by Laura Palker
The Invisible Industry Tour’s mission is to raise awareness for the industry and connect, support and develop the current and future tradeshow/live events industries workforce through apprenticeships and education. Assisting in this endeavor are several proud sponsors and partners, including the National Trade Show Alliance (NTSA), Captello, Triune Specialty Trailers, Poretta & Orr and Brewco, along with local supporters including convention and visitors’ bureaus, unions, colleges, tradespeople/NTSA members, media, associations/show organizers, general contractors, experiential designers/ producers, tradeshow suppliers, venues, politicians and labor boards.
The Invisible Industry Tour features a 49-foot Triune Quad-X mobile trailer that is wrapped with industry statistics graphics explaining the economic impact of the live events/tradeshow industries. The trailer is housed in Kentucky, and thousands of drivers see its graphics as it travels on the highways and streets en route to each activation. Exhibit visitors can play Captello’s educational gamifications that utilize the economic statistics, and the tour’s social media presence, magazine and media coverage are raising the industry’s visibility.
The Invisible Industry Tour kicked off on June 1, Global Exhibition Day, in Washington, DC, meeting with public officials, economic development directors, labor unions and other groups to emphasize the importance of the tradeshow industry. VIP visitors included Live Events Coalitions President Nancy Shaffer and Elliott Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, who created a video endorsement for the Invisible Industry Tour: EF_NationalTradeShowAlliance.mp4.
The Invisible Industry Tour is grateful to Philadelphia Councilmember Derek Green, Esq., for recently inviting the tour to Philadelphia during the Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO) conference as well as for spending time at the exhibit and encouraging DMO attendees to check it out. The tour is also grateful to the DMO’s Barbara Moore and Nils Robbins and Neil Deegan, managing principal with Rittenhouse Political Partners, as well as Robert Allen from Philadelphia’s Office of Special Events for their help in coordinating the event, the permits and prime location at City Hall for the mobile exhibit. NTSA also sends special thanks to Professor Ira Rosen, program director, Event Leadership Executive Certificate Program at Temple University School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management; Jaime Martorana, communications manager, Philadelphia CVB; and the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters for supporting the Invisible Industry Tour and the NTSA workforce development initiatives.
The mobile exhibit has been a magnet for heavy hitters in the industry–in Philadelphia, visitors included Poretta & Orr’s Barbara Orr and Jacqueline Beaulieu, City Councilmen Derek Green and Mark Squilla; the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters’ Bob Tarby (Director of Tradeshows & Special Assignments), Rob Smith (Workforce Development & Training) and Anthony Squilla (Council Representative); members of Democratic Municipal Officials (DMO) National Advisory Board Retreat, and Jaime Martorana, communications manager, Philadelphia CVB. The Invisible Industry Tour hopes that other CVBs, trade/technical schools, unions and universities will invite them to campus and city events to introduce the industry to its next generation work force. Let us end the invisibility and raise awareness, connection, community and support for the live events/tradeshow industries.
For sponsorship opportunities please contact Laura Palker at Laura@nationaltradeshowalliance.org.
