News
Sep 02, 2022
IMEX Group has long been a leader in sustainable event initiatives, and the findings in the recently released IMEX America 2021 Sustainable Event Report are proving that its efforts are substantially paying off. With the impressive results from the 2021 show, in addition to the recent stark reminders of the increasing impact of climate change—record-high temperatures, wildfires and flooding—IMEX America 2022 is set to shine an even stronger light on the importance of green events.
“At IMEX, we’ve always set our sustainability sights high,” said Carina Bauer, CEO of IMEX Group. “For… more
Sep 01, 2022
Growing up in a culinary family in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, Chef Lumarie Rodríguez-Soto initially avoided a career in the culinary arts. As a young woman, she tried pursuing other career paths, but her innate creativity and love for baking eventually led her back to the kitchen and then to culinary school at La Escuela Hotelera de Puerto Rico, where she honed her skills, grew her knowledge and perfected her craft.
“Almost everybody in my family—my grandma, my mom and my brother—works in a kitchen, [and] I saw the behind-the-scenes, non-glamorous side of the business, so I knew how hard… more
Aug 30, 2022
A leading exhibit builder and an event planning company recently launched new divisions in an effort to expand their business offerings and help clients boost the performance of their events.
Skyline Exhibits
Skyline Exhibits, a leading trade show exhibit company, unveiled a new live, virtual and hybrid events agency focused on synchronizing live event elements to increase reach and return on investment. Announced on Aug. 16, BrandSync is designed to help brands improve their business performance by joining with their top stakeholders to align messaging, values and direction, and by… more
Aug 29, 2022
Known for attracting buyers and retailers of all sizes who converge to source excess fashion inventory at up to 70% off retail prices, the biannual OFFPRICE Show has been historically known as the nation’s largest off-price fashion industry trade show. Held Aug. 6-9 at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, the 55th edition experienced an uptick in participation, with attendees enthusiastically shopping from a cornucopia of apparel, beauty, home and gift products, as well as the show’s newest highlighted category section, Accessories.
Produced by Tarsus Group, the value-based apparel show takes… more
Aug 26, 2022
Destinations International Launches Industry’s First Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Assessment Tool
Destinations International, the world’s largest association for official destination organizations and convention and visitors bureaus, unveiled a groundbreaking tool to measure equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives and discover ways to improve upon the results. The EDI Assessment Tool is designed to help its member organizations understand how EDI has been incorporated into their operational practices as a basis to elevate and integrate performance, and it is also expected to be a model for other entities in the business events industry to embrace.
The tool allows users to… more
Aug 25, 2022
Trade Show News Network (TSNN) is thrilled to unveil the 2022 TSNN Awards top honorees for the Industry Icon Award, Sustainability Award, DEI Leadership Award and Industry Support Award.
All of the award honorees will be celebrated Nov. 8-9 at the 2022 TSNN Awards at the event’s host venue, Caesars Forum, in Las Vegas. The two-day event will kick off with an opening party at Nobu Villa sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, followed the next day by an education conference, awards gala at Caesars Forum and after-party at the Omnia Nightclub at Caesars Palace.… more
Aug 25, 2022
As climate change increasingly becomes an undeniable reality across the globe, certain entities within the trade show and events industry are beginning to take the lead toward a less wasteful and more sustainable future. Here are two leading organizations working to lessen the industry’s environmental impact.
SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing and standards development, recently launched Zero Waste for Events, its newest Zero Waste Standard.
Designed to recognize… more
Aug 24, 2022
Lippman Connects, producer of information-sharing and networking experiences for the convention and exhibition industry, added to its portfolio the Midsize Show Roundtable (MSR), set to take place Nov. 17 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.
MSR will be an information-sharing and networking event for executives, directors, show managers, marketing managers, sales managers and department managers making decisions for shows with less than 125,000 net square feet of exhibit space.
The event will include a networking reception and dinner on Nov. 16, and the next morning,… more
Aug 23, 2022
Sponsored exclusively by Hubilo
For the past two years, the events industry has been in a flux. The pandemic made us rethink our event strategies, and we pivoted to the planning mode that worked best—virtual events. The pivot was hard, but we learned a new way of delivering content and building relationships.
At Hubilo, we enabled virtual experiences that delivered ROI that set the bar high. The benefits of virtual events seemed to be scalable.
That was the past, what now?
The world is coming back to normal. The pent up demand for in-person meetings is driving a new wave of change. In-… more
Aug 22, 2022
While many event-related companies and organizations remain laser-focused on getting back to business as usual, that hasn’t stopped a leading trade show and a venue management company from going the extra mile to make a difference for the environment and those in need. Check out who has been walking the walk when it comes to corporate social responsibility lately!
ASM Global
Leading venue management and event strategy partner, ASM Global, has been delivering on its almost year-old corporate social responsibility initiative, ASM Global Acts, which focuses on protecting the environment,… 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