Urban Expositions, a gift, airport and souvenir tradeshow organizer, acquired the U.S. restaurant and lodging portfolio from Reed Exhibitions.
Included in the portfolio are the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo and Expo Comida Latina. Urban has also purchased the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show, formerly managed and produced by Reed Exhibitions, from the New York State Restaurant Association, a business association for the restaurant and hospitality industry.
“We have been searching for strategic opportunities to grow our retail/hospitality sector, and these shows perfectly reflect the profile and development potential we were hoping to find,” explained Doug Miller, president, Urban Expositions. “We are proud to take over the reins from Reed Exhibitions and the New York State Restaurant Association and look forward to building upon the successful track record that they, along with the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and California Restaurant Association, have firmly established for these shows. By working closely with many of the veteran team members, as well as the management and members of each state association, we will continue to strengthen and enhance the business and professional growth opportunities these events provide to their exhibitors and attendees.”
Urban Expositions will assume ownership immediately although Reed Exhibitions will manage the Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo, Aug. 18-20, and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show, Sept. 22-24. Management will transition to Urban Expositions upon the close of the shows.
“Urban Expositions is ideally suited to take over the management of each of these shows,” said Nancy Walsh, executive vice president, Reed Exhibitions North America. “They understand the specialized needs of B2B events. Their management has built a solid reputation over the years for its hands-on management style and commitment to customer service — assets that will serve them well in the restaurant/hospitality industry and contribute to the continued growth and success of each of these events. It was important to Reed that the events went to a customer- and employee-focused organizer.”
As part of the acquisition package, members of the Reed show team will join Urban Expositions, relocating to the company’s newest office location in Connecticut. The new Urban Expositions food service teams will be working closely with the executive leadership of the state association sponsors for each respective show, including the New York State Restaurant Association, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and California Restaurant Association
Representing the next step in Urban Expositions’ plans to expand its retail/restaurant/hospitality portfolio, these new events join the Atlanta-based show management company’s airport concessions holding, Airport Revenue News (ARN), which services the restaurant/food service and retail components of the airport industry. In addition, these shows offer business growth and synergistic opportunities across Urban Expositions’ entire show roster, including wholesale giftware and souvenir events.
