Exhibit floor space is almost sold out for the National Business Aviation Association Convention & Exhibition in October in Las Vegas, following the COVID-19 pandemic-driven cancellation of the 2020 show in Orlando, Florida.
The event is scheduled for Oct. 12-14 in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s new West Hall, a 600,000-sq.-ft. facility with 80 meeting rooms and a 14,000-sq.-ft. outdoor terrace for receptions.
NBAA organizers say that by every metric, demand for participation by exhibitors and attendees is especially strong.
“NBAA-BACE 2021 is shaping up to be a special event,” said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. “Although a small number of companies are not participating in trade shows this year, we’re thrilled that nearly all the leading companies in business aviation will be at NBAA-BACE, some in a very big way.”
A survey of attendees reflects a “strong appetite” for a return to face-to-face networking, with 88% expecting to attend live events in autumn, up significantly from an identical survey earlier this year.
Collins Aerospace plans to participate in the show, Colin Mahoney, Collins president of customer and account management, said May 11. In 2020, the company participated in a number of virtual events.
“The vehicle of a trade show is definitely an ability for us to augment our customer interactions and tell our stories,” Mahoney said.
The fact that the event will be held in the fall is an advantage, he said. By then, “we all hope we will be beyond where we are today” in terms of the pandemic.
NBAA-BACE will include expanded floor space for advanced air mobility technology, a weeklong focus on business aviation sustainability and an expanded program featuring leaders shaping the business aviation’s future, organizers say.
Attendee registration will open in the coming weeks.