News
Apr 11, 2022
Event-related organizations throughout the U.S. and abroad are continuing to scoop up new team members and elevate executives as the industry-wide hiring and promoting frenzy continues unabated. Check them out!
Visit Seattle
Following a nationwide search, Visit Seattle and its board of directors have tapped hospitality veteran Tammy Blount-Canavan to be its president and CEO, starting May 9. As Visit Seattle’s first female CEO, she replaces 15-year leader Tom Norwalk, who retired earlier this spring.
With a rich leadership history spanning two countries and three decades, first in the… more
Apr 08, 2022
Bizzabo, the Event Experience Operating System (OS), unveiled the Global Event Center of Excellence, a dedicated division providing event expertise, education and resources for event professionals. The division will curate and share best practices and big picture insights via events, webinars, workshops, templates, tool kits and other pieces of content.
The aim of the new center is to help event professionals, regardless of experience level, excel by offering the training and knowledge they need to orchestrate exceptional, best-in-class event experiences, according to Devin Cleary, vice… more
Apr 07, 2022
The Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) CEO Summit, the most important annual networking and information-sharing event for show organizers, took place in person last month for the first time in two years, bringing hundreds of eager attendees together for an experience punctuated by exceptional content and optimism for the industry’s continued recovery and evolution.
More than 300 independent show organizers and C-level executives from sponsoring companies gathered for the three-day event, held March 21-24 at The Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Fla.
“… more
Apr 06, 2022
Sherrif Karamat is a life-long learner with an impressive list of credentials—an MBA and post-graduate certificates in business, management, strategic negotiations, data intelligence and big data, to name a few. But some of his greatest lessons—personally and professionally—have come over the past two years of the pandemic.
Capitalizing on those lessons is one of his top priorities as he guides the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and its members in successfully moving forward in the evolving events environment.
Reinvention is key, according to Karamat.
“Our industry… more
Apr 06, 2022
Every year, members leave your organization – they change jobs or professions, go out of business, retire, or just leave because they found a better alternative. That makes adding and retaining members to your association a top priority and a never-ending project. Let’s look at some reasons why your members might be going out the back door, and how you must keep new ones coming in the front.
Your association benefits are unclear
While obvious to you, oftentimes, the benefits your organization offers aren’t clear to your potential and current members. Prospects need the benefits delivered in… more
Apr 05, 2022
At its Annual Meeting at the Duke Energy Convention Center on March 25, the Cincinnati USA Convention and Visitors Bureau unveiled a new brand identity and announced several key growth initiatives to an audience of 400 business professionals, civic leaders and members of the regional hospitality industry.
The 75-year-old destination marketing organization’s new name is “Visit Cincy,” created to better align with the CVB’s sales and marketing efforts, as well as its regional collaboration with meetNKY, the Northern Kentucky Convention and Visitors Bureau, to reach key markets for tourism,… more
Apr 04, 2022
More than 2,700 independent grocery retail professionals and leaders recently converged in Las Vegas for The NGA Show, the premier annual trade show and conference for the independent supermarket industry. Held Feb. 27-March 1 at CAESARS FORUM, the bustling in-person show brought together independent retailers, wholesalers, food retail industry executives, food manufacturers and service providers from across the U.S., resulting in a nearly 20% increase in attendance from previous years.
Produced by the National Grocers Association (NGA) and Clarion Events as part of its Food & Beverage… more
Apr 01, 2022
The metaverse is upon us, and The Toy Foundation is one of the latest companies to bring one of its events into the new world of virtual interactivity and participant engagement. For its recent Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards after-party, the Toy Foundation leveraged the immersive event platform of NewSky XR for a cutting-edge virtual experience.
NewSky XR took this year's TOTY to the next level by hosting an after-party for winners, Toy Industry Hall of Fame inductees and event attendees in their New York Rooftop location in the metaverse.
After the winners were announced, event… more
Mar 31, 2022
After two challenging years, there’s no doubt that the meetings and events industry could use an industry-wide celebration to commemorate and honor the return of in-person experiences. And what better way to celebrate the industry’s renaissance than by joining Meeting Professional International (MPI)’s fifth annual Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID): Virtual Experience, broadcasting live April 7 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. CDT.
As an annual international day of advocacy that shines a light on the positive impact that conferences, conventions and trade shows have on people, businesses and the… more
Mar 29, 2022
Global Experience Specialists (GES), a leading global provider of exhibition services, brand experiences and live event services, debuted Spiro, an integrated marketing solutions agency that aims to deliver uniquely elevated experiences for the new era of events, including virtual, hybrid and in-person formats.
“The past two years have reinforced the critical value of events and experiences in connecting people,” said Jeff Stelmach, global president of Spiro. “[Today], it’s not about meeting people with similar interests in a single location—it’s about people with similar interests meeting… 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