Even though Intl. CES ran in January in Las Vegas and saw an uptick in attendance this year, overall attendance numbers in the city fell that month to 449,917 attendees, compared with 538,415 attendees during the same period last year, a 16.4-percent drop, according to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority's Executive Summary.

The Intl. Assn. of Exhibitions and Events will launch a Social Media Task Force headed by Chris Brogan, president of New Marketing Labs. 

The Boston Police Department and the FBI both are involved in an ongoing investigation into a fake Boston wedding show, The Boston 411 Bridal & Home Show, that was scheduled to run March 5-7 at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center. For the full story, click here .  

New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton Media, acquired the All Things Organic show from the Organic Trade Assn. As part of a partnership agreement, New Hope will manage the show on behalf of O.T.A. beginning  this year.

United Business Media's Everything Channel division will launch a virtual version of Comdex Nov. 16-17. The original Comdex was No. 1 on the Tradeshow Week 200 for many years before closing its doors in 2003. Everything Channel's version, along with a virtual exhibit hall, will include keynote speakers, "hospitality suites" and conference tracks.

President Barack Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act, which allows the United States to be promoted to international visitors, in a White House ceremony March 4. Passage of the act has taken more than two years and was lobbied for by several industry associations.

ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership have chosen the sites of its ASAE & The Center Annual Meeting & Expositions through 2017. The annual meeting will take place in Atlanta in 2013; Nashville, Tenn., in 2014; Detroit in 2015; Salt Lake City in 2016; and Toronto in 2017.

Thousands of people may have bought $15 tickets and vendors bought booth space for "The Boston 411 Bridal & Home Show 2010," scheduled March 5-7 at the John B. Hynes Convention Center, which the Boston Police Dept. and FBI said is a fraudulent show, according to Massachusetts Convention Center Authority officials.

Tradeshow Week’s Annual Report of Consumer Show Statistics indicates attendance and square footage were up 2.8 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively, for consumer shows held last year, with a slight dip in the number of exhibiting firms to -0.8 percent, compared with the same shows’ numbers the year before.

The massive Comic Con Intl., which annually is held at the San Diego Convention Center, has made site visits to Los Angeles and Anaheim for a possible move in 2013, according to David Glanzer, the show's publicist.

National Trade Productions has named Chris Harar show director of TS², the annual tradeshow and meeting for tradeshow exhibitors.

After more than two years, the Travel Promotion Act, a bill designed to promote international travel to the United States, is just one step away from becoming law.

Germany-based Messe Duesseldorf will add a new show to its portfolio of printing-related events next year, Digi:media.

Canon Communications will launch three DesignMed shows that will focus on medical electronic imaging, diagnostics and interventional device industry sectors.

Dallas Convention Center Director Frank Poe will take the reins as the executive director of the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. Poe will assume the role at the authority, which oversees the GWCC, Georgia Dome and Centennial Olympic Park, April 1.

Legislation was signed by Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn to replace the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority's board, which oversees Chicago's McCormick Place, according to a MPEA spokeswoman.

Team San Jose's exclusive labor policy in San Jose, Calif., has changed. Instead of decorators only being able to contract Teamsters Local 287 through TSJ, decorators now will have the option to either contract labor directly or through TSJ, according to TSJ officials.

The Natl. Meat Assn. has agreed to collocate their MeatXpo (Suppliers’ Exposition and Annual Convention) with the Natl. Grocers Assn. Annual Convention and Supermarket Synergy Showcase in Las Vegas Feb. 13-16, 2011, at the Mirage Casino-Hotel. 

In September, Nielsen Business Media's Health+Fitness Business Expo & Conference will collocate with another Nielsen Show, Interbike Intl. Bicycle Expo, at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas.

According to Tradeshow Week's Quarterly report of Tradeshow Statistics, the fourth quarter saw drops across the board, with the biggest being in exhibit space and number of exhibitors, down 15.3 percent and 8.4 percent, respectively.