10th Annual TSNN Awards Heads to Dallas Nov. 15-17

October 4, 2018

TSNN is thrilled to announce that the 10th Annual 2019 TSNN Awards: Celebrating Trade Show Excellence will head Nov. 15-17 to Dallas to celebrate the top U.S. fastest-growing trade shows in net square footage and attendance (www.T-awards.com)

Attendees will be hosted not only at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center for the TSNN Awards education conference, breakfast and lunch, but also the Omni Dallas Hotel for gala celebration and other activities.

“We are very excited to host the 2019 TSNN Awards in Dallas,” said Phillip J. Jones, president and CEO of VisitDallas.

He added, “TSNN is a well-respected news source for the tourism and hospitality industry, and it is an honor to host the awards program that recognizes so many industry leaders and organizations.”

Rachel Wimberly, president of Tarsus Media, said, “TSNN is absolutely thrilled to have the 2019 TSNN Awards in Dallas next year! Dallas is a fantastic city with so much to show off to the elite winners who will be celebrated at the awards.”

The awards weekend will kick off on Friday night with an opening reception at an exciting venue and a post-party at the Omni to keep the networking going, followed by a breakfast and education conference at the center the next morning.

After the conference will be lunch at the center with a keynote by a prominent person sponsored by VisitDallas. 

Saturday night will be the 2019 TSNN Awards Gala in the Omni ballroom at which the top overall fastest-growing association and for-profit shows in net square footage and attendance will be unveiled, along with the overall winner of TSNN’s “Best of Show” award.

In addition, the 2019 TSNN Industry Icon Award honoree will be feted, as well as The Expo Group’s Show Manager of the Year (SMOTY) Awards, at which four people from different-sized shows will be awarded.

Dallas

“The Expo Group is proud of the transformation of the TSNN Awards into an even higher-level experience for award winners and their industry partners,” said Randy Pekowski, president and COO, The Expo Group.

He added, “As Founding Sponsor of TSNN Awards we will continue to provide our expertise in experience design to elevate the event, and Dallas is a destination with a multitude of opportunities to connect audiences in new and different ways. As a resident of downtown Dallas, I personally am excited for the TSNN and The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year award winners to experience this new Dallas and look forward to welcoming everyone to my hometown.”

The Afterglow will be at the Omni following the awards, and the three-day weekend will wrap up with a Sunday Brunch in a special location.

The fastest-growing shows will be announced in early April.

The shows are ranked in fastest-growing net square footage and attendance by averaging show organizer-submitted data from the years 2016-2018.

This weekend-long celebration is where the best and the brightest in the business gather to network, connect and celebrate working in an industry like no other – and acknowledging and embracing the success that they have mutually achieved.

VisitDallas markets Dallas as the ideal visitor and convention destination in Texas. Dallas – The Most Texan City in Texas – celebrates its heritage in hospitality, and it's the one city where Southern meets modern and legacy meets luxury.

Dallas is the leading business and financial center in the Southwest offering travelers an unparalleled array of amenities and a central location with two major airports with more domestic nonstop flights than any other U.S. city.

As the ninth-largest U.S. city, and part of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the nation, Dallas is the top visitor destination in Texas. For more information, visit www.visitdallas.com.

For more info or sponsorships, please visit www.T-awards.com.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.