Informa Markets’ World of Concrete (WOC) will be the first large show to return to Las Vegas June 8-10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), pending the imminent approval of the Large Gathering Certification by the Department of Business and Industry. World of Concrete also represents the first large-scale trade show to return to the U.S. market since the pandemic brought in-person meetings to a halt. On the heels of Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak increasing large gatherings capacity to 50 percent, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Informa Markets, the destination’s largest trade show organizer, are partnering to bring meetings and conventions back to Las Vegas, igniting the start of a safe economic recovery for the many industries and communities their platforms serve.

Nevada’s new directive requires meetings, trade show and entertainment venues to certify through the state’s Department of Business and Industry that they will follow the state’s health and safety requirements and protocols and adhere to the prevention principles that have remained consistent: maintain safe social distancing, wear face coverings and practice good hygiene and cleaning measures.

“Las Vegas has been the top convention and meetings destination for many years. We pride ourselves on providing the best facilities, the best service and now, the safest,” said Gov. Sisolak. “We’ve been cautious, but very focused on reopening Las Vegas in the safest way possible for you, our treasured customers, our valued employees and our entire community. With great confidence in the efforts made by our resorts, convention centers and meeting hosts, I say welcome back! The greatest place to do business in the world is even better.”

Informa Markets creates platforms for a wide range of industries to connect, innovate and do business. As industries and economies around the world look for opportunities to recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibitions provide the ideal platform to rebuild communities and revive local economies.

Core to Informa Markets’ return to the show floor is its commitment to safety. This is not conceptual for the global platform organizer—it has successfully and safely hosted several events in Asia under an industry-wide, medically-vetted approach to health and safety known as the All Secure Guidelines, and in February 2021, they hosted their first stateside micro event, ‘MAGIC Pop Up Orlando’, which also used the All Secure as a guide. The pop-up exceeded attendance expectations, which prioritized safety measures like mask wearing, temperature checking, widened aisles, and hand sanitizing stations to preserve the health and safety of all guests.

The LVCC has a similarly safety-focused approach, having been awarded the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR facility accreditation by ISSA, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry and considered the gold standard for safe facilities. In addition to their accreditation and the convention industry’s All Secure measures, Las Vegas resort partners also continue to meet and exceed guidelines mandated by state and county leaders and health officials with a comprehensive approach to implementing stringent “Vegas Smart” health and wellness protocols throughout the destination.

“We are thrilled to be welcoming World of Concrete exhibitors and attendees back to Las Vegas as our first major convention to return to our destination,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA. “We greatly value our long-standing partnership with Informa Markets and their shared commitment to health and safety protocols to ensure a safe, trusted and “Only Vegas” experience for their attendees.”

“We are deeply appreciative to Governor Sisolak, the State of Nevada’s Department of Business and Industry, Clark County and the Southern Nevada Health District for their leadership, oversight and hard work needed to allow conventions such as World of Concrete to safely reconvene,” Hill concluded.

“As we return to the in-person experiences our customers crave, it’s critical for us to collaborate with industry partners to ensure that our communities can re-connect in meaningful and secure ways. We have a clear and vetted industry-wide set of health and safety measures known as the All Secure Guidelines to guide us as we return those experiences to Las Vegas, ensuring the same rigorous approach to health and safety at all our events,” said Kevin Thornton, VP, Operations at Informa Markets. “The LVCC is a state-of-the-art facility that prioritizes safety and success with the same enthusiasm we do. Through our collective efforts, live events will be able to run safely, signaling a real economic restart for the many communities we serve, as well as the Las Vegas economy.”

The LVCC campus is poised to welcome business travelers back with robust new offerings including the 1.4 million square foot, state-of-the-art West Hall expansion that will debut in conjunction with World of Concrete. The $989 million addition joins the existing 3.2 million square foot campus. Finishing touches continue on the Convention Center Loop, an underground tunnel system that will transport meeting attendees throughout the entire campus in Tesla vehicles, free of charge. The LVCVA also recently acquired the Las Vegas Monorail, preserving this important transportation solution for meeting attendees. Both systems will be operational for events beginning in June and will adhere to strict health and safety protocols.

Las Vegas relies heavily on the meetings and conventions industry, which represents $11.4 billion in economic impact to the destination. Trade show organizers like Informa Markets meaningfully support Information Classification: General resorts and convention centers, as well as local small businesses and vendors including security providers, food and beverage outlets, transportation companies, graphic artists, printers, photographers, furniture companies, equipment rental services, florists, tour operators, and more. The impact, however, does not solely benefit local economies such as Las Vegas, but facilitates growth and development of the global economies their platforms serve, from construction to fashion to health and nutrition, creating opportunities for economic recovery through networking and business. A 2018 study showed that globally tradeshows bring an average of 303 million visitors to host cities each year, supporting 1.3 million jobs and generating $136.9 billion in business sales.

“We create platforms that re-build and re-invigorate industries and regions,” said Nancy Walsh, President, North America, Informa Markets. “We are approaching 2021 with a hybrid model so interested participants can attend in the format that works best for them, but I am thrilled to return to the irreplaceable experience of an in-person trade show. Our platforms serve an important role in relationship building, in discovering innovation, and in revenue-driving for the communities they serve, especially when done in a safe and controlled way. The decision to return to the show floor comes with the commitment from the LVCVA to support our safety measures, as well as considerable feedback from customers that they are not just ready, but eager to return. Every industry has been impacted by the pandemic, and our customers, many of whom are small business owners, truly recognize these platforms are more critical than ever before.”

World of Concrete will be the first trade show to return to the LVCC and the first major event to trade in the US post-pandemic. As they identify meaningful opportunities to connect and engage communities in 2021, Informa Markets is taking a concertedly customer-focused approach to its return to live events, in this case surveying past attendees to ensure the decision to hold World of Concrete is a community driven one. Of those who responded to the survey, which was managed by a third-party research firm, 80% were likely to attend in June and 97% viewed the decision as favorable to the industry.

To learn more about the Informa AllSecure Standard, visit informa.com/allsecure. To learn more about Informa Markets events, visit informamarkets.com. For more information on the LVCC, visit vegasmeansbusiness.com.

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