Trade Show News

World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) led a trade mission to Japan, aiming to attract investment and innovation to the San Diego region. The mission resulted in promising opportunities, including a planned reverse trade mission to San Diego this November to explore investment opportunities firsthand.

A report on California trade shows in 2026 highlights San Diego as a key market for medical, scientific, and industrial conventions. The San Diego Convention Center has a busy schedule, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting and CRF Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics. The report emphasizes that California's five distinct convention markets each have their own industry focus and logistics.

The Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, which opened in May 2025, is already the third highest-grossing Marriott property globally, with 400,000 room nights booked this year. Hotel revenue is running about 25 percent above projections, drawing further capital investment proposals to Chula Vista.

The Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, which opened in May 2025, is already the third highest-grossing Marriott property worldwide. With 400,000 room nights booked this year, hotel revenue is 25 percent above projections, drawing more capital investment proposals to Chula Vista. This success underscores the significant economic impact of the new convention center on the region.

Downtown San Diego is undergoing significant transformation with investments in public spaces and diverse industries, aiming for resilience beyond a single sector. The San Diego Convention Center played a crucial role in 2025, hosting 61 conventions with 550,000 attendees, generating $884.5 million in attendee spending and 1.29 million contracted hotel room nights. This development contributes to the city's evolving identity as a vibrant destination.

The World Trade Center San Diego (WTCSD) is hosting a webinar on October 14, 2026, to explore Mexico's Advanced Manufacturing Market and opportunities at Expo Manufactura 2027 for California companies. This initiative aims to help local businesses expand into international markets.

Caroline Beteta was recruited as President and CEO for Visit California. She previously served as President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority from 2020 to 2024, where her leadership guided San Diego's destination marketing organization through the pandemic, achieving high hotel occupancy and generating significant visitor spending.

The San Diego Tourism Authority is seeking a National Sales Director in Chicago to market and sell meeting space for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. This role aims to help hotels contract room blocks and drive San Diego's Hotel Occupancy Tax and Tourism Marketing District fees.

The San Diego Tourism Authority is seeking a National Sales Director to market and sell meeting space for the San Diego Convention Center Corporation. This role also involves assisting hotels in contracting room blocks to drive hotel occupancy and tourism fees.

Global exhibitions generated $443.6 billion in economic output in 2025, supporting over 4.3 million jobs worldwide, with a forecast of 2.1% annual expansion for the U.S. B2B exhibition performance index in 2026. Published on September 17, 2026, the report indicates that 40.8% of American companies' marketing budgets are allocated to face-to-face events.

The 4th Annual Resource Fair is scheduled for September 26, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center, Hall B. The event aims to connect individuals and families with community resources and service providers, offering informative sessions and networking opportunities.

The BBI California team achieved record success at the 2026 Core-Mark Partnering for Profits Show held at the Mission Bay Resort in San Diego. Their efforts led to strong customer engagement and significant sales growth, marking one of the most successful shows in the event's history.

Registration for the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) 2027 Annual Convention, featuring industry exhibits, is set to open on October 7, 2026. The convention will take place from March 7-11, 2027, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina.

The CARV Expo, connecting surf, skate, and outdoor lifestyle retailers with brands, is scheduled for May 13-14, 2027, at the San Diego Convention Center. The event aims to facilitate business connections and showcase new products.

The inaugural California Sports Summit, featuring a one-day tradeshow, is scheduled for January 13–15, 2027, at the InterContinental San Diego. Hosted by the California Sports Coalition, the event aims to strengthen California's position as a premier destination for sports events.

Heritage Exposition shared a behind-the-scenes look at the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) 2026 Annual Summit held at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center. The video showcases the venue setup, including the new lobby and conference rooms, for nearly 3,000 attendees. This highlights the new Gaylord Pacific as a significant venue for major events in the San Diego area.

Organizers of Comic-Con made an admission at the 2026 Talkback Panel that Hall H may not be sustainable at the current San Diego Convention Center, though the event is confirmed in San Diego through 2030. The long-running question of a larger convention center remains unresolved, with no expansion finalized as of 2026.

Unison Energy is developing a 3-MW combined heat and power (CHP) microgrid for the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center in Chula Vista, California. This microgrid is expected to power most of the center's electrical needs, heat, and hot water, saving the company over $1 million in the first year. The project aims to provide cost-effective power and resilience for California's largest hotel and convention center.

At the 2026 Comic-Con Talkback Panel, organizers raised concerns about the sustainability of Hall H at the current San Diego Convention Center due to space and financial constraints. They appealed for corporate sponsors to help with improvements like outdoor Wi-Fi for managing lines, highlighting the event's long-standing issue of outgrowing its venue.

Comic-Con's organizers admitted at the 2026 Talkback Panel that Hall H might not be sustainable at the current San Diego Convention Center, raising concerns for hotel investment and the city's identity as a major events hub. While Comic-Con is confirmed in San Diego through 2030, a date shift is expected in 2028 due to the Los Angeles Olympics. The San Diego Tourism Authority still projects over $160 million in economic impact from the 2026 event.