News

Feb 14, 2012
The popular video gaming convention PAX East has decided to make Boston its home for 10 more years, signing a deal with the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to keep the show at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center through 2023.   PAX East, operated in partnership with PAX East and Reed Exhibitions, has attracted more than 70,000 attendees each year to Boston since the show launched in 2010 at the Hynes Convention Center. Last year, the show moved to the BCEC, where it will run again in April.   This year was the final one on PAX East’s contract at the BCEC,… more
Feb 14, 2012
With temperatures hovering near zero degrees and heavy snow blanketing the area, 70 exhibition industry CEO leaders braved the elements to attend the UFI CEO Forum Feb. 1-3 in Istanbul. UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry held the three-day event at the host venue IFM – Istanbul Expo Center. “This was my first UCF, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Haluk Kanca, general manager of IFM. He added, “There were group dynamics at play that I have never seen at another industry meeting. The program was really educational and the… more
Feb 13, 2012
Randall-Reilly’s Great American Trucking Show, one of the fastest-growing shows in attendance in the United States, will attract even more of a crowd later this year with the collocation of the ProPickup Truck Expo. Both events will open their doors Aug. 23-25 at the Dallas Convention Center. The ProPickup Truck Expo will showcase pickups and accessories used in construction, trucking, landscaping and other industries that the trucks typically are used for. “With the addition of our ProPickup Truck Expo, we will be providing attendees with the unique opportunity to see vehicles… more
Feb 09, 2012
The year ahead looks to be a promising one for the city of Cincinnati, which is anticipating a busy convention schedule, consisting of national and international events, as well as repeat and new group business. In fact, according to the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Queen City is preparing to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region this year. “We’re welcoming thousands of visitors in 2012 who represent repeat convention business – people who came to Cincinnati, loved it and wanted to come back,” said Dan Lincoln, president and… more
Feb 06, 2012
UBM continued to expand its rapidly growing portfolio, with the purchase of the 4G World Exhibition and Conference for its UBM TechWeb division from Yankee Group Research for an undisclosed sum. The 4G trade show is billed as the “largest independent telecoms and wireless event serving the U.S. market,” according to UBM officials. “This acquisition expands our offering in the rapidly-accelerating mobile broadband market,” said Tony Uphoff, CEO of UBM TechWeb. 4G World serves the fast-growing mobile broadband market, which is expected to reach 2.5 billion 4G… more
Feb 05, 2012
Thailand will be the home for yet another internationally branded exhibition, with Mack Brooks Exhibitions bringing its global Fastener Fair brand Sept. 6-8 to the Bangkok International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Fastener Fair Thailand 2012will feature the latest technological innovations and cost-effective solutions for the automotive, electronics, infrastructure, airport and general manufacturing industries, with 120 international and local exhibitors, several international pavilions and an estimated 5,000 trade visitors. One of the pillars of Thai industry is automobile… more
Feb 05, 2012
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s UFI Open Seminar in Asia is filled with two days of education sessions, featuring show organizers from companies such as Reed Exhibitions Japan, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and UBM Asia, to name a few. Joining the show organizers Feb. 23-24 at the Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Centre in China, will be several suppliers as well, including the Thailand Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Shanghai New International Expo Centre and others. With the U.S., Europe and other countries worldwide still struggling with… more
Feb 05, 2012
Despite a tough global economic climate, Pico Far East Holdings had a successful year, reporting earnings results for year-end Oct. 31 of not only turnover that increased 14.1percent to a record HK$3.5 million, but also profit attributable to owners of the company that increased 29.2 percent to a record HK$248 million. In addition, gross profit jumped from HK$880,352 to $HK1.04 million. “The improvements in our results are due to our entrepreneurial and creative culture that enables our people to pursue initiatives swiftly and develop them into business opportunities and revenue,… more
Feb 05, 2012
Exhibitions in Hong Kong continue to draw significant numbers of attendees – the latest being the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt’s Hong Kong International Stationary Fair. The exhibition, which ran Jan. 9-12 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, drew 15,000 visitors, up 4 percent, compared with last year. Domestic visitors numbered 7,441, a rise of 10 percent, and more than 8,100 international visitors from 117 countries and regions came,  mainly from Australia, the Chinese mainland, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines,… more
Feb 05, 2012
Phoenix-based Viad, the parent company of Las Vegas-based Global Experience Specialists, recently posted fourth-quarter and year-end earnings results, with full-year revenues of $942.4 million, an 11.6-percent increase from the same period during 2010. Fourth-quarter company revenues also saw upticks from $186,965 in 2010 to $197,407 in 2011, a 5.6-percent increase. Viad also closed out 2011 with net income from continued operations of $8.8 million. The company’s marketing and events group, which has been impacted in the past few years by the global recession and GES is a part of,… more
Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started. Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind. “Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for." What’s New – AT&T Discovery District Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall. Hotels Coming Soon Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond. JW Marriott This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar. InterContinental Dallas  Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.   Hotel Swexan Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.