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Want to go all in on a Las Vegas trade show? You just might hit the jackpot. Sin City is one of the biggest trade show destinations in the United States, bringing industry professionals in booming sectors to the desert locale. Las Vegas trade shows draw millions of people to the city each year.
Casinos aren’t the only places in Vegas where high-rollers are taking risks: Exhibiting at a top trade show requires a substantial investment. Before you ante up, learn how to make the most of a Las Vegas trade show.
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Las Vegas hosts more than 21,000 trade shows, conventions, meetings and expos every year. The convention and trade show industry is a huge boon to the Las Vegas economy — and not just because the attendees empty their wallets at the poker table.
Las Vegas Weekly reported that the convention industry impacted the local economy to the tune of $5.78 billion in 2017, employing 40,000 people. Trade shows and conventions brought 6.5 million people to Las Vegas last year, and there’s no sign of that number dropping. It’s no wonder that Las Vegas has more than 146,000 hotel and motel rooms. The convention industry accounts for almost 16 percent of visitors to Las Vegas.
Why are so many trade shows in Las Vegas? For starters, it’s a popular destination for tourism in general. People from all over the world are eager to visit the city’s famed nightlife, gaming scene and entertainment offering. Hosting an event in Sin City makes it an easy sell to exhibitors and attendees.
Plus, the warm, dry climate leaves little risk of bad weather interfering with events. Las Vegas also features the Las Vegas Convention Center, the third largest convention center in the country, along with plenty of other premier event venues.
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The trade shows held in Las Vegas span a wide variety of fields: Sin City is known for constructions shows, fashion and apparel markets, consumer electronics expos and much more. They all generate buzz and tourism dollars for the city, but a select few conventions stand out among the competition for their size and scope.
The biggest trade shows in Las Vegas can draw upwards of 100,000 people, along with thousands of exhibitors. Take a look at a few of the marquee events held annually in Las Vegas.
CES, short for Consumer Electronic Shows, is the biggest trade show held in Las Vegas. Running for more than 50 years now, CES is the epicenter for technology innovations in the United States.
The show is held every January at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show brings more than 150,000 attendees and featured more than 4,000 exhibitors. CES is a truly international institution: Visitors come to the event from more than 150 different countries.
Industry leaders use CES as a platform to debut their most exciting breakthroughs in consumer electronics and technology services. Over the course of half a century, the trade show has developed a reputation as the place to introduce consumers to products such as the pocket radios, VCRs, video game systems, CD players, DVDs and Blu-ray discs, plasma-screen televisions and much more. In recent years, attendees have been wowed by 3D printers, smart TVs, driverless cars and virtual reality systems.
Beyond just new products, CES is a perfect venue for exciting new startups to gain recognition, momentum and brand awareness for their forward-thinking ideas. The broad scope of the offerings means that Las Vegas is jam-packed over the course of the show – don’t expect to get a hotel room last minute. Bear in mind, the event is not open to the public, so you have to get your attendance approved in advance. Learn the ins and outs of shipping to the Consumer Electronics Show.
SEMA is the second-biggest trade show held in Las Vegas, also hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Short for Specialty Equipment Market Association, SEMA is the foremost event for auto equipment manufacturers to display their latest products and technology. Leading brands like Chevrolet, Honda, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai, Dodge and a slew of others all make the most of the event, debuting their newest models. Shipping your trade show booth to SEMA LAs Vegas is big business.
First launched in 1963, the expo now takes places every November, and is trade-only — meaning not open to the public. The event is part of the yearly Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week in Las Vegas. Here’s a by-the-numbers rundown of what you can expect to find when you are contemplating shipping to SEMA:
If you’re thinking about exhibiting or attending SEMA for the very first time, you’re not alone. About 400 new exhibitors mount booths at the show every year, keeping the show fresh and interesting. Along with the exhibitions, SEMA hosts educational seminars, networking events and live demonstrations.
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Calling itself the “most comprehensive fashion marketplace” in the United States, MAGIC is the top apparel and retail industry trade show. While the MAGIC trade show name initially stood for Men’s Apparel Guild in California, the convention’s scope has expanded well beyond those confines, to feature the latest in apparel, footwear, manufacturing, accessories, fast fashion and luxury brands. Apparel market business is important for trade show business.
MAGIC now comprises two events, with one held in February and other in August. The winter edition is held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, one of Las Vegas’ other top expo venues, while the fall show takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Each event brings about 85,000 people to Las Vegas, along with thousands of exhibitors. This major apparel market draws more than 4,000 exhibitors, including plenty of leading brands.
