SISO Update
All signs indicate that the exhibitions industry is successfully getting back to business – and rapidly. Face-to-face trade shows are continuing to re-open despite post-pandemic headwinds, exhibitors and attendees are returning to bustling show floors, event organizations are launching new initiatives for event professionals and industry leaders are setting their compasses toward a brighter and more robust business future in 2023 and beyond.
But first, some important membership business! If you haven't already, please participate in the 2022 Society of Independent Show Organizer Industry Positions Compensation Survey!
Produced in collaboration with Mercer, this important survey will collect market data from industry organizations including base pay rates, sales incentives, benefits offerings and STI and LTI information. Survey results will be available to participants at no cost and will contain data and information that will allow you to effectively navigate compensation during this rapidly changing market. All data collected will be kept strictly confidential and no organization's data will be identifiable in the results.
Please note that survey results will only be available to those who participate!
Please contact your SISO team or the Mercer team or miranda.castle@mercer.com with any questions or if you have not received your email invitation and link to participate.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
SISO Activities
Asia CEO Summit
There's still time to attend the inaugural Asia CEO Summit, set for Oct. 5-7 at the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore, so don't delay – register now!
Organized jointly by AEO - Association of Event Organisers, SACEOS, SISO - Society of Independent Show Organisers, UFI,The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and supported by Singapore Tourism Board, the Asia CEO Summit will set the stage for the revival and reimagination of the exhibitions industry in the region. This invite-only event is for the CEOs of business event organizers, based all over the world, with an interest in Asia and the regional market. With the mantra “Pathways for Growth,” the collective knowledge is huge, and the need to forge new and deeper relationships across all corners of the globe has never been more important. Find out more about the Asia CEO Summit here. Interested in being part of event? Reach out to Anna@SISO.org.
Here's a sneak peek of one of the incredibly insightful and informative thought leadership panels you can expect at the Summit:
Increasingly investors, customers and our own teams are demanding evidence that our organizations are taking action and a responsible approach not only to the road to net zero, but also the sustainable journey to get there. The race to net zero is most definitely on, as is the race to prove our industry is the most sustainable way to do business, with work ongoing on showing we are a carbon aggregator and a multitude of advice and support coming from associations across the world.
In the session “The Journey to a Sustainable Industry” on Oct. 6, Kai Hattendorf, CEO at UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and Mark Temple-Smith, COO at Informa Markets, will discuss the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative along with myriad case studies from an organizer, venue and supplier on how they are truly making a difference with an eye on the future.
To learn more about this timely session as well as all the compelling programming taking place at the Asia CEO Summit, go here.
SISO Summer Conference 2022
Couldn't make the SISO Summer Conference, held August 9-11 in Oklahoma City, OK? View the photo gallery and view the video to see what you missed and hear what our attendees had to say!
You won't want to miss next year SISO Summer Conference, taking place Aug. 22-24, 2023, in Salt Lake City, UT. Mark your calendar and make sure to attend this incredibly valuable SISO event!
2023 CEO Summit
Registration is now open for the 2023 SISO CEO Summit, taking place March 20-23 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas! If you haven't received your personalized SISO registration code, please email Anna@SISO.com.
Special Interest Groups
Digital Transformation
As the trade show industry moves forward in a post-COVID world, the use of and means to deliver new value (both internally and externally) from digital technology has increased. SISO is currently working on providing a larger platform for conversations around digital transformation across all areas of our business to further educate, learn and accelerate how digital fundamentally changes the way show organizers operate and deliver value to their customers. We are asking members to help us understand their business's “Digital Report Card” to assist SISO with creating our foundation for Digital Transformation Discussions. SISO will share the data with members and then work to bring the conversation forward through our various member resources and platform.
Please click here to take our short 5-minute survey. Small Business Don't forget: the Small Business SIG will host its next Small Business Roundtable on Monday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. ET. Check your inbox for the Zoom invite or contact info@siso.org
Sustainability Environmental Impact Framework for U.S. and Canada Developed by Exhibition Industry Taskforce
On Sept. 14, a broad, cross-industry task force of event industry stakeholders released a collaborative research report identifying key areas the B2B trade show industry must focus on in order to transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon economy.
The result of a two-year independent research program, the report, “Finding the Future, Together: Towards a more sustainable B2B trade show industry in the U.S. and Canada,” highlights the industry's most significant environmental impacts, creates a data and knowledge foundation for decision-making, knowledge-sharing and action, showcases steps the industry has already taken to address those impacts and identifies 30 near- and long-term steps it must adopt to secure a sustainable future.
