Trade Show News

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) board of directors approved extensions and updates to five agency contracts, totaling up to $464 million for marketing the city. This significant investment emphasizes the need for speed, flexibility, and scale in promoting Las Vegas as a premier destination for tourism and conventions.

Las Vegas led the U.S. in hotel revenue per available room (RevPAR) growth, with a 29.0% increase for the week ending May 2, 2026. This significant gain was attributed to strong convention activity, contributing to a 1.2% rise in occupancy and stable average daily rates.

The Las Vegas meetings and events community celebrated Global Meetings Industry Day, emphasizing the sector's significant economic impact of approximately $16 billion annually and its role in creating over 70,000 jobs. Las Vegas welcomed 6 million business travelers in 2025.

Despite a 7.5% drop in leisure tourism in 2025, Las Vegas's convention attendance remained stable at 6 million, declining only 0.6% compared to 2024. Major trade shows like CONEXPO-CON/AGG contributed significantly, and the Las Vegas Convention Center is completing a $600 million renovation.

While overall Las Vegas tourism saw a 7.5% decline in 2025, convention attendance remained remarkably stable at 6 million attendees, nearly matching 2024 levels. This resilience highlights the critical role of the convention sector in Las Vegas's economy, supporting an estimated 70,000 jobs and generating $15 billion in economic activity. The Las Vegas Convention Center is projected to host approximately 1.23 million trade show attendees in 2026, a 16% increase from 2025.

Apollo has struck a deal to acquire Emerald for approximately $1.5 billion and Questex for an undisclosed sum. This combination creates a scaled operator with approximately 160 events across complementary markets, impacting the landscape of trade show organizers.

E. James Gans, a senior vice president at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) who oversaw an $890 million renovation of the Las Vegas Convention Center, has retired. His retirement is effective immediately due to a personal, family matter, and the position is expected to be filled despite a hiring freeze at the agency.

The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) released its 2026 Marketing Spend Decision Report on May 8, 2026, affirming the power of B2B exhibitions. The report analyzes how exhibitors allocate marketing budgets, their motivations for trade show participation, and how they measure ROI.

The Las Vegas meetings and events community celebrated Global Meetings Industry Day on April 30, with volunteers from the LVCVA participating in a charity event. The convention and tradeshow sector generates approximately $16 billion in economic impact annually and supports over 70,000 jobs in Southern Nevada.

Volunteers from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) celebrated Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) on April 30, ahead of May 6. The Las Vegas meetings and events community came together for a charity event benefiting SafeNest. GMID underscores the significant economic impact of meetings, conventions, and events, which generate about $16 billion annually and create over 70,000 jobs in the community.

The McDonald's Worldwide Convention 2026 is scheduled to take place at the newly renovated Las Vegas Convention Center from June 1-4, 2026. This major corporate event is expected to host over 14,000 franchisees, employees, and suppliers, utilizing the modernized Convention Center campus.

PRINTING United Alliance announced that registration is officially open for PRINTING United Expo 2026, taking place September 23–25, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event, recognized as the premier printing event in North America, is already over 90% sold with nearly 650 exhibitors. The Expo was recently named a Trade Show Executive 'Fastest 50' show and captured an award for 'Fastest Growing Show in Sheer Attendance'.

Manifest Vegas 2027, the global supply chain and logistics tech event, is scheduled for February 8th-10th, 2027, at The Venetian, Las Vegas. The event has announced its initial lineup of 50 influential speakers, including Chief Supply Chain, Operating, and Procurement Officers, to discuss new technologies and innovations.

The Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC) Global Institute is moving its conference from its traditional Las Vegas venue to McCormick Convention Center in Chicago. This relocation reflects a long-standing request from the legal operations community for a rotation beyond Las Vegas.

Registration is now open for PRINTING United Expo 2026, taking place September 23-25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The event, which brings together the entire printing industry, is already over 90% sold out with nearly 650 exhibitors expected to showcase new equipment and technologies.

The Las Vegas Convention Center recently completed a $600 million renovation, extending the design and technology standards of its West Hall expansion across the entire campus. These upgrades include new lobby spaces, reconfigured halls, and enhanced back-of-house areas, designed to accommodate higher electrical loads for large technology shows and reinforce Las Vegas's role as a global showcase destination.

The Las Vegas Convention Center's $600 million expansion and renovation was completed earlier this year, now offering 4.6 million square feet of space, with 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space. This expansion allows the LVCC to host multiple events simultaneously, filling hotel rooms during mid-week and stimulating the economy. The LVCC is now the second-biggest convention center in the country.

The Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) has completed a significant renovation, introducing modernized infrastructure, enhanced acoustics, upgraded technology, and a new 100,000-square-foot Grand Lobby. These upgrades aim to improve the experience for the upcoming SEMA Show, scheduled for November 3-6, 2026.

The newly opened Las Vegas Convention Center is highlighted as reinforcing the city's position as a top convention destination.

Michelob ULTRA Arena, located within Mandalay Bay Resort + Casino, is a premier indoor event destination with a capacity of nearly 12,000 guests. Positioned adjacent to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, it supports large-scale corporate productions and convention-driven events, benefiting from high-volume guest traffic.