National Restaurant Show, PACK Expo, IAAPA Attractions Expo, InfoComm All on Tap for Huge Shows
April 29, 2012
Whether it’s the audiovisual, packaging, restaurant or amusement park industries, all seem to be experiencing boon times with either their exhibit floors already sold out in advance of their upcoming shows or on tap to break all-time records.
The National Restaurant Association sold out of all of its space for its 2012 Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, scheduled May 5-8 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
The newly redesigned exhibit floor will showcase more than 1,900 exhibitors, including more than 500 new exhibitors that will offer thousands of products and services to restaurant and foodservice operators.
“A sold-out exhibit floor means NRA Show 2012 will be buzzing with thousands of new products and services that can make a difference in operators’ businesses,” said Jack Crawford, convention chair and president and CEO of Ground Round Independent Owners Cooperative.
He added, “Coupled with our show-stopping lineup of celebrity chefs, plus more than 70 in-depth education sessions on key topics, a lively exhibit floor promises to energize our attendees and provide them with countless ways to improve their operations in the year ahead.”
InfoComm International, the trade association representing the commercial audiovisual industry, said its InfoComm 2012, June 13-15 in Las Vegas, will feature the largest showfloor of any commercial audiovisual show in the world.
InfoComm 2012 will showcase more than 925 exhibitors with integrated display, projection, audio, conferencing, lighting and staging, digital signage and communications system solutions.
Corporations, government agencies and educational, healthcare and religious institutions from more than 90 countries are expected on the 500,000 net square feet showfloor.
“Support of InfoComm 2012 has been very encouraging,” said Jason McGraw, InfoComm senior vice president for expositions.
He added, “Trade show attendance is on the rise overall, and InfoComm 2012 is no exception. We are tracking well ahead of last year’s registrations to date, and our attendees will be exploring a Show floor that has never been larger.”
With five months left until PACK EXPO International 2012, Oct. 28-31 also at McCormick Place, show owner and producer Packing Machinery Manufacturers Institute said the show’s size has already exceeded the 2010 show.
To date, more than 1,500 exhibitors have reserved their booth space — 1,060,000 net sq. ft.
“We’re well on our way to a total sell out,” said PMMI Vice President of Trade Shows Jim Pittas. “We have less than 2 percent of available space remaining.”
PMMI also projects visitor attendance at 46,000. “We had to expand into the lower North Hall to accommodate exhibitor demand,” Pittas said. “PACK EXPO International 2012 will be this year’s largest and most comprehensive processing and packaging trade show in the world.”
IAAPA Attractions Expo had a record 724 companies assigned to the showfloor during the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) Space Allocation Committee meeting, held April 12-13.
The committee assigned 371,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit space at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, which will host IAAPA Attractions Expo 2012 Nov. 12-16.
“The fact that 80 percent of the trade show floor is sold seven months prior to the event is a testament to the quality of the Expo,” said Jeff Hudson, IAAPA Space Allocation committee chair and president of Skee Ball Inc.
He added, “People in the attractions industry know that to stay competitive and get ahead in this business, IAAPA Attractions Expo is a must-attend event.”
The showfloor this year is expected to span approximately 458,000 net sq. ft., with more than 1,100 companies displaying products and services in more than 100 categories.
Partner Voices
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