TRADE SHOW NEWS

Successful Trading Took Place at Emerald’s International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES)

Emerald, owner of the International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES), and sister event to ASD Market Week, celebrated a key milestone for the organization and the expositions industry as a whole. IGES, a comprehensive souvenir, resort, and specialty gift trade show, successfully and safely reunited brands, wholesalers, and buyers on November 4-7, 2020, at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Given current market conditions, and in line with pre-market predictions, the number of exhibiting companies declined 60%, though buyer attendance was down only 30%, creating a 75% boost year-over-year in the overall attendee-to-exhibitor ratio, from seven attendees per exhibitor to 12 attendees per exhibitor. As a result, sentiment scores from exhibiting customers improved across all measures, and confirmed the demand from the gift and souvenir community to connect face-toface to source new products, replenish inventories, and prepare for the important upcoming holiday season.

“Successfully trading IGES this year is proof that the IGES and ASD Market Week team can produce live events in a controlled, safe environment, especially in a smaller, regional format given the current situation to help our customers get back to business,” said Karalynn Sprouse, EVP of Emerald’s merchandise group which includes the IGES and ASD Market Week brands.

Creating a safe and secure environment was a top priority for IGES show management and partners. Prior to the event, Emerald’s Preparedness, Prevention & Response Plan and IGES’s health and safety protocols were communicated to attendees and exhibitors via a Welcome Packet where they acknowledged and accepted IGES’s Terms and Conditions.

Onsite, the team worked closely with the City of Pigeon Forge as well as the event’s hotel partners and the LeConte Center to assure strict adherence to every health and safety standard. Examples of the safety measures implemented at IGES included temperature screening, the required use of face masks at all times, registration queue lines to ensure 6-foot social distancing, one-way entrances/exits, transparent shields at all concession stands, and daily disinfection of all seating, restrooms, and frequently touched public areas.

These pre- and onsite measures will again be implemented at another of our sister events, the January 2021 edition of Surf Expo as well as upcoming ASD Market Week events with the goal of providing assurance and confidence around the safe reopening of all Emerald produced events, while placing the highest priority on the well-being of Emerald’s customers, staff, and communities.

For more information please visit the event websites of the International Gift Expo of the Smokies (IGES), ASD Market Week, and Surf Expo. ❖

IMC Announces Date Changes for Las Vegas Market Winter and Summer 2021 Editions

Las Vegas Market Now Runs April 11-15 and August 22-26, 2021

No Changes to Atlanta Markets

Capitalizing on a recent shift in timing of home furnishings industry markets, and in concert with ongoing travel and government restrictions in the western United States, International Market Centers (IMC) has rescheduled the winter and summer editions of the Las Vegas Market — originally planned in January and July — to run April 1115, 2021, and August 22-26, 2021. IMC’s 2021 markets in Atlanta for Gift & Home and Apparel will run as scheduled.

“We have opted to postpone the winter Las Vegas Market in connection with Governor Sisolak’s recent extension of Nevada’s ‘statewide pause’ and in consideration of stayat-home orders currently impacting travel for key western states,” said Bob Maricich, IMC CEO. “HPMA’s decision to change High Point Market from April to June further affirms our decision and allows us to shift the winter Las Vegas Market into April. We also will alter our summer Las Vegas Market dates from July to August to allow enough time between the April Las Vegas Market, new June High Point Market dates and our summer market in Las Vegas. Our Las Vegas

Showrooms including the Las Vegas Design Center remain open for business by appointment for buyers.”

IMC will contact all buyers pre-registered for winter Las Vegas Market to communicate the change and to assist with adjustment of their plans. As an added benefit, the summer Las Vegas Market runs concurrently with HD Expo (August 24-25, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas) and ASD (August 22-25, 2021, at the Las Vegas Convention Center), giving buyers and exhibitors additional cross-market opportunities.

According to Maricich, IMC’s gift and home furnishings events in Atlanta – as well as IMC’s Atlanta Apparel Markets in February, April, June, August, September and October –remain unchanged by the High Point and Las Vegas date shifts. “Our decision to maintain current timing and format of the events in Atlanta was informed by feedback from buyers and tenants as well as recent experience safely and successfully hosting eight markets for the Southeastern region at AmericasMart.” ❖