News
Oct 16, 2012
To dive or not to dive. That's one of the luxuries of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where the warm tropical ocean teems with colorful fish and giant turtles while the land attractions offer plenty of space for work and play.
Nested between the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta has been gaining ground as incentive, as well as trade show and convention destination.
Its home state of Jalisco may be famous for tequila and Mariachi, but this beachfront town can hold its own with plenty of colonial charm, lots of new and established convention infrastructure and a… more
Oct 14, 2012
Meeting Professionals International helped kick things off at last week’s IMEX America in Las Vegas with “Smart Monday”.
Ray Bloom, chairman of the IMEX Group, said that attendees “would not lack for inspiration or a sense of value” during the day-long program.
Nearly 1,000 participants took part in an 8-hour line up of free education sessions, brainstorms and deep dives intended to expand their personal and professional development and effectiveness, according to IMEX officials.
Smart Monday began with a keynote featuring Debra Benton, author of eight… more
Oct 14, 2012
UFI, The Global Association for the Exhibition Industry’s Congress, coming up Nov. 6-9 in Abu Dhabi,United Arab Emirates, is on track to break all-time attendance records that were set at the 2010 event in Singapore that drew 425 attendees (including all delegates, speakers, staff and accompanying persons).
“We are now a few past that and aiming for 450-plus,” said Paul Woodward, UFI’s managing director. “There are already over 50 countries represented. This is, to put it mildly, really encouraging!”
Last year’s event in Valencia, Spain, drew 405… more
Oct 14, 2012
The 2014 International Buyer Program (IBP) application process is now open. Interested shows have until Dec. 10 to apply. The International Buyer Program is a joint government-industry effort designed to increase U.S. export sales by promoting international attendance at major U.S. industry exhibitions.
Exhibitors always are looking to connect with qualified buyers. If your show has exhibitors who are interested in exporting their goods and connecting with pre-screened buyers from outside the U.S. you might want to take a close look at this program.
“Our core value proposition is our… more
Oct 14, 2012
Sporting an orange suit, “Mr. Holland” splashed imaginary orange paint on attendees, while men in kilts showcased the magical powers of haggis and bagpipes during the Euro Party at IMEX America, a trade show and convention for meetings, travel, incentives and events that took place Oct. 15-17 at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas.
The show had much to celebrate. Compared with the inaugural event last year, the trade show floor was 28 percent larger and up to 120,000 net square feet.
More than 40 percent of the exhibitors increased their exhibit footprints, with the total… more
Oct 11, 2012
SMG has two new feathers in its cap, scoring venue management contracts for Miami’s James L. Knight Center and South Dakota-based Sioux Falls Convention Center.
Both contracts previously were held by Global Spectrum and mark the 6th and 7th straight RFP convention center wins for SMG, according to Gregg Caren, SMG’s senior vice president of strategic development.
“From a company standpoint, wins are always great when these (RFPs) only come out a few within a year,” Caren said. “It validates we are a real leader for convention center management and marketing.… more
Oct 11, 2012
Even after securing several new exhibitors in the past six months, Market Center Management Company has decided to scrap plans for the Nashville Medical Trade Center, citing not enough long-term leases signed to continue with the project.
“Ending a development venture with such clear benefits for the health care industry has been a difficult decision, but ultimately we were unable to meet our internal leasing targets,” said Bill Winsor, president and CEO of Dallas-based MCMC, in a statement.
He added, “As we said from the outset, we would only proceed if we… more
Oct 09, 2012
Based on hundreds of show that are managed on a2z’s platform, the event technology company has released its latest Quarterly Exposition Industry Analysis.
While overall attendance has started to rebound at several shows, the third quarter wasn’t as kind to net square footage.
The data collected by a2z revealed that NSF in Q3 of 2012 was down by approximately 5 percent, compared with Q3 last year.
“If you have been following our previous a2z index reports, then you may have noticed that in Q1 and Q2, our NSF pacing indicated that Q3 of 2012 was behind by several points… more
Oct 09, 2012
Two of Las Vegas’ megashows, SEMA Show and MAGIC Marketplace, both will stay in Las Vegas into the near future, with extensions of their leases at the Las Vegas Convention Center for five years and three years, respectively.
“SEMA and MAGIC committed to Las Vegas in the early years, as we were evolving into a meetings and convention destination,” said Rossi Ralenkotter, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.
He added, “We appreciate their long-standing commitment to Las Vegas and their roles in supporting thousands of local jobs and… more
Oct 09, 2012
Kelso & Company, a private equity firm located in New York, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Swank Audio Visuals and merge it with another AV company Kelso owns, PSAV Presentation Services.
“PSAV and Swank are industry leaders with impressive histories of growth, innovation and best-in-class customer service,” said Steve Dutton, vice president at Kelso.
He added, “With PSAV and Swank as one combined entity, hoteliers will benefit from a single source of audiovisual and technology support for every size hotel and event around the world.”
Swank Audio… 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