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SISO Update

SISO

 

11 Nov 2022

SISO Update

Despite the rising cost of producing events and concerns about a possible oncoming recession, the exhibition industry continues to hold its own. In-person trade shows and events are continuing to pull off successful iterations, many event-related organizations are maintaining strong hiring and promoting momentum, new shows will be launching in 2023 and industry associations, including SISO, are unveiling important initiatives to benefit their memberships. Check out your latest SISO news, including a recap of our first annual Asia CEO Summit!
 

SISO Activities

Asia CEO Summit

Further underscoring the integral role that Asia plays in the global business events market, the inaugural Asia CEO Summit took place successfully Oct. 5-7 at The Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. Approximately 100 global business events leaders convened to exchange insights about relaunching in-person business events in their respective markets, discuss key industry challenges and opportunities, as well as reaffirm their commitment to the sustainable growth of the events industry in Asia.

To learn more about this exciting new SISO event – a partnership between SISO, AEO, SACEOS and UFI – go here.  

2023 CEO Summit Registration is OPEN and off to a good start for the 2023 SISO CEO Summit, set for March 20-23 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas! To register for this not-to-miss event, if you haven't already, please search your inbox for your SISO CEO Summit invitation email that includes your unique registration code. If you have misplaced or can't find your email, please reach out to Anna@SISO.org.

Once your registration is completed successfully, you will then be able to make your hotel reservations. If you miss this opportunity, click on link in the “Confirmation/Receipt” email that you'll receive immediately following the registration process to connect to the hotel reservation site. Rooms fill up quickly, so make your reservations early!


The SISO Member Forum is Now Online!

Previously called the SISO Community, the renamed SISO Member Forum has moved to the Guild platform. Designed especially for SISO members to connect, communicate and collaborate, this is a private and safe space to ask questions of the community, look for information and find recommendations with other members. 

If you did not receive your invite letter to join this exclusive community, click here to request to join. We look forward to “seeing” you there!

SISO Summer Conference 2023

Mark your calendar and look forward to attending next year's SISO Summer Conference, taking place Aug. 22-24, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah. You won't want to miss this incredibly valuable SISO event, so plan ahead now to bring a group from your team!  

SISO Supports Industry News Platform, The Iceberg

SISO is a partner with The Iceberg/Business Events World, an industry communications vehicle produced by the Joint Meetings Industry Council. Check out their most recent monthly newsletters here and here, as well as SISO's listing and banner. Please consider supporting this important and comprehensive industry platform!

Special Interest Groups

Small Business Please be advised that there will be no Small Business SIG Small Business Roundtable meetings in November or December of this year. The next meetings are scheduled for Jan. 24 and Feb. 21, 2023, both on Tuesday at 11 a.m. ET, with more information and Zoom links to follow. Also, please plan to attend our live Small Business Roundtable meeting taking place on March 20 during the CEO Summit in Las Vegas – we hope you'll join us!

Sustainability

In case you missed the Oct. 26 SISO sustainability webinar that reviewed findings of the newly released environmental impact framework report, “Finding the Future, Together: Towards a more sustainable B2B trade show industry in the U.S. and Canada,” you can access the recording here!

The result of a two-year independent research program developed by a broad, cross-industry task force comprising event industry stakeholders, this collaborative research report identifies key areas the B2B trade show industry must focus on in order to transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.

To access a copy of the webinar's slide show presentation, go here.

Alliances

Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) 

Are You a B2B Exhibition Attendee Marketing Decision-Maker?

Participate in CEIR's Study on Attendee Acquisition Approaches for B2B Exhibitions Today

This CEIR survey aims to help organizers understand how attendee marketing approaches are evolving in this fast-paced changing environment and which are working best today. Participate in this important study along with other attendee marketing executives across industry sectors. In exchange for participating, we will provide you with a complimentary copy of the report, valued at $350.

Click here to participate.

Your participation is anonymous. Only grouped results are analyzed. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete.

If you have any questions or have difficulty completing this survey, please send an email to CEIR's VP of Research, Nancy Drapeau at research@ceir.org.

Results will be released at a CEIR webinar in early 2023.
Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA)

Here's the latest news from the ECA:
Business Events on the Agenda at COP27

This week, the face-to-face business events industry was front-and-center at COP27 in Egypt. The SISO-supported Net Zero Carbon Events initiative to address climate change, supported by 225 signatory organizations, launched its roadmap for the events industry on Nov. 11.

Music Licensing Issues Take Center Stage in Court

Last month, a court case about concert royalties kicked off that will help shape the future of music licensing. In BMI vs. North American Concert Promoters Association, BMI is asking for a 7x increase in royalties and a piece of unrelated concert revenue streams. If BMI wins, music performing rights organizations are likely to come after the business events venues even harder in seeking a cut of unrelated income streams, which would potentially increase costs for organizers.

ECA strongly opposes this effort and supports the MIC Coalition's work to increase music licensing transparency around who owns what, where the money goes and billing practices. Read the latest MIC Coalition blog post on the complex and opaque music licensing system here.  

ECA Visa Advocacy Profiled by TSNN

Earlier this week, TSNN highlighted ECA's advocacy efforts to address the unacceptable delays that international exhibitors and attendees face in obtaining a visa to come to the U.S. for business events. You can read the full article here. The urgent restoration of visa interview and processing capacity to pre-pandemic levels remains a top priority for ECA.  

Please Support the ECA!

We still need help reaching our goal in funding SISO's annual $250,000 commitment to the ECA and the vital work it does to advocate for the face-to-face business events industry! SISO Member companies have helped us raise $172,000 so far this year but we need a broader level of support to fully underwrite the annual SISO commitment. Please consider supporting this incredibly important organization today!

