U.S. Trade Show Industry Takes Steps Forward, Implores Congress for Relief

October 2, 2020

As the pandemic stretched into its seventh month here in the U.S. and even longer globally, the industry here continued to take small steps forward to slowly getting trade shows and events back on track.

Globally, shows opened successfully in several countries – including China, Malaysia and Germany, to name a few, while Germany also deemed trade shows ‘essential travel’.  

Here in the U.S., a few more cities opened for events, albeit at limited capacity. At the same time, there were substantial efforts to implore the U.S. Congress to not leave town for elections until they passed the next COVID-19 relief package, as the hospitality, travel and events industry continued to be under extreme pressure.

In addition, some U.S.  trade show organizers took a look at 2021 and the current state of COVID-19, which still is rising in several states, and moved their shows later into the year.

Las Vegas Takes a Small Step

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced a new meetings directive to increase attendee limits up to 250 per room or 50 percent capacity, whichever is less, with a limit of 1,000 per group – not including staff or talent. This went into effect as of Oct. 1.

“This news is a great first step for our local meeting and convention industries,” said Steve Hill, CEO/president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

He added, “We encourage everyone who visits, works or lives in Las Vegas to continue taking all the necessary safety and health precautions to allow us to quickly and fully reopen the destination.”

Other cities that recently announced openings for events in some capacity include Miami, Dallas and Seattle. 

Industry Implores Congress to Pass New Relief Bill

COVID RELIEF NOW, a new coalition of nearly 225 major public and private sector groups across the U.S., called for “No Recess without Relief” imploring Congress to not leave town for the 2020 elections without passing additional COVID economic relief – stating millions of jobs and survival of small businesses as well as vital government services are on the line.  
 
The coalition stated that if Congress fails to act, millions of employees will be furloughed or terminated; millions of unemployed Americans will lose their unemployment insurance pandemic benefits; hundreds of thousands of companies will be at risk of closing their doors forever; and the vast majority of state and local governments will have to curtail critical services in order to balance budgets due to a decline in tax revenue. 

HERE is a link to the letter sent to Congress.

“It’s time for Congress to put politics aside and prioritize the many businesses and employees in the hardest-hit industries,” Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

He added, “Millions of jobs and the livelihoods of people who have built their small business for decades are just withering away because Congress has done nothing. America’s hotel industry is on the brink of collapse. We can’t afford to let thousands of small businesses die and all of the jobs associated with them be lost for many years.” 

HERE are some ways to reach out to Congress and take action with social media messaging and talking points for calls and emails. 

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International Pow Wow, World of Concrete, Vision Expo Move 2021 Show Dates

The U.S. Travel Association announced that IPW, its annual international inbound travel trade show, will be a live, in-person event held in Las Vegas from September 18-22, 2021.

The September dates are revised from previously released 2021 event dates in May. U.S. Travel, together with premier sponsor Brand USA and its hosts, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Travel Nevada, secured later dates to provide additional time for international long-haul travel to the United States to broadly resume.

“Next year’s IPW will reunite the global travel community and be the keystone for safely rebuilding international travel to the United States,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “While IPW will look a bit different next year, expect it to be the turning point for the all-important inbound travel sector.

He added, “We are grateful for the support and flexibility of our many sponsors and attendees, both in the U.S. and around the world, and we can’t wait to see everyone in Las Vegas next September.”

Informa’s World of Concrete moved from January to June in Las Vega and Reed Exhibitions’ Vision Expo moved from March to May at the Javits Center in New York.

U.K. Industry Raises Event Industry Awareness

Event industry colleagues in the United Kingdom stood outside Parliament in London this week for a silent protest to demonstrate the value that events bring to the overall economy and the personal impact the COVID stoppage has had on those working in events. 

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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.