Trade shows in Boston? Wicked awesome!
2012- Welcoming Trade Shows to Boston
I travel a lot. Yes, way too much. And always have. As a Boston-based veteran of the trade show industry, I have spent the majority of my 30 year career flying coast to coast and circling the globe to support client projects of every size, scope and vertical market. Given my amount of travel, I was always amazed that very few trade show projects actually occurred in my own backyard.
For as long as I can remember Boston has been a second tier trade show city, struggling to gain its identity and position within the competitive landscape of stalwart event destinations such as Las Vegas, Chicago and Orlando. Well that perception is about to change.
According to a recent Boston Globe article: “The Boston Convention Center Authority reported last month that 2012 will be its best year since 2007, with booked conventions expected to generate more than 600,000 hotel room stays for the first time in five years.
The banner convention year shows that not only are meeting planners holding more events as the economy improves, but also that the seven-year-old Boston Convention & Exhibition Center is coming into its own, said James Rooney, executive director of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.
“There’s a pattern in this industry in which these events will wait a few years to book into a city with a new center, just to see how others experience works out,” he said. “It’s almost like restaurant behavior: You kind of wait for someone else to try it. “
Among the events coming to Boston next year is the BIO International Convention, the largest biotechnology conference in the world, which was last held in Boston in 2007. Next year’s conventions are expected to generate $625 million in economic activity, according to the convention authority.”
So we welcome you to Boston. We invite you to visit our historic city. Take in our culture and enjoy the seafood which has made us famous. And yes, we invite you to contact BlueHive regarding any exhibit requirements (check out our amazing custom rental trade show program, on-site support or last minute graphics. As for me, I’m looking forward to putting away my suitcase for a while. Yes, Boston is my home.
Jack Hally is Executive Vice President and Co-founder of BlueHive, a full service firm which specializes in the design and production of Strategic Brand Environments. Jack is a frequent lecturer and commentator on brand marketing and entrepreneurship. He has successfully launched over 300+ companies during a 30 year career. He enjoys walking the Boston Public Garden in spring and an evening game at Fenway. He may be reached at jhally@blue-hive.com.