By Elizabeth Johnson

Since the first website went live 27 years ago, websites have become a standard piece of the marketing pie. Consumers have adapted to this “new normal” and expect organizations they interact with to have one that enables them to find everything they’re looking for at any given moment.

UBM Fashion is gearing up to debut VINTAGE@Intermezzo, its first-ever consumer-facing fair inside Intermezzo Collections, one of six fashion trade shows within the NY Women’s August Marketplace.

Set for Aug. 6-8 at the Javits Center in New York City, the show’s newest fair will focus on eclectic vintage apparel for retailers and consumers, with a curated selection of vintage dealers showcasing one-of-a-kind apparel and accessories collections.

While the inaugural Transform USA conference did not initiate the discussion about data, analytics and digital transformation in exhibitions, it most certainly placed it on the front burner.

During the conference, held July 20 at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center in Washington, D.C., C-suite exhibition executives from across the nonprofit and for-profit exhibition sectors heard from industry colleagues on a variety of subjects, but “disrupt or be disrupted” was the theme of the day.

Even though Tarsus Group’s two largest biennial shows– Dubai Airshow and Labelexpo Europe – still are yet to be held in the second half of this year, the company’s like-for-like revenues are up 4 percent (adjusting for acquisitions and biennial events), compared with the same period in 2016.

First-half revenues were £39.8 million ($52 million), compared with £27.0 million ($35 million) in 2016.

Excluding Turkey, which has been challenged with geopolitical issues, like-for-like revenues were up 8 percent.

PHL Life Sciences, a business development division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), has successfully positioned Philadelphia as a leading life sciences meeting destination, to the tune of $295 million in economic impact in 2016 alone.

To highlight this achievement, PHL Life Sciences’ latest promo video recently was released.

MGM Resorts International has launched a new Military & Veterans Program (MVP) to recognize the exceptional sacrifices and efforts of those who serve in the U.S. armed forces.

Conceptualized and developed by MGM Resorts’ Veterans Employee Network Group, MVP provides active military members, veterans and spouses with special recognition, offers, discounts and benefits at MGM Resorts destinations throughout the U.S.

“As a company, we have always supported our country’s greatest heroes,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International.

International Conference Development (lCDevents) is gearing up to launch Pet Connections Expo, a new pet industry trade show set for Oct. 3-4 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Penn.

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has chosen Pittsburgh and San Francisco to host its 2019 and 2020 Convening Leaders, respectively.

The event is the association’s annual education conference that attracts more than 4,200 event professionals.

“Convening Leaders is the premier industry event for leading business event professionals,” said Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA.

When a room filled with trade show organizers and suppliers gathers July 20 at the Washington Marriott at the Metro Center in Washington, D.C., for Transform USA, they will have the opportunity to take a deep dive into topics that are top of mind right now – data, analytics and digital.

The inaugural event is co-presented by UK-based trade show industry research firm AMR International and U.S.-based vent producer Lippman Connects.

U.S. business-to-business trade show and conference producer, Emerald Expositions, has selected Denver as the official home of its three annual Outdoor Retailer trade shows: Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, Outdoor Retailer Summer Market and Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.

As the largest U.S. trade shows representing outdoor gear and clothing retailers and manufacturers, the events are expected to draw more than 85,000 attendees and $110 million economic impact annually to The Mile High City, according to show officials.