Weekly Insights: Changes Exhibitors Need to Know

Change ahead

If you don’t closely follow exhibit industry news, you may have missed a couple of updates earlier this year. (I know because I missed them too, even though I read updates every week!)

First of all, the International Association of Exhibits and Events (IAEE) updated their Guidelines for Display Rules and Regulations, which is a resource for exhibitions and events organizers to use in creating consistent and fair exhibiting standards for their events. (Most shows include a copy of these guidelines in their exhibitor rules and regulations.) Because technology and other issues are constantly evolving, the Guidelines need to keep up.

The 2019 edition addresses compliance with fire, safety, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) issues, and other government requirements. In addition, the following areas received clarification:

  • IAEE has identified two distinctly different styles of show display regulations. One style is “Line-of-Sight” while the second is “Cubic Content.” Organizers should decide which style is best suited to their event or designated section of the event.
  • Added “Drone Operation” as a sub-section to “Remote-Controlled Devices,” noting that local facility and city ordinances are in effect in most areas that prohibit drone activity near the public or in public spaces.
  • Added common examples of vehicle regulations.

Because every trade show is unique, IAEE makes these suggestions for exhibiting standards that each show should consider, then develop their own customized set of exhibiting rules and regulations based on the specifics of their event.

IAEE’s Guidelines for Display Rules and Regulations, 2019 Update is available for free to IAEE members and $175 USD to non-members by clicking here. Exhibitors, check with your show organizer to see if they have incorporated the latest changes into their exhibitor rules.

In other exhibitor rules news … the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia has expanded exhibitor rights. Their Customer Satisfaction Agreement (CSA) now allows all exhibitors’ full-time employees to set up and tear down their own booths (previously this was only for booths of 600 square feet or less). There are also changes in the assessing of overtime charges. To learn more, visit the PCC website. (They also have a handy PDF you can download for reference.)

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