News

Dec 04, 2011
To celebrate the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre’s 25th anniversary, the venue launched a downloadable, free of charge HKCEC iPhone app. The HKCEC app is a user-friendly tool that offers comprehensive news and information about the venue in three languages:  English, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese.  For the free download, iPhone users should visit the iTunes App Store and enter the keyword “HKCEC” or “Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre”, or simply scan an available QR code and go direct to the HKCEC app download page… more
Dec 04, 2011
In October, Reed Exhibitionsconcluded its dual interior décor events, 100% Design Shanghaiand International Home Décor & Design (IHDD). A total of 147 exhibitors from 16 countries and regions attended the event, while the number of visitors stood at more than 13,700 – up 15 percent,  compared with last year’s edition. The events were held Nov. 3-5 at the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. Key product categories covered at the three-day events included furniture, bathroom décor, lighting installations, kitchenware, home accessories and wall/floor… more
Dec 04, 2011
The 110th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) concluded earlier this month. According to the fair’s organiser, China Foreign Trade Centre, around US$38 billion worth of business was generated during the three-week fair marking the 10-year anniversary of China’s accession of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The 55-year-old fair was held Oct. 15- Nov. 4 in three phases at the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou. This edition featured more than 58,000 booths more than 1,160,000 square meters of exhibition space, and attracted 24,231 exhibitors and 209,175… more
Dec 04, 2011
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has outlined a three-phase plan in the wake of the country’s flood crisis to boost the recovery of the MICE industry in 2012. The bureau is targeting to revive the industry to pre-crisis levels before the third quarter of 2012 after consultations with key industry players. TCEB will propose the remedial plan to the Thai Government, which started in October 2011 and will last until March 2012. The first phase involves urgent measures implemented in October that assists MICE travellers by establishing a one-stop coordination centre… more
Dec 04, 2011
The number of overall MICE participants in Macau reached 507,661 in the third quarter – a jump of 39 percent, compared with the same time year. A total of 236 MICE events took place in the third quarter, down by 87 events year-on-year according to the latest numbers from territory’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). The DSEC reported 52 percent of all MICE events held fall into the “commerce, trade & technology” category. Fifteen of the 236 events were exhibitions – attracting 483,934 attendees, which accounted for 95 percent of the quarter’s… more
Dec 03, 2011
While many home, garden and construction-related trade shows still are struggling to pick up steam and return to pre-recessionary growth, the International Pool | Spa | Patio Expo enjoyed a second consecutive year of increases in attendee and exhibitor participation. Held Nov. 2-4 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, the annual trade show and conference for the pool, spa and backyard industry drew 9,717 attendees and 484 exhibitors to a 122,250 square foot showfloor, according to show officials. Last year, the event attracted 9,255 attendees and 459 exhibitors spanning… more
Nov 30, 2011
The Center for Exhibition Industry’s CEIR Index showed that trade shows continued to buck overall negative economic trends in the third quarter, with 2.6-percent growth in all four key metrics tracked in the report, compared with the same quarter in 2010. Trade show growth in the third quarter of this year also beat out the GDP during the same period, which only grew 1.5 percent. In addition, all four key metrics tracked by the CEIR Index – attendance, number of exhibitors, revenues and net square footage - showed positive results on a year-on-year basis and the growth of… more
Nov 27, 2011
Individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the exhibitions and events industry have been named by the International Association of Exhibitions & Events and will be feted at the organization’s upcoming Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition Dec. 6-8 in Las Vegas. The IAEE Individual Awards winners includes Gary Sain, president and CEO of Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, who will receive Chariman’s Award, given to someone whose assistance to the IAEE chairman has been meritorious. Recipients are recognized for going… more
Nov 27, 2011
The Virtual Edge Institute’s Virtual Edge Summit 2012, on tap Jan. 9-11 at the San Diego Convention Center, has unveiled a robust education program on everything a show organizer needs to know on virtual and hybrid events, with 80 speakers and 30 sessions. The theme of the summit, “Accelerate: knowledge. strategy. results”, will focus on presenting digital solutions for meetings, events, learning, training and community and feature speakers from companies such as 3M, Cisco Systems, Herbalife, HIMSS, IBM, Intel Corporation, Microsoft, VMWare, and Xerox. The summit runs… more
Nov 27, 2011
Once a year in the United States, people connected to the amusement parks industry come from far and wide to check out what’s new at the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions’ Attractions Expo. This year’s event ran Nov. 14-18 at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, and it saw a 5-percent increase to 15,300 attendees, compared with 14,600 attendees at the 2010 event. “The results for IAAPA Attractions Expo 2011 surpassed our expectations on several fronts,” said IAAPA President and CEO Chip Cleary. He added, “… 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