« Back to Facilities Management News Home
It’s exciting news that the 2017 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) will return to the glitter of Las Vegas this coming January. Behind the glitz of a city to which many exhibitors and attendees love to flock, however, lies numerous years of advance, strategic planning by the Show’s management, International Exposition Company.
AHR Expo: Always on the Move
Las Vegas will be the latest city to which the AHR Expo has returned over the course of its eight-decade history, and is one of several cities Show Management recognizes as prime for attracting exhibitors and attendees alike.
“With an audience that spans the continent and crosses international borders, we want to make sure AHR Expo remains, year after year, an accessible, not-to-be-missed experience for as many exhibitors and attendees as possible,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company. “We track the number of attendees, exhibitors, media and other personnel at every Show – in addition to conducting in-depth research of venues, accommodations and travel to and from potential cities – and use this information to plan the locations for AHR Expo years in advance.”
According to Stevens, U.S. cities are primarily chosen based on available exhibition space and ancillary amenities to accommodate the Show’s thousands of annual attendees and exhibitors. Ease of travel to/from and within a city, as well as its core market strength in specific HVACR segments, is also closely evaluated.
Additionally, AHR Expo’s planning team recognizes the importance of choosing cities that address the broad and notably varied needs of attendees and exhibitors.
“The team is always thinking about which locations will be as enjoyable as they are of value for doing business, making sure that we are ‘mixing it up’ and keeping it interesting each and every year,” Stevens said. “We know that this is a big part of companies’ annual investments, and in many cases a destination event for our exhibitors and attendees. It’s important that the business value of AHR Expo is supplemented by the overall appealing nature of the selected venue.”
“HVACR is used and/or required everywhere in the U.S., and with that in mind, the AHR Expo planning team ensures that the variety of our attendees’ and exhibitors’ regionally specific interests and needs are addressed through the venues we choose for the Show,” Stevens explained. “We welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors to the 2016 Show in Orlando, including 36 percent from nearby regions, which underscores that our strategy was on-mark for returning to the Southeast after numerous years.”
Ringing in the New Year – Year After Year
It’s no coincidence that each year’s AHR Expo is held in mid to late January or early February. Following careful research – and proven performance – of this time period’s “golden factor” for attracting industry professionals, it remains a consistent foundation for successful Show planning.
“We have found that this time – after the heating season is well under way and before the air-conditioning season commences – is the time when we have an ability to cast the widest net for attendance at AHR Expo,” said Stevens. “At the end of the day, the Show’s core value is in cultivating the product knowledge and networking opportunities that translate to business – hard dollars and cents – for our exhibitors and attendees alike. We want to make sure the timing of the Show capitalizes on the HVACR industry’s least busy season for both exhibitors and visitors.”
Similarly cognizant of this ideal yearly timing, HVACR industry manufacturers are hard at work preparing for the launch of new products, systems, technologies and services in January and February.
“Manufacturers understand that they have a yearly opportunity to engage a receptive audience that is ready to learn about the latest and greatest,” Stevens shared. “In keeping with our reputation for being ‘the world’s largest HVACR marketplace,’ we at AHR Expo are proud to create an experience that can, and often does, serve as a launching pad for our exhibitors’ annual sales and marketing efforts.”
The 2017 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) takes place January 30 to February 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Visitor registration is now open, and further information is available at ahrexpo.com.
International Exposition Company has also announced that upcoming Shows will be held in Chicago in 2018, Atlanta in 2019 and Orlando in 2020.
