Record attendance at CES 2011!

From: Exhibitor New Network

Independent Audit Confirms Record International Attendance at the 2011 International CES

5/12/2011 - The International CES® announced that 31,677 industry professionals from outside the U.S. attended the 2011 International CES January 6-9, 2011, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Up 30 percent from last year, international attendance at the 2011 CES set a new record for the show’s 45-year history. An independent audit, performed by Veris Consulting LLC, confirms CES’ status as the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow and North America’s largest annual tradeshow of any kind. Overall, the 2011 International CES welcomed 149,529 technology attendees during its four day run.

Veris is certified by the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission (EEIAC) to perform audits. Veris Consulting provides an independent, third-party verification of International CES attendance, demographics, records and record-keeping systems. As part of the Veris audit, each CES attendee is counted only once, and show size is calculated using only exhibit space sold, not hallways or bartered space. An independent audit is required to be certified by UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and the International CES is believed to be the only UFI approved event in its category.

“The 2011 International CES was the must-attend event of 2011 and featured astounding innovative debuts including Android Honeycomb, Ford’s Electric Focus, Motorola’s Atrix and Microsoft’s Avatar Kinect,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, producer of CES. “This audit verifies that CES brings together the global technology industry, including Fortune 500 executives, retail buyers, content providers, entertainment executives, venture capitalists, engineers and media from all over the world who want to experience the latest and greatest tech products.”

Technology innovation spanned more than 1.6 million net square feet of exhibit space, as an estimated 20,000 new products were launched by more than 2,700 exhibiting companies at the 2011 CES. More, international attendees represented 140 countries, demonstrating that global technology executives travel to CES to do business. Aside from the U.S., the top 10 countries represented in terms of attendees were: Canada, South Korea, Japan, China, United Kingdom, Mexico, Taiwan, France, Germany and Brazil.

More than 40,000 top decision makers and senior level executives attend the International CES for its unparalleled networking and business opportunities. The Veris audit confirms that 43 percent of 2011 CES attendees are senior level executives, on par with last year. Presidents, CEOs and/or business owners made up 16 percent of attendees. Nearly one third of all attendees are the final decision makers when it comes to new product purchases and partnerships with new companies, with 97 percent identified as having buying decision influence. More than 11,500 attendees represented companies with more than $500 million in total annual sales, up 37 percent over 2010 CES.

Leaders from diverse business areas including entertainment, retail, education, engineering and financial services attend the International CES, according to the Veris audit. More than 12,000 retail-buying organizations, 6,500 manufacturers and 3,500 engineering companies came to the 2011 CES. Additionally, more than 9,500 attendees from the content development and entertainment industry came to CES’ inaugural year of the Entertainment Matters program, providing entertainment executives the chance to experience the products and technologies that deliver their entertainment to the consumer.

Top government officials attended the 2011 International CES. One hundred government leaders from the U.S. Cabinet, U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Federal Communications Commission, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of the United States Trade Representative, U.S. International Trade Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency attend CES to learn where technology is heading.

Influential media attend CES every year to report on the latest technologies and trends in the consumer technology industry. The 2011 CES drew more than 5,000 press and industry analysts.

The CES audit provides absolute verification of exhibition records, including direct on-site observation, examination of registration systems and testing of attendee records. Post-show analysis included direct confirmation sampling, reconciliation of attendance lists, elimination of duplicate names and verification of demographic data with the source of documentation.

Final audit numbers may differ from preliminary estimates given on-site due to additional badge pick-ups and badge reader reports. This audit complies with the industry standards for audits adopted by both the Exhibition and Event Industry Audit Commission (EEIAC) and the International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE).

For full audit results, please visit www.CESweb.org/exhibitors. The 2012 International CES is scheduled for January 10-13 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gaining "Momentum" in Minneapolis!

Minneapolis CC Sees Increases in Its Consumer Shows

From http://www.tsnn.com/news-blogs/minneapolis-cc-sees-increases-its-consumer-shows

April 28, 2011

by Rachel Wimberly

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Minneapolis Boat Show 

The first part of this year has started off on a bright note for the Minneapolis Convention Center, with several consumer shows scoring increases in attendance, compared with last year. The shows ranged from a 6-percent increase all the way to a 26-percent increase in attendance.

The shows that reported higher attendance were the Minneapolis Boat Show, Minneapolis RV, Vacation & Camping Show, Minneapolis Home and Garden Show, Twin Cities Auto Show and Northwest Sportshow.
Besides more people at the shows, they also opened their wallets once they were there on the showfloor and bought more than in previous years, according to Meet Minneapolis officials, the city’s CVB.

“Indications are that consumers felt more confident about their personal financial situations and came to these shows to make purchases that they had perhaps been delaying for the past few years,” the CVB officials added.

Jennifer Thompson, show manager of the Minneapolis Boat Show and Northwest Sportshow, said those two shows saw attendance increases of 26 percent and 14 percent, respectively, compared with last year’s shows.

“Boat dealers at the Minneapolis Boat Show saw sales at the show that they hadn’t seen in years,” Thompson said.

