News
Oct 03, 2022
The full scope of the vision care industry came together to reconnect and do business face-to-face at an energetic Vision Expo West 2022, held Sept. 14–17 at The Venetian Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. Presented by co-owners RX and The Vision Council, the annual sister show of Vision Expo East brought together thousands of ophthalmic professionals and hundreds of exhibiting companies for four days of innovative trends, education and plentiful networking opportunities.
“From reconnecting at networking functions and parties to conducting business on the show floor and taking… more
Sep 30, 2022
Effective Oct. 1, it became easier for international travelers to go to Canada, including those attending events, as the country officially removed all COVID-19 entry requirements as well as testing, quarantine and isolation measures for arriving visitors. Other COVID-19 travel restrictions were also dropped throughout the country.
According to Canada’s Public Health Agency, the removal of the measures, which include its COVID-19 vaccine mandate, was prompted by several factors. Included in the list is modeling that indicates Canada has largely passed the peak of the recent wave fueled by… more
Sep 29, 2022
BPA Worldwide, a leading global assurance provider of media, technology, events and sustainability standards compliance, has purchased VSef, the global data format for the digital events industry, founded by Explori. The move is the next step following its collaboration with VSef to create a single industry standard for digital events.
Digital events and digital components of in-person events are important elements of an event organizer’s portfolio, explained Richard Murphy, president and CEO of BPA Worldwide, adding that after leveling off after pandemic highs, the digital channel is… more
Sep 29, 2022
The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) in Chicago is soliciting ideas for the potential redevelopment of some or all of Lakeside Center, the east building of McCormick Place. Issued on Sept. 15, the Request for Information (RFI) will gather ideas for revitalizing the more than 50-year-old venue and providing an attractive new revenue generator for MPEA, the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois.
According to MPEA officials, this process will provide innovators, architects and developers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reimagine one of Chicago’s signature buildings,… more
Sep 28, 2022
Packing maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida on Sept. 28 as one of the region’s most intense hurricanes on record.
The Category 4 hurricane produced massive storm surge, destructive winds and flooding rainfall.
As the powerful storm barrelled toward the Gulf Coast, Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Florida, leading to major disruptions in flights and cruise lines, port and school closures and statewide evacuation orders.
And with Florida serving as a highly popular destination for meetings, trade… more
Sep 26, 2022
Harkening back to pre-pandemic times, the latest edition of Surf Expo boasted a bigger crowd and showfloor, with buyers and brands feeling comfortable and relaxed as they reconnected face-to-face to conduct business over the course of three busy days.
Held Sept. 8–10 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, the world’s largest and longest-running watersports, beach and resort lifestyle B2B event brought together more than 7,400 attendees and exhibitors spanning more than 150,000 square feet of expo space.
Produced bi-annually in January and September by Emerald, Surf Expo… more
Sep 23, 2022
A record-breaking number of nominations came flying in for the 2022 TSNN Awards, including nominations in 12 categories for the Innovation Awards and an incredible number of nominations for the Outstanding Show Pro Awards.
TSNN has named those who will be recognized with Outstanding Show Pro Awards and unveiled the finalists for the Innovation Awards as well as the Comeback Awards, which honor shows that have demonstrated resilience by “coming back” in areas such as attendance, overall business excellence and customer connectivity.
The 2022 TSNN Awards (www.T-awards.com) are on tap Nov. 8-… more
Sep 23, 2022
The Events Industry Council (EIC) announced the recipients of its annual Global Awards, which celebrate and honor exemplary achievements within the global business events industry, concentrating on leadership at all levels and specific areas of focus.
The EIC received a fantastic number of nominations for the Global Awards this year, according to Amy Calvert, CEO of the EIC.
“All [of the nominations] show remarkable personal accomplishments and achievements on behalf of our industry,” Calvert said. “Recognizing, rewarding and celebrating the incredible leadership and innovation in our… more
Sep 22, 2022
Right off the bat (pun intended), I knew Cleo Battle was someone who makes the most of an experience.
No more than a couple of minutes into our conversation, the discussion turned to how much he treasures his personalized Louisville Slugger in purple—the color of his hometown baseball team, the Colorado Rockies—which he’s had since moving to Louisville almost 10 years ago, and how he enjoys his fine Kentucky bourbon on occasion—with a nice cigar and a great Sinatra album.
Indeed, Battle is an aficionado and a connoisseur of the destination he has represented for nearly a decade, first as… more
Sep 21, 2022
Leading technology solutions provider Personify has purchased GTR Event Technology, a long-established industry player, to offer a complete event management platform for organizers of trade shows, conferences, corporate meetings and other gatherings.
GTR has developed powerful and easy-to-use software, along with expert services for badge printing, online registration, lead retrieval and attendance tracking, all of which are now available through Personify’s Community Experience Platform.
“The addition further enables our mission of helping our clients to manage and grow their… 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