The week of March 4-8, 2012, the tradeshow industry will gather in the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas for the 24th annual EXHIBITOR2012 tradeshow and conference. An array of new educational sessions and workshops has been planned, as well as an expanded show floor and list of exhibitors.
This year, EXHIBITOR2012 has expanded the exhibit hall to accommodate the addition of 1,600 square feet of space. In fact, just a month after last year’s EXHIBITOR, over 80 percent of booth space had already been reserved. Additionally, six perimeter island exhibits were added to meet increased demands from exhibitors.
“This is the second year in a row that we have needed to expand the floor plan to make more room for large exhibits,” said Carol Fojtik, managing director of EXHIBITOR2012. “Already, more than 65 island exhibits have been sold for EXHIBITOR2012. We had 53 island exhibits in 2011. This year’s expansion allows us to accommodate the needs of both large and small exhibitors who are now on our waiting list for space.”
EXHIBITOR2012 is North America’s largest exhibition of tradeshow and corporate event products and services. The show floor is open from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on March 5-7 (Monday through Wednesday).
“There is a dramatic increase in island exhibits for 2012,” said Wayne Dunham, PR counsel for EXHIBITOR. “Last year, there were 53 island exhibits. For 2012, 65 island exhibits already are sold. Among the major exhibitors on the show floor with 20 x 30-foot exhibits are VMC Group, MC2, Orbus Exhibit and Display Group, 3D Exhibits, Czarnowski and MG Design Associates.”
Also new this year is an additional 75 sessions. These new gatherings are among more than 220 seminars and workshops offered for tradeshow and event marketers of all experience levels. New for 2012 are seven half-day workshops on the Sunday before the exhibit hall opens. The new topics range from matching measurement to business objectives and international protocol to doing your own staff training and writing powerful headlines and copy.
“The sessions are devoted to helping our attendees develop in-depth learning that they can apply immediately to make their jobs easier while increasing their company’s ROI from trade show and corporate event participation,” said Dunham. “Special emphasis is placed on better organization, using new technology effectively and on international exhibiting.”
Monday’s new sessions include one from the Author’s Executive Series featuring Shama Kabani, who wrote “The Zen of Social Marketing” and a Profile in Excellence seminar by Medtronic showing how their domestic tradeshow program was redesigned and changed to become a global exhibit program.
Tuesday offers 13 new seminars including topics such as “Riding the Winds of Change” and “Who’s minding the booth?” as well as lessons from the tradeshow floor and sessions on social media.
“Our attendees come to EXHIBITOR2012 and use our conference program to learn how to conquer their toughest exhibiting problems,” said Dee Silfies, chief learning strategist for EXHIBITOR2012. “Each year, the curriculum is strengthened as we spot and address emerging tradeshow and corporate event issues, trends, and concerns.”
In addition to the tradeshow and educational sessions, the EDPA Foundation will be hosting its second annual EDPA Foundation Cup Golf Tournament alongside EXHIBITOR2012. The tournament is scheduled for March 4 at the Painted Desert Golf Course in Las Vegas.
All proceeds from the golf outing will benefit the EDPA Foundation, which raises funds for scholarships and those in need in the tradeshow industry.
The tournament will begin at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start. The cost of participating is $150 until February 28, and $225 until March 3. For those wishing to just attend the networking lunch, tickets are $25.
