Trade Show Executive

LOOKING AHEAD
What Major Trade Shows are on Tap for May
RECon, The Global Retail
Real Estate Convention
MAY 19-22
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
8 on the TSE Gold 100
Likely the largest trade show of
the month in the U.S., the event for
international and U.S. retail real estate
professionals grew 4.2% in 2012 to
740,000 net square feet (nsf), and
is on track to top 760,000 nsf in 2013.
Attendance is projected at between
33,000 and 34,000 with more than 1,000
exhibitors expected, according to Tim
McGuiness, staff vice president, global
trade expositions for the International
Council of Shopping Centers.
“Like most events, the last couple
of years have been lackluster, but we
are starting to see more light at the
end of the tunnel,” McGuiness said.
“The signs are all pointing in the right
direction. We are creeping back toward
the levels we were at in 2006 and 2007.”
The optimism stems from robust
growth in retail overseas and the
attractive claim that about half of
the retail real estate deals struck
last year were finalized at RECon.
Some popular new features that
debuted last year will be back, including
The Cities of the World Pavilion, which
hosts delegations from various municipal
and national governments. Marketplace
Mall will again offer access to product
and service vendors. There is also
a concerted marketing outreach
to international attendees.
RECon’s popular Power Sessions series
features 30-minute presentations on
shopping center operational matters,
such as heating and air conditioning
or paving parking lots.
The ICSC is also ramping up coverage
of social media technology and trends in
response to a sharp increase in demand
from its members who want to learn the
basics and improve their skills. “It is one
of those things people know something
about and want to learn more about,”
McGuiness said.
In a related area, the show’s community
building mobile app was available
for downloading after the first of the year,
and the show website dutifully updated
RECon
the attendance list so attendees would
know who they might run into, or seek
out, in Las Vegas.
Reach Timothy McGuinness, ICSC staff
vice president, global trade expositions, at
(646) 728-3800 or tmcguinness@icsc.org
National Restaurant Association
Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show
MAY 18-21
McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
25 on the TSE Gold 100
The NRA Show reported some solid
growth in metrics last year, particularly
an above average 5.3% boost in exhibit
space and a 6.4% increase in attendance.
The National Restaurant Association
(NRA) was not making any early predictions
on this year’s show, but the association
has been bullish on the restaurant
business. Job growth in the sector was
pegged at 3.4% in 2012, the strongest
increase in 17 years, and the momentum
will continue through the current year,
the association said.
The growth rate was the basis for one
of the marketing pitches to exhibitors.
After all, the NRA said, the time was
right for restaurants to expand in size,
open new locations or simply update
their equipment and fixtures. And,
many attendees were prepared to spend
six-figure sums with show exhibitors.
The 2012 exhibit area featured a new
floor plan and was sold out at 542,720
net square feet (nsf). International
attendance was also up, and the show
is again part of the U.S. government’s
International Buyers program.
Reach Mary Pat Heftman, executive
vice president, conventions, at (312)
853-2525 or mheftman@restaurant.org
American Psychiatric
Assn. 116th Annual Meeting
MAY 18-22
Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA
The American Psychiatric Association
(APA) 116th Annual Meeting is the place
to be for practitioners in the field of
psychiatry more than ever this year.
14 March 2013 | Trade Show Executive