News
Jul 20, 2016
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and Family Media signed a letter of intent to co-host and co-produce a series of baby events targeted at the juvenile products industry.
“JPMA members have been requesting an exciting trade show experience that addresses the evolving business climate,” said Kelly Mariotti, executive director of JPMA.
She added, “By working with Family Media we can meet this demand and fuel the future growth of the association though developing direct consumer touch points, which are a high priority for our members.”
The Baby Show Series will kick off May 9… more
Jul 19, 2016
Even in the current tumultuous times in several countries worldwide, the overall worldwide exhibition industry expects continued growth in turnover for the coming year, according to the recently released 17th Global Exhibition Barometer.
However, a significant level of uncertainty is forecast for the first half of 2017 in Asia, Middle East and Africa. In addition, with the heightened level of random violent incidents, 60 percent of companies surveyed said they have introduced additional security measures at their events in the past months.
“As pleasing as it is to see that globally the… more
Jul 18, 2016
The tradition of recognizing individual show managers across the industry continues, as event professionals are encouraged to “Show Some Love” with a free nomination for the 2016 edition of The Expo Group Show Manager of the Year Awards.
Since 2000, the crystal obelisk has been presented to those behind-the-scenes pros creating amazing experiences within their exhibition and convention.
The awards are open to any show manager, not just clients of The Expo Group. Any individual responsible for a trade or association exhibition is eligible to win.
“These awards began in 2000 to 'show… more
Jul 18, 2016
ICAST, which serves the sportfishing market, drew 15,000 attendees, making it the largest trade show produced by the recreational fishing industry’s trade association.
From exhibitors to buyers to outdoor media, representatives from the domestic and international sportfishing and boating community converged July 12-15 on Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center for the 59th International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades, better known as ICAST.
ICAST, along with the International Fly Tackle Dealer Show and the new Marine Accessories Pavilion, encompassed 650,000 gross square… more
Jul 18, 2016
Vincent Gerard, long-time managing director of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has passed away.
"It is with great sadness that we heard about the passing away of Vincent Gerard, UFI's managing director between 2001 and 2010,” said Sergej Alexeev, UFI president.
He added, “Our thoughts are with his wife Catherine and the family. We have lost a great colleague, a strong promoter of our industry, and a close friend. Despite his health fading away, Vincent was following UFI and the industry all the time, and he stayed in touch with many friends… more
Jul 16, 2016
Mary Pat Heftman has full responsibility for strategic development, execution and promotion of the annual New England Food Show and the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show (NRA Show) /BAR @ NRA Show, the largest annual food and beverage tradeshow in the world. She is also involved with strategic alliance development and oversees contracting for all Association meetings.
Heftman joined the National Restaurant Association in 1990 and has held positions of progressively increasing scope and responsibility in the National Restaurant Association with her primary… more
Jul 16, 2016
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research released the first two reports in its newest series, 2016 Changing Environment of Exhibitions. This study, which is an update to research conducted in 2011, consists of 10 fact sheets articulating the power of exhibitions from the perspective of exhibitors.
Since the last study conducted in 2011, the U.S. economy has enjoyed modest growth as it has recovered from the Great Recession of 2008. CEIR Index results have documented consistent, positive growth in the exhibition industry. At the same time, digital continues to grow in use as… more
Jul 16, 2016
The Society of Independent Show Organizers, SISO, the leading voice for the for-profit exhibition industry announced today that it has selected its 2016 list of participants for its fourth annual Event Innovation Battlefield competition that will take place on August 11, 2016 in Cleveland during the annual SISO Leadership Conference (being held August 9-11).
This year contestants will be Grip, a tool for Intelligent Event Matchmaking; InsightXM, a tool for business intelligence platform for events; Stereo-Bot, the developer of minimalist mass structure technology for events; ISL… more
Jul 16, 2016
Questions from the audience can make or break a conference session. They are crucial windows into what attendees are thinking or how they’re reacting to the topic or presenter.
But there are lots of reasons why question-and-answer sessions aren’t as engaging or productive as they could be. An event mobile app with built-in Q & A capabilities can help in a number of ways:
· Sending questions through the app helps speakers field more questions overall by avoiding the wait that occurs as moderators run microphones over to… more
Jul 13, 2016
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have entered into a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) that will drive tourism traffic and exchanges between the two popular destinations.
The signatories to the MOC were Kim Eui Seung, director-general, Tourism & Sports Bureau of Seoul Metropolitan Government and Lynette Pang, assistant chief executive, marketing, Singapore Tourism Board.
The ceremony was witnessed by Mayor Park Won-Soon, Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Low Yen Ling, parliamentary secretary, Ministry of Education & Ministry of Trade and… 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