She added, “At our recent Northwest Sportshow, attendees were booking trips with resort owners again, the fishing tackle retailers had one of their best shows in years and boats and RVs continued to sell.”

Katie Smith, director of sales and marketing at the Minneapolis Convention Center, said, “After two to three years of staying in and saving, Minnesotans are ready to get out and do things. Consumer confidence is up, and attendance and sales numbers only reinforced this trend.”

Another sign that people are more willing to spend money is the Minneapolis CC also saw increases in retail sales, with sales up 11 to 38 percent, compared with last year.

These sales occurred in stores located within the center, such as Kelber Catering service and Dunn Bros. café.

Things are looking up!

Although our industry's numbers were down as a whole last year, the 3rd and 4th quarters were up.  The trends don't lie and Momentum is feeling the growth!  

Let us know how we can help you and add you to our growing business!

CEIR Releases Annual Index Report for 2010

The research organization presented mixed forecasts for the state of the industry.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011 By T.J. Raphael

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The Center for Exhibition Industry Research [CEIR] released its full-year 2010 results for its Index Report Monday. Metrics measured across its customary categories—net square feet, exhibitors, attendees and revenue—combined to show a decline for a third straight year.

CEIR president and CEO Douglas Ducate was on hand at the SISO CEO Summit held this week in Bonita Springs, Florida to release the report.

While the third and fourth quarters in 2010 showed welcome increases across the four metrics, they weren't enought to counteract the overall decline, which hit 2.4 percent for the year. That decline, says the report, was the industry hitting bottom, and better years are predicted to be ahead.

Out of the categories, revenue suffered the largest decline in 2010, falling 8.4 percent.

According to CEIR, show attendance is the leading indicator of industry health, and the organization found a kernel of optimism behind that category's 2.4 percent growth for the year. Job growth in the U.S., if it stays on track, will be the sector to watch, says CEIR, since it directly impacts attendance at events.

The 2010 report added a new element, a three-year predictive feature, which was compiled and analyzed Dr. Allen Shaw of GECA and Dr. Jeff Werling of Inforum. While about half of the 14 industry sectors the Index Report tracks showed growth, this was enough for the team to forecast "modest recovery" for the industry over the next three years.

Indeed, while metrics for first quarter 2011 have not been released yet, a third consecutive quarter of growth for the industry could be a sign of a sustained recovery going forward.

A little more to love - (brotherly love that is)!

So, what do you think of when you think of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?

• Cream Cheese?
• Philly Cheese Steaks?
• The Liberty Bell?
• The "City of Brotherly Love"?

Well, if you are a part of the trade show industry, you may be thinking 787 million dollars!  That is the price of the gorgeous new expansion at the Pennsylvania Convention Center!   See the article below that was featured in TSNN this month.  Not only is this a great addition for the success of the trade show industry, but it's boosting the economy in endless ways!

This new expansion in Philly is a GREAT indicator that the trade show industry is going nowhere but UP!  Momentum Management's forecast is no different - we are growing more than ever and we are proud to be a part of this great industry!

Pennsylvania CC Opens Doors to $787 Million Expansion

March 4, 2011

by Rachel Wimberly

 

inShare

The Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia officially has gone from being the 24th largest trade show venue in the United States to the 14th largest when it opened a 239,000 square foot expansion that will now give it 679,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space.

The entire facility boasts one million square feet of usable space and has the largest contiguous exhibition space in the northeastern U.S.
A ribbon-cutting to commemorate the official opening of the expanded space took place March 4, and a grand opening is slated for June.
“Philadelphia has an amazing opportunity to become the standard bearer for the hospitality and tourism industry,” said Ahmeenah Young, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority.
She added, “Our ongoing focus is to make sure that the experience each group, attendee and exhibitor has in the Philadelphia region exceeds their greatest expectations.”

The $787 million expansion, completed on time and on budget, now gives the facility the ability to host two large events simultaneously.
“Today, we are taking our level of customer service to greater heights with the opening of an expanded Convention Center,” said Jack Ferguson, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The entire city is rolling out the welcome mat. Customers from across the country are buzzing about Philadelphia and expansion.”

He added, “We already have $2.7 billion in future expansion business on the books. On behalf of our 1,000-member businesses we want to offer our congratulations to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the staff of the Pennsylvania Convention Center for delivering a world-class venue for our customers.”

The expansion also will draw in larger groups that will take up the entire center, such as the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, booked March 18-24, which will use 5,200 hotel rooms on peak and 27,000 hotel rooms total, generating an economic impact of $31 million, according to Ferguson.
Another new show that will fill the center in May will be Lightfair International, with 3,500 hotel rooms on peak, 13,000 hotel rooms total and an economic impact of $23 million, he added.

“We have six shows this year that fit that profile that we never could have gotten before the expansion,” Ferguson said.

The PCCA expects visitor traffic to increase to 1.5 million per year, and research indicates the expanded center also will create 2,000 hospitality industry jobs, generate $10 million in income tax revenue for Pennsylvania and contribute $150 million annually to the regional economy.

