Trade Show News

The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, located five minutes from the Orange County Convention Center, offers extensive meeting space for conferences and events. The property boasts 150,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, complemented by over 100,000 square feet of outdoor event areas.

Orlando attracted a record-breaking 75.3 million tourists in 2024, resulting in an estimated $94.5 billion economic impact. This significant tourism activity, while general, underpins the robust hospitality sector that supports the city's convention and trade show business.

Orlando officially became the most popular tourism destination in the U.S., attracting a record-breaking 75.3 million tourists in 2024, an increase of 1.8% over previous numbers. This surge generated an enormous $94.5 billion economic impact, showcasing the strength of Orlando's tourism industry. The city's infrastructure, including Orlando International Airport, is designed to enhance the travel experience, contributing to repeat visitation.

Orlando has been recognized as the fastest-growing major metro area in the U.S., achieving top rankings in job growth, population growth, and GDP growth. The region added 37,500 new jobs in 2024 and experienced a 2.7% population increase. This robust economic performance underscores Orlando's dynamic environment, which is highly favorable for the convention and trade show industry.

MegaCon Orlando, a major pop culture fan convention, opened at the Orange County Convention Center on March 19, 2026, with attendance expected to exceed 160,000. The event is projected to generate an economic impact of $405.8 million for the city through hotel stays, food, entertainment, and transportation.

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) announced the winners of its 2026 Build America Awards during the association's annual convention held in Orlando, Florida. The awards recognized outstanding construction accomplishments, with Detroit's Michigan Central Station rehabilitation receiving the top prize.

Visit Orlando received multiple accolades, including the 8th Harris Rosen Philanthropic Award and recognition as one of Orlando Business Journal's Best Places to Work. These awards honor Visit Orlando's leadership in travel and tourism destination marketing and its commitment to the Central Florida community.

In honor of Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), Visit Orlando partnered with Orlando's poet Laureate, Shawn Welcome, to create a poem emphasizing the importance of in-person meetings and the positive impact the industry has on the community, local businesses, and the economy.

The 2026 SISO CEO Summit, held March 9-11, gathered independent trade show executives and suppliers, including Visit Orlando, to discuss industry trends. Key takeaways included data on event attendee retention rates, which average 30% year over year, indicating that 70% of attendees are replaced at each event.

The 2026 SISO CEO Summit, held March 9-11 in Kiawah Island, SC, drew a record 477 attendees from 250 companies across 20 countries, including representatives from Visit Orlando. Industry leaders discussed evolving KPIs, AI implementation, hyper-personalization, and community building. The event also featured the largest SISO Women's Forum to date.

LendingCon 2026 will take place August 4-5 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, bringing together investors, lenders, developers, and operators. The event will focus on hospitality transactions and investment activity. It serves as a meeting point for hospitality investment stakeholders.

The Grainger Show in Orlando, held March 15–17, 2026, convened more than 10,000 customers, suppliers, and industry leaders. The biennial event featured seminars, roundtables on reducing downtime, inventory control, and safety, as well as hands-on demonstrations of operational innovations.

LendingCon 2026 will take place August 4-5 at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld, bringing together investors, lenders, developers, and operators to focus on hospitality transactions and investment activity. The conference is expected to attract investors seeking access to financing, partnerships, and market information.

The 2026 FWQA Annual Convention & Trade Show will be held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando from June 17-19, 2026. This premier event for Florida's water quality professionals will feature industry innovations, continuing education credits, and networking opportunities, including a kick-off golf tournament and a high-energy trade show floor.

The PGA Show, a partnership between Reed Exhibitions (RX) and the PGA of America, will return to Orlando from January 26-29, 2027, and remains a trade-only event. Now in its 74th year, the show brings together golf professionals, owners, and vendors to explore the latest innovations and connect with industry players.

In March 2026, the final project budget for the Orange County Convention Center's Grand Concourse expansion was approved, and construction was officially greenlit by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.

The Orange County Convention Center in Orlando is among the largest U.S. convention centers proceeding with significant construction projects, as highlighted in Trade Show Executive's Pardon Our Dust report. Additionally, the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, is set to complete an 84,000 square-foot expansion of flexible event space in late summer 2026.

The American Thoracic Society (ATS) is prioritizing attendee safety and security for ATS 2026, working closely with the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The OCCC maintains a dedicated Orange County Sheriff's Department team and provides building security through static posts and roaming patrols. ATS has also contracted additional security providers to ensure comprehensive coverage and rapid response capabilities throughout the event.

The Orange County Convention Center is finishing its 5A Expansion plan, adding 40,000 square feet of meeting spaces and a 100,000 square-foot ballroom to the North-South Building. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 with completion in 2029.