rapidly growing industry projecting no sign of slowing down any time soon, Plant Based World Expo (PBW) North America returned to the Javits Center in New York City for its annual edition, held Sept. 7-8. This year’s PBW attracted 3,168 attendees, including an uptick in qualified retail and food service buyers compared to years prior and approximately 200 exhibiting companies showcasing hundreds of new plant-based food brands across 25,000 square feet of exhibit space.
Touted as North America’s only 100% plant-based trade show and conference designed exclusively for food service… more
Oct 16, 2023
For the attendees and exhibitors of Toy Fair, North America’s largest trade show and conference for the $40 billion toy industry, there’s no place like its home in the Big Apple for more than a century. After The Toy Association announced on Oct. 1 that it was moving the Toy Fair from New York’s Javits Center to the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for three years starting in 2026, the association quickly reversed course when faced with overwhelming community outrage. The Toy Fair will stay in New York City in its traditional Q1 time frame, returning March 1-4, 2025, to the… more
Oct 13, 2023
The Vendry, an online event venue and vendor search platform for corporate event planners, has made searching for venues and vendors even faster, easier and more efficient with the launch of a new search engine that enables planners to discover venues and vendors in one centralized place.
Powered by The Vendry’s database, the new search experience brings more than 1 million data points on global venues and vendors together with live insights from The Vendry’s community of corporate event professionals to display the most relevant and comprehensive set of results, according to The Vendry… more
Oct 12, 2023
The U.S. trade show industry appears to be continuing its robust hiring momentum as summer turns to fall. Check out all the industry professionals getting hired and moving up at event-related organizations, companies and venues throughout the country.
Visit Salt Lake
Visit Salt Lake (VSL) recently welcomed two experienced industry professionals to its growing team: Stuart Webber as director of convention sales and Celina Sinclair as director of strategic alliances.
In his new role, Webber will pursue citywide conventions with 1,700+ attendees from the health, medical, public… more
Oct 12, 2023
TSNN is beyond delighted to announce that Hollywood and Broadway Legend Rita Moreno will be the keynote for the 2023 TSNN Awards Education Conference luncheon, sponsored by Discover Puerto Rico.
Moreno has won all four of the most prestigious awards in show business: an Oscar, a Tony, two Emmys and a Grammy. Her countless credits span more than eight decades, beginning with her Broadway debut at age 13.
She will be interviewed by Mariem Perez, the director and producer of the New York Times critic’s pick documentary "Rita Moreno, Just A Girl Who Decided To Go For It,” which acquired a… more
Oct 10, 2023
Touted as the largest AI event in the world, Dreamforce returned Sept. 12-14 to Moscone Center in San Francisco, but Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff told the San Francisco Chronicle it could be the last in the city if the conference was “impacted by the current situation with homelessness and drug use.”
The 21st annual event drew an estimated 40,000 Salesforce customers, partners and employees who gathered for three days of learning, fun, community building and philanthropy.
Dreamforce was projected to generate $89.3 million in local spending. A CoStar Group report revealed a 93.6 percent… more
Oct 09, 2023
After 35 years, the National Association of Consumer Shows (NACS) is closing its doors. Founded in 1988 for the advancement of the consumer show industry and to further the growth and professionalism of those involved in consumer show production, including show organizers, venues, decorators, advertising agencies and insurance companies, NACS focused on meeting the needs of its membership through advocacy, education and networking.
According to NACS President Jacqui McGuinness, the somber decision to shutter the organization, recently made by its board of directors, followed extensive… more
Oct 09, 2023
It’s a familiar story within the events industry: Like many trade show professionals, Lisa Hannant fell into the industry by chance, realized she loved it and never looked back.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, only that I didn’t want to go into the city and finance, which is a path many of my peers pursued,” Hannant said. “I was fortunate to land a job with a family-owned U.K. exhibition organizer called Brintex. I started to work on their B2B fashion shows, and I loved it from day one.”
She continued, “I’ll never forget seeing my first show come together. The culmination of so much… more
Oct 05, 2023
“There's an old saying that goes … if it's measured, it's managed,” said Oliver Bailey, head of Interaction Design for IMEX Group. “So the opposite is also true. If you're not measuring something, you can't be expected to manage it effectively.”
But how do you measure event design and experiences?
Bailey and his team are working with Zenus to measure attendee sentiment, as well as traffic, dwell time and demographics in several locations at the upcoming IMEX America, taking place Oct. 17-19 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Always looking to experiment and try new event tech,… 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