Top US convention centres – ranked

The Las Vegas Convention Center has been ranked as the best convention centre in the US, according to a new report.

The city in Nevada took three of the top 10 venues in the list by the Wall Street Journal.

Other event stories from the week include:

➡️ NEC Group names new CEO

➡️ Outbound MICE tourism in India to reach $13.41bn by 2031

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Ranking the best 30 convention centres in the US

A new report by the WSJ has ranked the top 30 convention centres in the US.

The Las Vegas Convention Center topped the list, followed by McCormick Place in Chicago and the Venetian Convention & Expo Centre in Las Vegas.

The San Diego Convention Center, which hosts Comic-Con International, took the fourth spot.

The main factors considered in the report were the quality of the space and amenities —  worth 70% of its rank.

Other key factors were the vibrancy, weather and walkability of the city as well as the surrounding area.

Here’s a snapshot of the top 10 rankings:

According to the report, the factors within each score were equally weighted, standardised and scaled to create overall scores.

The space, amenities and convenience score includes data about the total area, the exhibit space and the number of meeting rooms at each venue.

Other miscellaneous factors were the time taken to drive to an airport, how far the nearest dry cleaner was and amenities such as outdoor space and onsite ATM.

Melanie Smith appointed new CEO of NEC Group

The NEC Group has named Melanie Smith as its new CEO.

She replaces Paul Thandi, who will assume new responsibilities as chairman of the group after being CEO for around 17 years.

In her new role, Melanie will drive the group’s vision to become a premier live events business in Europe.

She will focus on NEC’s complete venue portfolio, which includes the NEC and ICC Birmingham, Vox Conference Venue and Birmingham’s two live music arenas – Utilita Arena Birmingham and Resorts World Arena.

https://twitter.com/thenecgroup/status/1703771021105393987

Alexander Walsh, senior managing director at Blackstone, said: “We are delighted to welcome Melanie as the new CEO of the NEC.

“Her proven track record in leading successful businesses and driving transformative change and merger and acquisition initiatives aligns perfectly with our vision for the Company’s future.

“Blackstone has invested in the NEC since 2018, and as the Company continues to go from strength-to-strength we look forward to working closely with Melanie as we build on the NEC’s position as a leader in live events experiences.”

Melanie said: “The NEC Group is a truly unique business with a rich history and significant future opportunities.

“It is internationally renowned as the go-to destination for live events in the UK, hosting some of the world’s most iconic exhibitions and shows.

“From our proud base in the Midlands, our vision is to become Europe’s most successful and sustainable live events business – with world class venues and supporting services that ensure unforgettable live experiences for millions of people every year.

“I am excited to lead our next chapter of growth and innovation.”

Prior to her new role, Melanie was CEO of Ocado Retail where she led tech, marketing, and supplier transitions.

She had also held senior positions at Marks & Spencer, Bupa, TalkTalk and McKinsey.

Indian outbound MICE tourism to reach $13.41bn by 2031

India’s outbound market for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) is projected to reach $13.41bn by 2031, a new report suggests.

According to DPI Research, a number of factors are contributing to this growth, including:

Economic growth: India’s growing economy has driven corporate spending on MICE activities, including international events, conferences and exhibitions.

Infrastructure development: Outbound MICE tourism growth hinges on infrastructure development, like convention centres, hotels, and transportation. India is investing in these facilities to attract global events. Some recent examples include Yashobhoomi, India’s largest convention centre in Dwarka, Delhi.

"The launch of ‘Yashobhoomi’ to the nation at Dwarka, to usher in a new era of accelerated economic growth for India. The centre will be a great fillip to the exhibitions and catapult India as one of the leading destinations for the MICE industry worldwide”. – @shobanakamineni,…

— Confederation of Indian Industry (@FollowCII) September 17, 2023

Globalisation of businesses: Indian businesses are expanding globally, fueling demand for outbound MICE tourism by requiring international meetings and collaborations.

Corporate incentive programmes: Organisations in India often employ outbound MICE tourism in employee incentive programmes, motivating them to achieve targets and attend global conferences.

Government support: The Indian government promotes outbound MICE travel through initiatives like visa ease, simplified regulations and financial incentives for hosting international conferences.

Industry partnerships: Collaboration among event organisers, travel agencies and venues has been crucial in driving outbound MICE tourism.

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