Momentum Management hires marketing director

Written by Exhibit City News

Tuesday, February 22 2011 13:55

Momentum Management Inc., a national labor management company that focuses on labor services including installation, dismantle and supervision for trade shows, has announced the addition of a Director of Marketing. Hillary Hull, the new Director of Marketing, previously worked for Ruth’s Chris Steak House as the Director of Sales. “It has been really exciting to create and manage all the many different areas of Momentum’s strategic plans for the sales side of this organization,” said Hull. “Having used many of these approaches in the past, I already know the work. Seeing the work at Momentum has been a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to continued progress.” Hull’s primary responsibility will be to further develop and communicate Momentum Management’s brand across the trade show industry. Other responsibilities include brand and technology development as well as further expanding Momentum Management’s sales strategies. “We’re very excited about the addition of Hillary,” said general manager Rick Bellerjeau. “Our goal of redefining service across our segment requires clear communication between our clients, partners, and co-workers.” Randy Bott, President and Founder of Momentum Management, is already fond of Hull’s work. “We’re touching more clients in more ways that we ever have before,” he said. “Our web traffic alone has doubled since October. That’s a trend that is defining itself in real orders coming in. I’m very pleased with the overall strategy we’ve got going now in both sales and marketing.”

Congratulations to the ATL for a GREAT 2010!

Atlanta Has a Banner Year in 2010

(click here for full article)

By Rachel Wimberly

Published on January 3, 2011

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There likely are a lot of cities across the United States that won’t mind seeing 2010 in a rear-view mirror, as they look forward to what they hope is a better year to come.
But, one city that has reason to celebrate last year’s triumphs is Atlanta, with a record-breaking 19 citywide conventions.

Room night bookings also were up a whopping 33 percent, compared with 2009, according to Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau officials.

Messe Frankfurt USA President David Audrain (on left)
and Mark Sussman, ACVB’s director of trade show
sales, at IAEE’s Expo! Expo!

“2010 proved to be a banner year,” said William Pate, president and CEO of ACVB. “In partnership with the meeting planner, our staff was focused on getting people to the conventions through marketing and public relations efforts.”

He added. “Atlanta has the offerings that customers are looking for, and now that the economy is improving, we’re seeing convention travelers come back.”
Last year was a tough year to get attendees to events, but, according to ACVB officials, 25 of the 33 largest conventions that met in the city in 2010 met or exceeded their attendance goals.

Medical meetings, in particular, had a good year in 2010, with five medical meetings coming to Atlanta in November alone.


One of the November shows, Medtrade, which ran Nov. 15-18 at the Georgia World Congress Center, also had a strong year, attracting 11,756 attendees and exhibitors to the show – a 38-percent increase, compared with the 2009 show.

Medtrade’s success paid off for Atlanta since the show rebooked in 2014.

“We definitely feel Medtrade 2010 was successful,” said Kevin Gaffney, Medtrade’s group show director. “Medtrade attendees and exhibitors enjoy the business-focused environment that is present in Atlanta.”
He added, “Ease of travel, plentiful venues for entertaining and the support and efficiency of the Georgia World Congress Center staff all contributed to the overall success of the event.”

This year ended on a high note for Atlanta at the recent International Association of Exhibitions and Events’ Expo! Expo! held in December in New Orleans.

Messe Frankfurt USA’s Texprocess Americas, the leading international trade show for processing textile and flexible materials, which is collocated with Techtextil North America, signed a letter of intent at ACVB’s booth for 2014 and 2016. The collocated shows also will be held in 2012 in Atlanta.

Atlanta also expects a solid year in 2011, with 16 citywide conventions on the books, according to ACVB officials.

One Response to 'Atlanta Has a Banner Year in 2010'

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Camelback Trade Show Displays said,

on January 4th, 2011 at 4:09 pm

2010 wasn’t all bad elsewhere either. Our industry easily survived the recession and it will get even better in 2011.

Momentum Management Adds Another Account Executive

Momentum Management, Inc announces the addition of Glen Ruggiero to its account executive team.  Adding this new position is part of Momentum’s overall strategy to redefine service within the trade show industry. 

Ruggiero will focus largely on the east coast leveraging the Momentum Relationship Cycle as a differentiator.  Using this innovative technique allows Momentum to enhance the installation and dismantle approach across the company’s client base.  

Ruggiero began his tenure with Momentum in 2002 as a lead man on the show floor.  He then moved into the corporate office as an account coordinator before transitioning into the role of account manager for the west coast sales team.

“I believe Glen brings a unique perspective to the sales side having worked at various levels within the industry.  By leveraging our consultative process with clients, he reflects the kind of approach we’re fostering within the organization,” says Rick Bellerjeau, General Manager. “Glen’s new role within the company is just another way that Momentum Management is redefining service in the trade show industry.”

Momentum Management, Inc. is a national labor management company that focuses on all aspects of labor services including installation, dismantle and supervision for trade shows, store and museum installs and other events.  For more information, please visit www.momentummgt.com.