Industry News
Curated headlines from the trade show and exhibition industry's top publications, associations, and expert blogs. Stay current with exhibitor announcements, show openings, industry trends, and market news from across the events world. Whether you follow technology, healthcare, food, or manufacturing events, our news feed surfaces the stories that matter to trade show professionals, exhibitors, and event marketers.
SEMA Media Trade Conference Turns 30 in 2027
The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Motorsports Products & Media Council (MPMC) will mark the 30th anniversary of its Media Trade Conference in 2027. Media event returns to Orlando The 2027 MPMC Media Trade Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 2, through Thursday, Feb. 4, in…
A Look Back at ECN Tradeshow History: July 2026
Welcome back to “A Look Back at ECN Tradeshow History.” This month, the archives trace an industry moving through recovery, expansion, leadership change, and global uncertainty. From the return of live meetings and the women who helped companies adapt during the pandemic to major convention center…
Grand Hyatt San Antonio Named No. 1 Conference Hotel in City
Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk has been named the No. 1 conference hotel in San Antonio by U.S. News & World Report. Hotel earns conference ranking The hotel also ranked among the top 10 conference hotels in the United States, according to the release. The ranking follows U.S. News & World…
Equinox Group Named Recommended Contractor for ICE Shows
Equinox Group has been named a recommended stand contractor across ICE shows after a review by WorldGaming, formerly Clarion Gaming. Equinox approved across ICE portfolio The status applies across the global ICE show portfolio, not one event. According to the release, WorldGaming reviewed…
What Is Oracle “NetSuite Next” and Who Is “Claude”
If there is one key lesson from our ConventionSuite clients, it is this. They have reached something close to the holy grail of business systems. They no longer struggle with duplicate data. Everything exists in one place. Everyone works from the same information. But technology never stands still.…
The Numbers Don’t Lie, Neither Do Exhibitors
Every year, The Exhibitor Advocate publishes the Annual Survey of Exhibition Rates. Every year, someone in the industry pushes back on the data: the sample size isn’t big enough, the methodology isn’t perfect, the findings don’t apply to their shows. And every year, exhibitors tell us the same…
Emerald Carpets Achieves Gold Level Certification Under Events Industry Council Sustainable Event Standards
Dalton, GA – Emerald Carpets, a leading provider of event and exhibition flooring solutions, has achieved Gold Certification under the Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards through a rigorous third-party verification process. This recognition underscores Emerald Carpets…
Queen Exhibits Breaks Ground on Ohio Facility Expansion
Queen Exhibits broke ground June 19 on a 20,000-square-foot expansion of its Piqua, Ohio, facility. The project gives the company more space for storage, staging, production, and logistics. Expansion adds major capacity The project will bring Queen Exhibits’ total facility size to about 30,000…
WNBA All-Star Expands Across Chicago Venues
The 2026 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star celebration will extend beyond the basketball court. From July 23 through July 25, the league will use several Chicago venues for competitions, fan activities, media events, sponsor activations, and community programs. McCormick Place…
JMIC Updates Global Manifesto for Business Events Advocacy
The Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) has released the third edition of its Global Manifesto, giving the business-events industry updated data and case studies to help make its case to governments, destinations, and public officials. Manifesto puts numbers behind events The updated manifesto…
Comic-Con to Stay in San Diego Through 2030
Comic-Con International today, July 22, agreed to keep Comic-Con in San Diego through 2030, extending one of the city’s most visible convention partnerships. Comic-Con extends San Diego run San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria announced the agreement as Comic-Con 2026 opened at the San Diego Convention…
UFI Adds Nicole Lyashko to Events Team
UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has welcomed Nicole Lyashko as events operations support. Lyashko joins UFI events team Based in Paris, Lyashko will support the planning and delivery of UFI’s international events. Her work will include coordination, administration, and other…
What McKinsey’s Cuts Should Tell Every Exhibit and Event Leader
The news came out quietly, the way these things usually do. McKinsey is cutting 3,000 to 4,000 positions in 2026 — roughly 10 percent of its global workforce, the largest reduction since 2008. Bain, BCG, and Deloitte are doing variations of the same thing. Slower hiring. Headcount reductions. A…
Why Companies Are Still Betting on Las Vegas
Las Vegas has never needed an introduction. But in boardrooms from Anaheim to Zurich, it’s earning a new one. The city once defined by its neon skyline and world-class conventions is now being recognized for something it has quietly built for years: a genuine, diversified business economy that is…
Working Overtime in Washington, D.C., for our Future Workforce
When you think about the future of the tradeshow industry, do you think about Washington, D.C.? Probably not, but maybe next time you should. In recent years, the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance (ECA) has been working overtime in our nation’s capital to advocate for public policies that will…
‘The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration’
I am an unabashed tradeshow enthusiast. I admit it: I’m a fan. I enjoy shows. They’re fun and full of energy. They keep people employed. They create business sales. They promote ideas and provide networking. They bring visitors and dollars to a region. What’s not to like? But sometimes I am…
Aluvision Welcomes Casper Corbin as Design Engineer
Summer usually means slowing down, but at Aluvision things have been ramping up ahead of busy season. Aluvision is thrilled to announce the continued growth of its technical design department with the hiring of Casper Corbin as the newest Design Engineer. With a bachelor’s degree in mechanical…
What American Exhibitors Don’t See Coming in Europe
EuroShop, 2020. After years of designing and building booths across Europe, I arrived on site quietly confident. I should not have been. I had misread my own floor plan, got my compass points backwards, and set the whole stand out as though north were south. I felt less like a seasoned exhibition…
The Expo Group Names Chris Cavanaugh President, Corporate
The Expo Group has appointed Chris Cavanaugh as president, corporate, adding an industry veteran to lead corporate growth strategy and support the company’s experiential marketing expansion. Cavanaugh joins leadership team In the role, Cavanaugh will oversee corporate development, brand marketing,…
Chicago July Briefs: ExSys Awards, ALA, GBTA, and WNBA Live
Chicago briefs this month track major convention activity, industry events, visitor spending, transportation updates, and citywide sports programming. Highlights include the ExSys Awards and Chicago Randy Charity Golf Outing, strong attendance at the American Library Association conference,…