SISO served as the majority underwriter for this study. To learn more, go here.
Alliances
Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance (ECA) With U.S. election season fast approaching, activity on Capitol Hill and in the White House is moving along rapidly. Here is the latest update from the ECA in Washington, DC:
State of Play
Congress is expected to pass a continuing resolution (CR) next week that will fund the federal government past the end of its 2022 fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30, through Dec. 16. This means that December will be very busy on Capitol Hill, with a limited window of time for action on ECA's key priorities including small business grants and Q4 2021 Earned Income Tax Credit restoration.
Pandemic Risk Insurance
Earlier this month, ECA provided written testimony to a Senate Banking Committee hearing urging Congress to establish a private-public partnership that will help bring back communicable disease coverage within event cancellation insurance. In the weeks ahead, ECA will continue to work with its partners in the Business Continuity Coalition and a bipartisan working group of Senators on new pandemic risk legislation, which is expected to come forward later this fall.
Visa Delays
ECA continues to call on the Biden administration and the State Department to address the unacceptable delays that world-be attendees and exhibitors around the world face in obtaining a visa to come to the United States for exhibitions and conferences. ECA is supporting a U.S. Travel Association-led Congressional sign-on letter calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to take five important steps to address these delays:
- Prioritize resources to key markets including Mexico, Brazil and India
- Lower wait times to 10-15 days in the top countries for inbound U.S. visitors
- Develop a videoconference interview pilot program for low-risk visa applicants
- Allow certain visa holders in the U.S. to renew without leaving the country first
- Introduce group appointments for visa applicants looking to come to the U.S. for large exhibitions, conferences, meetings and events
Support for the ECA So far this year, several companies have once again provided underwriting to fund SISO's annual $250,000 commitment to the ECA. They have helped us raise $172,000 but we need a broader level of funding to underwrite the SISO commitment. Please consider lending your financial support to this incredibly important organization and the vital work it does to advocate for the face-to-face business events industry!
We'd like to thank the following companies for their ECA support:
- Access Intelligence
- Clarion Events
- Diversified Communications
- Emerald
- IMEX
- Informa Markets
- International Market Centers
- Map Your Show
- Northstar Travel Media
- Questex
- RX
- Tarsus Group
U.S. Travel
In keeping with the ECA's calls for the reduction in U.S. visa delays, as mentioned above, 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.
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.
Act now here!
Moving Forward Updates
The latest exhibition news reflects some of the top concerns currently facing the industry: economic recovery, digital transformation, sustainability and leadership equity. Take a look some of the latest industry news below, including promising predictions for a continued industry rebound, an exciting new leadership announcement, actions industry stakeholders are taking to ensure a more sustainable future and an in-depth interview with SISO's own Cassandra Farrington.
- Diversified Communications Acquires Smart Energy Decisions, Adding to Its Clean Energy Portfolio by Diversified Communications (9/19)
- CEIR Q2 2022 Index: Strong Rebound of U.S. B2B Exhibition Industry Prevails by TSNN (9/15)
- Corporate Executives Rank Digital Transformation as Their Top Concern by Emerald (9/15)
- Task Force Report Details Sustainability Framework for Trade Show Industry by Trade Show Executive (9/14)
- Clarion Events Taps Lisa Hannant to be CEO by Trade Show Executive (9/8)
- Embrace the Digital In-Person Events – Interview With Cassandra Farrington, Chair of SISO by Overseas Exhibitions/China International Conference and Exhibition Magazine (9/5)
Member Benefit
SISO-ShowDown - Endorsed Event Cancellation Insurance Program
ShowDown SISO Event Cancellation Insurance program includes a liability program for organizers and exhibitors.
The program continues to be well-received by organizers because while communicable disease is excluded, perils including catastrophic weather – snowstorms, hurricanes, etc., power outages and fires and floods are covered.
We are proud to point out the high points of the ShowDown Event Cancellation Insurance program that make it the broadest and best-priced program available.
Using an “all-risk” format, the ShowDown Event Cancellation Insurance policy offers the following:
- Has clear policy language with the fewest exclusions of any program
- Includes national mourning for the death of US 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 +1 (516) 381-7305 or jbuttine@risk-strategies.com.
Q&A
Join your community online via SISO's social media channels on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Have a question about SISO or want to get more involved? Email info@siso.org.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay strong. Stay connected!