Chicago — As the exhibitions industry grows, so do opportunities for unique programs. The upcoming Trade Show Executive Global Direct™ Hosted Buyer event, set for July 12-14 at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa, offers an exclusive opportunity for a group of U.S. show organizers to meet with top venues from overseas, as well as with global thought leaders to learn how to better take advantage of international opportunities.
Megan Tanel, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), one the event’s panelists and a Hosted Buyer, said she always seeks ways to maximize time when sourcing new vendors, locations or potential partners. “With Global Direct, I’m looking forward to saving time and money by accomplishing some of this all in one place,” she said. “Any chance to discuss best practices in organizing international exhibitions helps me and our team to do our jobs better and more wisely.”
Ryan Strowger, Chairman of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events and Senior Vice President, Exhibitions, Conferences and Sales for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, called Global Direct™ a “unique event providing focus to organizers who may be looking at (or doing) shows overseas and who want to understand the value and offerings of different destinations.”
That focus will bring Chuck Schwartz, Chairman of ConvExx, to Global Direct™. Schwartz said he likes having the international representatives all in one place. “The whole world of operations outside the U.S. is different. It would be short-sighted for people not to attend,” he said.
The program’s keynote presentation will emphasize ways that a healthy global economy also will benefit the trade show community, Strowger said.
Panel sessions include:
- Successful Global Business Models: Insights on how to work with local partners to create a successful experience overseas. Panelists include Megan Tanel, AEM; Jason McGraw, Senior Vice President, InfoComm; Tom Cindric, Informa Exhbitions.
- Prepping Your Exhibitors to Exhibit Successfully Internationally: Moderated by Larry Kulchawik of trade show marketing company Kulchawik Consulting, this session will build on advice Kulchawik presented in his 2015 book “Trade Shows from One Country to the Next,” which includes tips for suppliers, associations and exhibitors and makes a case for standardized terminology and guidelines for global show marketers.
- Best Practices in Digital, Print and Face-to-Face Marketing: This session, moderated by Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes of mdg, will address both new and traditional strategies that can best reach a broad spectrum of attendees worldwide.
- Global Safety and Security: Exhibitor and attendee safety and security are top-of-mind today — and worldwide venues may have very different ways of addressing those issues. Mark Herrera, Director of Education for the International Association of Venue Managers will explain that group’s efforts to strengthen security practices both at home and abroad.
An Advisory Board comprised of respected global leaders assisted in developing the event’s content. Members include, among others: David DuBois, President, IAEE; Aloysius Arlando, Vice President, International Association of Convention Centres; Michael Kruppe, Vice Chairman, Chinese Venue Association and Vice President, UFI Asia Pacific Chapter; Juan Gabriel Tamez, President, AMEREF — Mexican Venue Association.
Global Direct™ is presented by Trade Show Executive and its partners: IAEE – Exclusive Strategic Partner, IAEE MATSO Council — Supporting Organization, and AMEREF (Mexican Venue Association) — Supporting Organization. Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau is the Event’s Title Partner, while Shanghai New International Expo Centre is its Signature Partner. Other Partners include leading venues from, among others — Frankfurt, Nurnberg and Hannover, Germany; Amsterdam; Bangalore, India; Singapore; Barcelona, Spain; Toronto; and Guadalajara and Monterrey, Mexico; making Global Direct™ truly global!
Reach Ryan Strowger at (703) 299-5776 or rstrowger@iaapa.org; Chuck Schwartz at (702) 216-5833 or cschwartz@convexx.com; Megan Tanel at (414) 272-0943 or mtanel@aem.org; Gabrielle Weiss at (312) 493-7753 or gweiss@tradeshowexecutive.com; Diane Bjorklund at (630) 312-8915 or dbjorklund@tradeshowexecutive.com; Steve Sind at (520) 751-2402 or ssind@globaldirect.com; Cherif Moujabber at (508) 660-7099 or cherif@globaldirect.com
