Dec 13, 2011
Team San Jose - the city’s convention and visitors bureau that also oversees the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, along with other arts and entertainment venues – received a unanimous vote of confidence Dec. 13 from the city council and San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed to drop the RFP process to find another entity for CVB and venue management responsibilities.
“This is a great signal to our customers and the community that Team San Jose is here to serve their needs,” said Bill Sherry, CEO of Team San Jose.
He added, “(The) vote of confidence is a positive move… more
Dec 12, 2011
While most of the rest of the world still is grappling with the long-lasting economic downturn, Germany-based Messe Frankfurt had good news to celebrate with the recent release of the group’s preliminary figures for 2011.
The numbers indicate that not only will sales reach a new high of $598 million (€457 million) this year, beating forecasts, but also group sales are predicted to top $654 million (€500 million) for the first time ever in 2012.
“Independent of event cycles, we are increasing our sales every year and remaining consistently profitable,” said… more
Dec 10, 2011
People’s quest to stay young continues to drive the growth of Tarsus Group’s medical conferences, including the latest – the 19th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine (A4M) – which recently was held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The four day event’s preliminary attendance numbers showed an increase, compared with last year, drawing more than 5,500 people. There also were 350 exhibitors, another increase, compared with last year, and the showfloor saw positive growth as well, according to Doreen Brown, CEO of A4M… more
Dec 10, 2011
The mergers and acquisitions market has been anything but red hot for the past few years, but the first part of December saw not one, but two acquisitions.
Travel and event company Wyndham Jade bought Taptopia, a privately-held mobile software solutions company for the event industry.
Taptopia's solutions assist event organizers, convention centers and their related vendors to maximize the overall event experience for both attendees and exhibitors.
As part of the acquisition, members of Taptopia's founding team will take leadership positions at Wyndham Jade.
Bryan A. Scott,… more
Dec 06, 2011
As the nation’s leading trade show destination, it’s no secret that Las Vegas can be a magical place when it comes to increasing trade show participation. This was no exception for the International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ Annual Meeting & Exhibition, held Dec. 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The energetic event kicked off Tuesday night with a lively opening party at the Venetian Casino Hotel & Resort, where fire breathers and Cirque du Soleil-style performers entertained a jovial crowd that appeared more than ready to blow off some steam.… 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
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
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
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