News
Jun 15, 2021
World of Concrete, which took place June 8-10 in Las Vegas, signaled the return of major trade shows in the United States. With banners flying over telescope cranes, power tools roaring through cement and attendees shaking hands and sometimes hugging, the event not only felt like a reunion but also a solid foundation for the return to business.
The show kicked off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Las Vegas Convention Center’s $1 billion West Hall and the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop, the underground tunnel developed by Elon Musks’ The Boring Company that shuttles attendees across… more
Jun 15, 2021
Ask event teams about their high-priority KPIs and good audience engagement is sure to feature in the list. But keeping the audiences engaged in a virtual setup can be hard. Great event teams do a few common things to up their audience engagement game. Here are five of those tips for your next virtual event.
Create an engagement-first agenda: You get the audience engagement you plan for. So, start with creating an agenda that is conducive to driving audience participation. Plan for activities that need audiences to get involved during the event, and not just sit back and listen. Schedule… more
Jun 14, 2021
Michael Duck, executive vice president for commercial development at Informa Markets and Informa Group, is the president-elect for UFI, the global association for the exhibitions industry. The role, spanning 2022-2023, will become official at the conclusion of the 88th UFI Global Congress, set for Nov. 3-6, 2021 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
As incoming president, Michael Duck will work closely with the president and outgoing president as part of the trio managing UFI at the highest level. The group’s primary mission is to help UFI to continue to connect, support and promote the exhibition… more
Jun 11, 2021
Previously, personalization meant just addressing customers by their first names (We all have written those emails with Hi {First Name}, :) haven’t we?). Cut to today, times have changed. So has consumer sentiment. Now personalization requires marketers and event professionals to be prepared with as much context on customers’ experiences as possible.
The rapid adoption of Virtual Events has opened the door to new ways of understanding the context and preferences of audiences. Here are 5 lesser-known ways in which you can personalize your next virtual event experience.
Personalize your… more
Jun 11, 2021
With so many people across the world facing a plethora of mental and emotional challenges, we’ve come to understand in no uncertain terms how stress can negatively impact our performance, both personally and professionally.
After recognizing the deleterious effects that pandemic-related stressors were having on its workforce, Freeman enlisted the help of the Center for BrainHealth, a leading brain research center at The University of Texas at Dallas, to help improve employee wellbeing, health and performance via an innovative company-wide initiative.
Launched in March, the BrainHealthy… more
Jun 10, 2021
Event professionals worldwide have been learning quickly and transforming in-person to virtual events, over the last year and the industry is evolving fast. One of the key challenges event professionals face now though is releasing profits from virtual events - overcoming the challenge requires a new playbook.
A recent report by EventMB suggests that 40% of event professionals have not been able to generate a profit from virtual events. If you are among the 40% or if maximizing virtual event ROI has been a long-standing goal, here are 3 key pillars to take care of at your next event:
1.… more
Jun 10, 2021
With the COVID-19 pandemic hanging over the event industry’s head for more than a year now, creating safe in-person meetings and conferences has become a laser point-of-focus for meeting and conference planners. To meet that demand, event tech companies have been rising to the occasion with new and contactless software tools to provide peace of mind for attendees, exhibitors, event staff and planners alike. Here are a few to consider as organizations welcome back groups in person:
Konduko Kontactless
Launched in 2013, Swiss-based Konduko provides Kontactless Smart Event technologies that… more
Jun 09, 2021
After 30 years in the Las Vegas events business, Melanie Bash isn’t exactly a deer in the headlights maneuvering down the Strip. But she knows that for event organizers and corporate meeting planners, the city’s vast options can be daunting. Trying to find the right venue is hard enough in regular circumstances, but even worse when factoring all of the health and wellness research that goes into bringing events back to life.
Recognizing a need to personalize experiences as Las Vegas reopens, Bash has teamed with DMC veteran Molly Hoisington to found a concierge service in partnership with… more
Jun 08, 2021
Hugs replaced fistbumps as the days of yesteryear reappeared during the Connect and BizBash collocated event at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas.
The B2B conference geared toward matching event planners with venue personnel to spur future business, and evrent inpiration from BizBash, drew about 750 attendees in-person May 22-24, with another 1,500 event professionals participating online.
Connect and BizBash were in the unusual position of hosting a second event during the pandemic, having executed a scaled-down and delayed version of its largest annual conference last fall in… more
Jun 08, 2021
The Exhibition Services & Contractors Association has launched a new campaign to demonstrate how its members are preparing to relaunch trade shows, meetings and events with safety top-of-mind. Aptly named the ALL IN Event Readiness Campaign, the effort aims to bring a renewed level of communication and information to the industry by sharing member stories on their readiness efforts, the challenges they’ve faced and how their resiliency has made them stronger in supporting their customers.
“ESCA and its members have an unwavering commitment, resilient confidence and a resolve to unite… 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