We'd like to thank the following companies for their support of SISO's funding of ECA:

  • Access Intelligence
  • Clarion Events
  • Diversified Communications
  • Emerald
  • IMEX
  • Informa Markets
  • International Market Centers
  • Map Your Show
  • Northstar Travel Media
  • Questex
  • RX
  • Tarsus Group   

Events Industry Council (EIC)

The Events Industry Council (EIC), in partnership with its global EIC Equity Task Force, recently released the results of its 2022 Equity Benchmarking Study, a critical first phase of EIC's Equity Acceleration Plan, designed to support event professionals in creating more diverse and inclusive environments, developing career pathways and ensuring representation in leadership and supply chains by providing the learning and resources intended to reach and support the industry.

To read the full report, go here. ?? U.S. Travel

In keeping with the ECA's continuing calls for the reduction in egregious U.S. visa delays, U.S. Travel is asking for help in urging U.S. representatives to sign a bipartisan letter requesting that the State Department quickly reduce visa wait-times to help facilitate greater international travel to the U.S.

U.S. Travel has called on the State Department to make first-time visitor visa processing an economic priority and has shared several policy recommendations with the agency to help resolve this problem. The association's urgent calls for a solution were echoed by more than 60 bipartisan members of Congress in a recent letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Please take action today by asking your U.S. representative to join the bipartisan letter led by Reps. Dina Titus (NV-1) and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) to Secretary Blinken urging the State Department to make immediate steps to lower visa wait-times.

If you haven't taken action yet to support this important effort, go here!
 

Moving Forward Updates

The most recent exhibition industry news continues to demonstrate strong showings for face-to-face business events. Trade shows across the U.S. are attracting robust participation and shattering previous attendance records as attendees and exhibitors enthusiastically converge to conduct in-person business, many for the first time since the start of the pandemic. Take a look!


Member Benefits

Business of Events Masterclass 2022 Focused on change, innovation and disruption in the events industry, the Business of Events Masterclass offers new ways for event organizers, event professionals, entrepreneurs and investors to identify challenges and opportunities and learn from concrete case studies and leaders across the industry. Learn what the top CEOs, entrepreneurs and investors in the events industry are doing about the challenges they face and the future they envision.

To learn more and register with your SISO discount, go here.

DOL Issues Proposed Rule on Independent Contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a proposed rule to clarify who is an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The DOL is proposing to rescind a 2021 rule in which two core factors—control over the work and opportunity for profit or loss—carried greater weight in determining the status of independent contractors.

The 2021 rule, which is still in effect, made it easier for employers to classify workers as independent contractors, rather than as employees.

Employers interested in explaining the effect the proposed rule would have on their businesses will have until Nov. 28 to submit their concerns and arguments to the DOL. After the comment period closes, it is believed that the DOL will issue a final rule sometime in the second half of 2023 or in early 2024.

To learn more, go here.  

ShowDown – SISO Endorsed Event Cancellation Insurance Program

Well-received by show organizers, the SISO-endorsed ShowDown Event Cancellation Insurance program offers a liability program for organizers and exhibitors. While communicable disease is excluded, the program covers catastrophic weather events including snowstorms and hurricanes, as well as power outages, fires and floods.

As one of the broadest and best-priced programs available, the ShowDown Event Cancellation Insurance policy uses an “all-risk” format and offers the following:

  • Clear policy language with the fewest exclusions of any program  
  • Includes national mourning for the death of U.S. and Canadian heads of state
  • Covers loss due to civil commotion or rioting
  • Provides the highest included terrorism protection of up to $2.5 million for an act that occurs within 100 days and 500 miles
  • Delivers a policy term of as long as 36 months
  • Rates are usually about 15% less than other programs
  • Exceptional service and efficient claim process

For questions, contact Jack Buttine at (516) 381-7305 or jbuttine@risk-strategies.com.


Q&A

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Testimonials

  • “Without a doubt the most valuable three days of the year for networking, learning, and meeting colleagues.”
    Tony Calanca, Calanca & Associates LLC
  • “Two of the best acquisitions Access Intelligence had executed came directly from contacts and discussions held at the SISO CEO Summit. Beyond that important networking for transactions, I learn best practices from the best in the industry. The ROI for membership is immeasurable.”
    Don Pazour, CEO, Access Intelligence
  • “The impact of SISO is so much bigger than its size. It feels more like a global council of important tribes than a traditional trade association.”
    David Adler, CEO & Founder, Bizbash Media
  • “Our industry thrives on the personal relationships that face-to-face builds, and the CEO Summit is the ultimate place to build YOUR network!”
    Tom Mitchell, President, Messe Dusseldorf North America
  • “As busy, independent, for-profit organizer, SISO keeps our company connected to all the key players working in this industry and allows great relationships and ongoing learning of best practices from the best in the business. All invaluable assets to help move our business forward."
    Howard Hauben, CEO, H2 Events
  • “The SISO membership represents the entire for-profit tradeshow community and the annual SISO conferences are must-attend events for their educational and networking value.”
    Joel A. Davis, Founder & CEO, JD Events
  • Being a member of SISO has allowed me to navigate the dynamic landscape of our industry in the most effective way possible. Personally, it’s been a journey of continuous learning, networking, and collaboration that fosters deep relationships with industry leaders. Professionally, the insights I’ve gained, the resources I have accessed, and the collaborative initiatives and advocacy work have helped to take my organization to new heights. SISO, to me, is an indispensable asset for my career and business.
    Liz Irving, President, Clarion Events

 

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