Both editions of MAGIC feature shows focusing on different aspects of the retail industry. The upcoming MAGIC August, for example, will host the following events:
ASD calls itself the most comprehensive trade show for consumer merchandise in the United States. ASD stands for “Affordable Shopping Destination.” Formerly known as ASD AMD, ASD Market Week is one of the most wide-ranging trade shows in the country. The show is held in late February and early March at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The convention’s offerings cover nearly every facet of the retail industry. The event truly comprises nine different shows under one umbrella. Major product and vendor categories at ASD Market Week include:
The audience as ASD is searching for the best new products, and they aren’t afraid to drop a pretty penny to get what they want. Here are some details about the attendees and exhibitors that you’ll find at ASD Market Week:
Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials?
Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.
The above are just a small sample of the biggest and most influential trade shows held in Las Vegas every year. There are too many major events to go into in detail, but you should be aware of some of the other high-rolling trade shows that have doubled down on Sin City.
For top industry trade shows, part of the draw to Las Vegas is the top-notch facilities available. Las Vegas and its business leaders have embraced the city’s reputation as a tourism destination by investing heavily in its convention and meeting industry. Read up on the premiere venues for trade shows and expos in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Convention Center is Sin City’s ace in the hole when it comes to attracting major events. First built in 1959, the venue hosts nine of the top 20 trade shows in the United States. The major shows CES, SEMA, World of Concrete and ASD, all held at the LVCC, draw 394,000 people to Vegas and generate $518 million in economic impact
In all, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosts 50 conventions and draws about 1.4 million visitors per year, according to Las Vegas Weekly. With nearly 3.2 million square feet of space, the LVCC is the third largest convention center in the country, according to Forbes. Of its square footage, 2 million is dedicated to exhibit space and about 250,000 is meeting space.
But that figure might have to be updated soon — the center is undertaking a major renovation. The LVCC will add about 600,000 square feet of space as part of the $860 million project, the Weekly reported. The project is slated to be completed in 2020, and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority expects it will bring an additional 600,000 visitors to the city and create 7,800 full-time jobs.
The second largest Las Vegas convention center, Mandalay Bay features 2.1 million square feet of space, including 1 million square feet of exhibit space. First opened in 2003, it recently completed a major, $70 million renovation that added 350,000 square feet. As of 2017, it was the 10th largest convention center in the United States.
Its crown jewel is its 95,000-square foot Mandalay Bay Ballroom, one of several beautiful ballrooms on the property. The convention center is just one part of the overall facility, which features restaurants, retail shops, entertainment offerings and hotels. Major trade shows at Mandalay Bay include MAGIC February, HD Expo, WPPI Wedding & Portrait Photographers Conference Expo, and the American International Motorcycle Expo.
Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials?
Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.
First launched in 1990, the Sands Expo & Convention Center is part of the world-famous Venetian resort, hotel and casino. Here you’ll find 7,000 suites and 30 restaurants, along with 1.8 million square feet of exhibition and event space.
Major events at the Sands Expo & Convention Center include NSSF SHOT Show, ISC International Security Conference, Adobe Summit, JCK Las Vegas, CTIA Super Mobility Week and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
Unlike the other venues on this list, the World Market Center Las Vegas is a permanent showroom for the home and hospitality furnishings industry. Nonetheless, it regularly hosts major trade shows, the most important of which is the Las Vegas Market. The event is held twice a year, with summer and winter editions.
The World Market Center comprises over 5 million square feet in all, spread among 8 buildings and 57 acres. The first of its buildings opened in 2005, and others gradually debuted in the years following.
While smaller than the others listed here, Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino manages to draw major shows to its convention space every year. The convention center has about 225,000 square feet of event space, including the 70,000 square foot Paradise Event Center, 40 meeting rooms, two executive boards rooms and more.
Some of its major shows include ASD Market Week Winter, Nightclub and Bar Show, International Pizza Expo and the International Wireless Communications Expo.
Las Vegas’ huge trade show and convention industry means that shipping materials to Sin City can be a complicated process. With hundreds or even thousands of exhibitors mounting booths at the top trade shows, these events need to enforce strict guidelines to make sure every keeps running smoothly.
Don’t worry: Taking advantage of service from leading tradeshow logistics companies can handle this process for you. If you’re exhibiting at a Las Vegas trade show, R+L Global Logistics offers a full range of services that will guarantee your materials arrive at the event safely and smoothly. Whether you’re sending booth displays, promotional materials or prototypes, R+L Global provides customers a personal touch that elevates their customer service above the norm.
Shipping to a Las Vegas trade show requires lots of decisions, such as whether to choose advance warehouse shipping or direct-to-site shipping. It’s also necessary to have a thorough grasp on the load-in and set-up times for the event. Let R+L Global take care of these aspects for you. With 24/7 live tracking and on-call personnel, you can rest assured that your shipment is in good hands.
Connect with an R+L Global Logistics representative today at 866-415-8986, or use the live chat to learn more.
Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials? Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.
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Need help shipping your trade show booth and materials? Fill out a short form or give us a call and one of our trade show specialists will answer your questions.
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