News

May 14, 2013
More than 1,000 destination marketing professionals are expected to attend the Annual Convention for Destination Marketing Association International, taking place July 15-17 at the Peabody Hotel in Orlando. The professional development conference connects a community of 600-plus official destination marketing organizations (DMOs) that collectively command more than $2 billion in annual budgets around the world, according to DMAI officials. Industry experts and out-of-industry specialists will share "best practices" and "next practices" in executive leadership,… more
May 14, 2013
The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) will continue its HSMAI’s MEET series with the second event this year May 29-30 at the Anaheim Marriott Hotel. The first show of the year was HSMAI’s MEET Mid-America show in Chicago. To help set the stage in Anaheim, keynote speaker, Jim Davidson, will speak on the power of partnership and divulge advice from his experience as a corporate manager, high-altitude climber and resilience expert. “His stories are inspiring, and he makes them applicable to partnership and business challenges faced by HSMAI… more
May 14, 2013
PMMI, owner and producer of PACK EXPO Las Vegas, has sold out the exhibit space for The Processing Zone for its upcoming show Sept. 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.   The pavilion, located in the South Hall of the LVCC, will house a wide range of processing technologies for manufacturers in the baking and snack, beverage, dairy and confectionery industries, as well as other vertical sectors. “Since debuting at PACK EXPO in 2010, the number of solutions providers exhibiting in The Processing Zone has increased by 42 percent,” said Jim Pittas, vice president, Trade… more
May 13, 2013
George Little Management has decided to postpone the second running of its LAUNCH LA show that debuted last year in Santa Monica, Calif. The show was scheduled to be held July 16-17 at Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar. "We have decided to put the LAUNCH project on hold,” said Roy Turner, senior vice president of GLM shows. He added, “Based on the reviews we received after the first LAUNCH last year, showcasing emerging California lifestyle brands is important.We will continue to evaluate the best way to highlight these brands in a venue that maximizes all the… more
May 13, 2013
Since the beginning of 2013, Messe Frankfurt has offered its customers a completely new exhibitor and product search on its events' websites. With the new service, it is possible to search with a search term according to product groups, new products, names and location of exhibitors, or even according to special interests.             Visitors and Exhibitors easily can search and discover what the trade fair offers that is of specific interest to them. Within the listings, exhibitors have the opportunity to create complete… more
May 13, 2013
International attendees often have a unique set of requirements as well as expectations from your event. Here are some tips to facilitate successful participation from your global audience: Multi-lingual Web site If a significant volume of web traffic is expected to come from non-English speaking countries, consider building dedicated web pages with key information in the language or languages popular with this audience. Another option could be to plug in a tool like Google Translate to automatically detect the default language for a user's operating system and translate the content… more
May 13, 2013
Since the beginning of 2013, Messe Frankfurt has offered its customers a completely new exhibitor and product search on its events' websites. With the new service, it is possible to search with a search term according to product groups, new products, names and location of exhibitors, or even according to special interests.             Visitors and Exhibitors easily can search and discover what the trade fair offers that is of specific interest to them. Within the listings, exhibitors have the opportunity to create complete… more
May 13, 2013
International attendees often have a unique set of requirements as well as expectations from your event. Here are some tips to facilitate successful participation from your global audience: Multi-lingual Web site If a significant volume of web traffic is expected to come from non-English speaking countries, consider building dedicated web pages with key information in the language or languages popular with this audience. Another option could be to plug in a tool like Google Translate to automatically detect the default language for a user's operating system and translate the content… more
May 12, 2013
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) held its 113th Annual Session May 3-7 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, with an attendance of more than 14,400 according to the unofficial count. The attendance number was on par with attendance at the 112th Annual Session held last year in Hawaii. Chris Vranas, executive director of AAO, said that 44 percent of their active members come to the Annual Session. Even during the height of the recession in 2009 and 2010, their numbers did not drop, and they continued to grow their membership. Part of that growth is attributed… more
May 08, 2013
In the midst of a national debate over gun control laws, the National Rifle Association’s 142nd NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, held May 3-5 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, shattered previous attendance records. Under the motto this year of “Stand and Fight”, 86,228 attendees flocked to the event, compared with the NRA’s previous record of 73,740 set in 2012 in St. Louis. “The NRA told us they had never felt so welcome in a city,” said Luther Villagomez, COO of conventions for Houston First Corporation, which manages the GRB for… 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