We are in the midst of the busiest time of the year from a trade show standpoint. The International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) will run from November 13 to 16 at the Javits Center in New York and the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will be held November 17-19 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. The IHMRS has 825 companies exhibiting and Greenbuild will have approximately 900. Both events are expected to attract a similar crowd—25,000 to 30,000 people.
I will be attending the IHMRS and will be reporting about the event on the Green Lodging News website and in next week’s e-newsletter. According to the IHMRS website, 97 companies will feature products considered to be “green.” Of course at Greenbuild every company will be offering eco-friendly products. New this year at the IHMRS is boutique DESIGN New York—a trade show held concurrently that will feature manufacturers of furniture, lighting, wall coverings, fabric, seating, accessories, artwork, carpet and flooring, and more. Some 3,000 designers, architects, purchasers, and developers are expected to attend this debut event.
I have attended most of the IHMRS events since 1989 and it is a trade show that has most definitely shrunk in size over the years. It is exciting to see GLM, the organizer of the IHMRS, welcome boutique DESIGN New York. It will add some new energy to the overall event.
A Worthwhile Investment
I always get excited about the IHMRS for several reasons. New York is always a great city to visit, I love the challenge of discovering new green products and technologies, and the networking opportunities cannot be beat. Yes, New York is an expensive town to stay in, but the return on the investment in attending the IHMRS can be significant. It may only take learning about one new product or technology—an LED lighting product or guestroom energy management system, for example—to more than pay for the trip.
Suppliers will offer the following types of green products at the IHMRS: eco-friendly key cards, signage, pens with recycled content, uniforms made with recycled fibers, amenity bottles that easily biodegrade, upholstery or linen fabrics with recycled content, trash bags that biodegrade easily, cookware made using environmentally friendly processes, eco-friendly pillows, guest directories and menu covers made from sustainable materials, air cleaners, mattresses made from all-natural materials, table water bottling systems, furniture that meets sustainability guidelines, and much more.
Off the show floor, seminars will address everything from adapting to new consumer attitudes and online customer interaction, to powering up profits and developing winning sales strategies. If you will be attending the IHMRS, be sure to catch “Green Certified Demystified” on Sunday, November 14, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., featuring AH&LA green consultant Pat Maher. This program will address the process and criteria for the top green certification programs, including LEED, Energy Star and Green Key Global.
One of these years, GLM and the U.S. Green Building Council—organizer of Greenbuild—will have to coordinate the timing for the IHMRS and Greenbuild. While it is possible to attend both events, it is quite difficult.
For more information about the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, click here. Go to www.greenbuildexpo.org for details on Greenbuild.
See You in Portland, Oregon?
I will be attending and exhibiting at the Green Meeting Industry Council’s 2011 Sustainable Meetings Conference in Portland, Oregon from February 20 to 23, 2011. The event will take place at the Portland Doubletree Hotel. To register for the conference, go to www.sustainablemeetingsconference.com.
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