INDUSTRY NEWS

Overall Vegas Attendance Down in 2009, December Up
According to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority’s Executive Summary, convention attendance dipped to 4,492,275 last year from 5,899,725 in 2008, a nearly 24-percent decrease. More

Tarsus Group Buys MTO Summit Series
Tarsus Group extended its reach into the event technology and social networking world with the recent purchase of the MTO Summit series and online resource MeetingTechOnline. Tarsus bought the assets from MTO's founder and president, Stephen Nold, who will remain the head of the company. More

International Report: Reed Expo to Launch in Western China
The New Year brings a now-familiar mix of show launches, date changes and postponements from the worldwide tradeshow industry, with news coming from France, India, Spain, United Arab Emirates, China, Brazil and Singapore, including news of a show launch in Chengdu, China. More

Cal Gift Show Grows Up
The semiannual California Gift Show, held for only the second time under the auspices of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. Jan. 15-18 at the Los Angeles Convention Center and at permanent and temporary showrooms at LA Mart Jan. 12-18, exceeded expectations with strong attendance, according to the show's organizers. More

Exhibitor Coalition Plans Best Practices Initiative
Exhibitors are mad, and they're planning to do something about it. That, at least, is the assessment of a group of five exhibitor-related trade associations that have formed an Exhibit Industry Council to address some of what its leaders say are long-endured frustrations. More

MPEA Plan Meets Resistance
A sweeping plan to overhaul labor practices at Chicago’s McCormick Place almost immediately was met with resistance from general service contractors and tradeshow industry leaders. More