News

Feb 09, 2013
These days, you can do almost anything with your smartphone. That now includes paying to get into a trade show, finding deals on the showfloor and purchasing vendors’ products right there in their booths. PXT Payments, a mobile payment app and digital wallet provider, is one company that is making this possible with its geolocation-based app looped in™. PXT Payments describes looped in™ as an ATM on your iPhone or Android. Transactions occur when the buyer texts their payment to a vendor. There is no transaction fee for the buyer, but the seller pays a 2.5 percent merchant… more
Feb 09, 2013
According to a recent consumer research study published by the Sociable Labs, social sharing is a mainstream shopping activity for discovering what products to buy. 62% of the 1088 online shoppers surveyed under the study had read product-related comments from their friends on Facebook. Results from this and similar studies reinforce the fact that social sharing now has a huge impact on the visibility and growth of a brand online. Social sharing tools enable website visitors to share web content that they like with their friends on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other popular social media… more
Feb 09, 2013
According to a recent consumer research study published by the Sociable Labs, social sharing is a mainstream shopping activity for discovering what products to buy. 62% of the 1088 online shoppers surveyed under the study had read product-related comments from their friends on Facebook. Results from this and similar studies reinforce the fact that social sharing now has a huge impact on the visibility and growth of a brand online. Social sharing tools enable website visitors to share web content that they like with their friends on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other popular social media… more
Feb 09, 2013
These days, you can do almost anything with your smartphone. That now includes paying to get into a trade show, finding deals on the showfloor and purchasing vendors’ products right there in their booths. PXT Payments, a mobile payment app and digital wallet provider, is one company that is making this possible with its geolocation-based app looped in™. PXT Payments describes looped in™ as an ATM on your iPhone or Android. Transactions occur when the buyer texts their payment to a vendor. There is no transaction fee for the buyer, but the seller pays a 2.5 percent merchant… more
Feb 07, 2013
Even though there is two feet of snow forecasted to hit the Northeast beginning Feb. 8 and thousands of flights already have been canceled, the Toy Industry Association is going full steam ahead, planning to not only hold pre-show events for the American International Toy Fair, but also open the show’s doors as scheduled Feb. 10-13 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. Show organizers assured all attendees that “the show will go on,” despite unfavorable weather predictions for the New York City area, with a message on their Web site saying, “There… more
Feb 06, 2013
Global Experience Specialists was awarded a two-year contract for UBM Live’s 30-show European portfolio, and Experient scored a three-year, nine-show per year contract with the National Retail Federation. The GES contract includes CPhI Worldwide (collocated with ICSE, PMEC, Innopack), Protection & Management Series (including IFSEC, Facilities Show, Safety & Health Expo and Firex), MEDTEC Europe, Ecobuild and Fi Europe, to name a few. The Experient contract includes event registration, lead retrieval and CEU management services for shows such as NRF’s Retail’s BIG… more
Feb 06, 2013
The month of January signaled a continued positive trend in the trade show industry – several suppliers and show management companies added to their employee ranks. George Little Management named Craig Dooley to senior vice president and group show director, IR Events Group, effective Feb. 4. Working from GLM's downtown Chicago office, Dooley will report directly to GLM’s CEO Charles McCurdy. In this newly created role, Dooley will oversee the strategy, operations, and expansion – including conference development, sales, marketing, financial management, operations and… more
Feb 05, 2013
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ biennial AG Connect Expo & Summit not only nearly doubled its attendance, but it also set records for exhibit space, number of exhibitor and education tickets. The 2013 show attracted nearly 11,000 registrants, compared with 5,800 registrants in 2011. (The 2011 collocated American Farm Bureau Federation had an additional 5,500 registrants.) The 2013 event was held Jan. 29-31 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Mo. AG CONNECT Expo & Summit also had nearly 400 exhibitors and more than 220,000 net square feet of exhibit… more
Feb 05, 2013
In its latest report, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research updated a study first released 10 years ago that took a look at attempting to answer the age-old question on everyone’s minds: “What Attendees Want from Exhibitions.” The first part of the series of reports on this subject will focus on what attendees want from exhibitions and how well their needs are being met at events. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of 22 possible reasons for attending, ranging from the seminars and speakers to finding a solution for an existing product. Two overall reasons for attending an… more
Feb 05, 2013
With the successful debut of Germany-based Deutsche Messe Ag’s INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION NORTH AMERICA alongside the International Manufacturing Technology Show in September at Chicago’s McCormick Place, the company has decided to try their luck again. In 2014, again collocated withthe Association for Manufacturing Technology's IMTS, Deutsche Messe will debut the U.S. edition of the Motion, Drive and Automation event. “The success of INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION NORTH AMERICA showed that the core competence from the HANNOVER MESSE portfolio perfectly complements the manufacturing… 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