Association Show News
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Aug 15, 2024
On July 30, event-furniture rental giant CORT Events invited 200 industry leaders and tastemakers to a five-hour, garden-themed open house event on the 9th floor of New York City’s iconic Rockefeller Plaza. The to-do drew inspiration from the venue’s adjacent alfresco event space—where a foliage-filled oasis was a reprieve from the traffic below—and boasted setups throughout of different seating, table-and-chair, and decor arrangements for guests to both ogle over and mingle in.
Here are the five noteworthy trends that CORT chose to display, plus insights the company’s executive director of… more
Aug 13, 2024
The global exhibition industry is on track to achieve record revenues this year, according to UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry’s latest Global Exhibition Barometer flagship industry report.
Released on August 8, the 33rd edition of UFI’s bi-annual report, designed to take the pulse of the worldwide exhibitions industry, was concluded in July 2024 and includes data from 453 companies in 68 countries and regions, as well as dedicated outlooks and analysis for 19 focus countries and regions.
The Barometer’s results confirm UFI’s early data from its January report that… more
Aug 07, 2024
Despite some threats to boycott the Florida location due to politics, destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs), and tourism board leaders came out in record numbers to attend the Destinations International (DI) 2024 Annual Convention in Tampa. Held July 16-18 at two connected Marriott hotels near the Tampa Convention Center, the event attracted nearly 2,000 participants, including more than 750 international delegates from more than 30 countries.
“We had a record-breaking Annual Convention in Tampa this year and based on our guest feedback we couldn’t be more pleased… more
Aug 05, 2024
Three event organizations in the U.S. and across the pond recently made strategic trade show acquisitions and formed new partnerships to enhance their offerings and increase their presence in key business segments. Take a look.
Trifecta Collective Acquires TRANSACT
Trifecta Collective, a trade show platform owned and backed by leading U.S. private equity firm GreyLion, acquired TRANSACT from the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA), a global advocacy and trade association for the payments industry.
As an annual event for the payments processing industry, TRANSACT’s 2024 edition was… more
Jul 19, 2024
One of the fastest-growing segments of the trade show industry in 2024: international attendance and exhibitors. In fact, international travel to the U.S. is growing quickly, with volume expected to reach 98% of 2019 levels in 2024 (up from 84% recovered in 2023), according to the most recent data from U.S. Travel Association (USTA).
After international participation in U.S. trade shows flat-lined during COVID, event organizers, like Money20/20 and Plant Based World Expo, are capitalizing on the rebound by investing in attracting foreign companies to their U.S. events with international… more
Jul 18, 2024
PCMA and the Strategic Alliance of the National Convention Bureaux of Europe (SANCBE) are gearing up to launch Convene 4 Climate, a sustainability conference for the global business events industry. Set for Oct. 2-3 in Barcelona, the inaugural gathering is open to select participation in a workshop-based environment and aims to drive responsibility, harness the power of technology, and deliver transformative solutions to address climate change challenges.
The big picture: Convene 4 Climate’s curated programming will explore three central themes–Reimagine, Inspire, and Movement–and allow for… more
Jul 15, 2024
What’s trending for service contractors who serve the trade show and events market? AI, sustainability and inflation were hot topics on the program at this year’s Exhibition Service Contractors Association (ESCA) Summer Educational Conference (SEC), held June 23-26 at the historic Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va.
This year’s annual conference drew more than 200 executive- and senior-level leaders who represent service contractors large and small – from public companies like GES to family-owned businesses like Expo Convention Contractors Inc. New attendees and exhibitors reflect the… more
Jul 11, 2024
What’s trending for exhibitions in Europe? In this TSNN exclusive, we interviewed UFI European Regional Director Nick Dugdale-Moore, who shared insights from the recent UFI European Conference, discussed key trends in the European market, and previewed what’s next on UFI's calendar of events.
Held June 11-13 at Messe Zürich in Zurich, Switzerland, the event attracted 300 delegates from 41 countries, including top trade show executives, show directors, and senior- to mid-level professionals from Europe and beyond.
Here are nine highlights from our conversation. Watch or listen to the full… more
Jul 10, 2024
The Caesars Entertainment team, led by Director of Marketing Reina Herschdorfer, curated a wellness speaker list for its inaugural Global Wellness Summit for meeting planners held June 4-7 in Las Vegas. All speakers are featured on Caesars wellness menu but can also be booked independently.
Related: Behind the Scenes at the Inaugural Global Wellness Summit for Event Organizers
How are event planners incorporating wellness speakers into their events? One corporate event planner who attended the Global Wellness Summit told us they’re offering wellness tracks, in addition to industry-specific… more
Jul 10, 2024
Following its July 1 acquisition of event registration, onsite and lead services provider Convention Data Services (CDS) from global events company Freeman, Maritz is now poised to be the dominant player in registration, housing, lead retrieval, onsite support, and data services for some of the largest U.S. trade shows and business events.
Both Maritz, a meetings and event management company, and Freeman are privately owned companies, and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
While Maritz officials would not disclose its client portfolio by press time, CDS boasts a who’s who of… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.