News
Feb 11, 2025
What’s the outlook for the U.S. and global exhibition industries? UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has released the 34th edition of its flagship Global Exhibition Barometer report, which takes the pulse of the industry.
Zooming out: For the global exhibition industry, revenues in 2024 and 2025 are expected to grow by a respective 16% and 18% year on year. Globally, 46% of companies declare they plan to increase their workforce in the coming six months, while another 51% declare that they will keep current staff numbers stable.
Context: “UFI’s Barometer research has… more
Feb 10, 2025
Las Vegas is more than just a mecca for gambling, gaming and, more recently, sports. It’s also a food capital of the world with over-the-top hotel buffets—such as the iconic Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace—and restaurants opened by famed chefs like Bazaar Meat by José Andrés and Amalfi by Bobby Flay, and no shortage of concepts from celebrities (think: Pinky’s by Vanderpump). Thus, it only makes sense that the Bar & Restaurant Expo descends on Sin City each year.
In its 39th edition, the Bar & Restaurant Expo—which describes itself as a “battleground” for F&B professionals—… more
Feb 07, 2025
After officially announcing the once glorious E3 Show dead in December 2023, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has unveiled the launch of the Interactive Innovation Conference (iicon), an invitation-only event designed to bring together visionaries, thought leaders, and innovators across industries that intersect with interactive entertainment.
Set to take place April 27-30, 2026, at the Fontainebleau Resort in Las Vegas, iicon hopes to capitalize on the global video game industry that is set to surpass $300 billion in projected revenue by 2027, according to a statement released… more
Feb 06, 2025
In January, the U.S. trade show industry kicked off 2025 with a bang as organizations far and wide reported a plethora of new hires, promotions, and executive appointments.
TSNN’s Take on the biggest move in the last month: Nineteen Group appointed 25-year event industry veteran Mary Larkin as president of its Americas division as the company enters its next phase of its growth in the continent.
The big picture: Headquartered in London and backed by Phoenix Equity Partners, Nineteen Group is an events and media company specializing in large-scale B2B trade exhibitions and conferences… more
Feb 05, 2025
Unless attendees were looking, they probably didn’t notice more than 70 sensors that were placed in and around about 50 activations in The District at PCMA’s annual convention held in January. The sensors allowed for comprehensive data collection on audience engagement metrics, such as traffic flow, dwell times, and even attendee emotions via facial recognition analytics.
Zenus, a trailblazer in digital analytics for events, showcased its innovative solutions at the PCMA Convening Leaders 2025. From detailed analytics and bespoke reporting for top sponsors to ensuring privacy via cutting-… more
Feb 04, 2025
As New Orleans prepares to host Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, Feb. 9, we caught up with New Orleans & Co. President and CEO Walt Leger and VP Convention Sales and Strategies Stephanie Turner to find out what’s new and trending in the Crescent City for meetings and trade shows.
Following the tragic events on New Year’s Day, the executive team from New Orleans & Co., the destination marketing organization for the city, addressed the event industry during the opening general session at PCMA Convening Leaders, the annual conference for business event professionals held Jan. 12-15 at the… more
Feb 03, 2025
The city of San Diego recently heralded the extended residency of an iconic pop-culture event while a meetings resort in Las Vegas is celebrating a new state-of-the-art transportation option benefitting leisure and business guests alike.
Comic-Con International Will Continue to Call San Diego Home Through 2027
Comic-Con International signed a new agreement to remain in its long-time home of San Diego through 2027. Attracting more than 135,000 attendees from across the globe as well as extensive national and international media coverage, the four-day B2C event has taken place in San Diego… more
Jan 31, 2025
With a mission of encompassing the future of building through leadership and education, integrating technology, solutions and partnerships, World of Concrete (WOC)--the annual commercial concrete trade show and conference--kicked off 2025 with a successful 51st addition bolstered by a strong convergence of construction and masonry professionals and a notable uptick in exhibitors.
Held January 20-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the annual event drew in 57,908 registered attendees and 1,522 exhibiting companies, 342 of them making their debut this year. The event featured indoor and… more
Jan 30, 2025
With 3,800 attendees registered for the in-person event and 4,500 total registrants, PCMA Convening Leaders (CL25) landed in Houston for the first time in its 70-year history of gathering convention and business events industry professionals at its annual meeting held this year from Jan. 12-15. By comparison, the 2024 Convening Leaders drew more than 4,200 industry professionals to San Diego. This year’s theme: Go beyond your orbit.
“Because we convene people, we have the power to use business events to impact economic and social change,” said PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif… more
Jan 29, 2025
An event solutions provider and a destination marketing organization (DMO) recently unveiled AI-powered tools to help trade show organizers and event planners increase exhibitor ROI and improve the in-destination planning experience, respectively.
Map Your Show Launches AI-Powered Sales Tool to Boost Exhibitor ROI
Trade show operating system Map Your Show (MYS) has launched Sales Accelerator, an AI-powered tool designed to help exhibitors generate better-qualified leads, expand their reach, and boost business opportunities.
By leveraging proprietary data on attendee activity and… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.