Top Stories from the Trade Show Industry
PALOS VERDES, Calif. — Approximately 200 events industry leaders convened at Terranea Resort from Sept. 22-24, 2026, for the Trade Show Executive (TSE) Gold 100 Awards & Summit. The event recognized the 100 largest trade shows in the U.S. from last year, and offered elite education and connection-building opportunities. “This year’s Gold 100 Awards […]
Desirability, Possibility and Partnership: The New Standard for Event Destinations is a sponsored article from the Seattle Convention Center. For years, event organizers selected destinations based on practical considerations: available dates, hotel inventory, air travel, exhibit space and budget. Those factors still matter, but as attendance patterns evolve, the first challenge for many events is […]
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Since 2009, Robyn Davis, CPTD, CEM, has advised exhibitors around the world to help them thrive at trade shows, working at major events such as SHOT Show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IMTS. Now, she has published Exhibit Smarter, a new book that serves as a roadmap for exhibitor success — which she generously shared with […]
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LAS VEGAS — On Sept. 23-25, 2026, PRINTING United Expo brought together 27,000 registered attendees from 100 countries and more than 850 exhibitors across approximately one million square feet at the Las Vegas Convention Center. According to Joshua Carruth, Executive Vice President, Expositions at PRINTING United Alliance, the equipment displayed at the show was an especially tangible measure […]
LAS VEGAS — Oct. 13-15, event professionals will fill the Mandalay Bay Convention Center for IMEX America, exchanging ideas, leveling up their skills, making new connections and reconnecting with old ones. IMEX America 2026 will be its largest to date by net square feet, with the show floor expanding by around 5% compared to last year. Carina Bauer, CEO […]
CHICAGO — For show organizers, the registration deadline isn’t what it used to be. Attendees who once committed months in advance are increasingly waiting until closer to show time, compressing registration windows and making it harder to forecast hotel room blocks, staffing, food and beverage, and other operational needs. “We’re in the process of analyzing 2026 […]
LONDON — Informa continues to dominate the global exhibitions industry with the acquisition of Clarion Events from asset manager Blackstone. The deal is expected to be completed in Q4 of 2026, subject to customary regulatory clearances. The £2.24 billion ($2.97 billion) acquisition is one of the industry’s biggest deals in history, topping the amount that Apollo […]
MCLEAN, Va. — With mental health issues increasing in recent years, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) wanted to address the need to make health and wellness a priority in the workplace — and decided to lead by example. The result was a menu of wellness activities that was unveiled […]
This past August, independent show organizers gathered in Seattle for the 2026 SISO Leadership Conference under the theme Design, Activate, Thrive. Over three days, the agenda ranged from AI adoption to cost containment to the psychology of team culture — subjects that, on paper, have little to do with one another. But five ideas kept […]
CHICAGO — The increased focus on providing sponsorships that go beyond logo placement and deliver real business outcomes is leading to more innovative opportunities in the live events space. Industry data backs the trends toward meaningful, objective-based sponsorship sales strategies. According to the findings of a joint study conducted by Trade Show Executive (TSE), Lippman […]
ORLANDO — The idea for SuperCon began with one question: “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could get our whole ecosystem together and put together a carrier-focused event?” The seed was planted, and Super Dispatch — a company that serves the automotive transport industry through its transportation management platform — began the process of putting […]
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