Show Markets: Meccas for Medical Meetings

By Rachelle Crum -- Tradeshow Week, 5/23/2005

The abundance of local medical associations and world-renowned medical institutions, like the Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the University of Maryland Medical Center and the Natl. Institutes of Health, make Baltimore and Washington, D.C., meccas for medical meetings.

And the Mid-Atlantic's largest convention centers — the Baltimore Convention Center and the Washington (D.C.) Convention Center — consistently bring in a large number of medical shows because of the region's medical corridor. The BCC has 22 medical shows lined up over the next three years and, according to Tradeshow Week research, the WCC has 20 on the books for the same period.

M¦C Communications has used both centers for its Pri-Med Mid-Atlantic conference and exhibition, and banks on the experience of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine professionals for the conference program of the show, which is one of six regional Pri-Med shows in the United States.

"The Baltimore and Northern Virginia markets are some of the most established and successful for the Pri-Med brand," said Marlene Shea, vice president, conference and exhibition, for M|C Communications. "It is only natural that we serve that market with a major-event-like conference and exhibition at least once a year."

The annual show, which formerly took place at the WCC, is scheduled for Oct. 6–8 and again in 2006 at the Baltimore center.

Pri-Med Mid-Atlantic's conference program is developed and presented by nationally recognized faculty from both Harvard Medical School (which sponsors all Pri-Med shows) and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, which ranks first among medical schools in receipt of extramural awards from NIH.

Pauline Minhinnett, senior meeting manager for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's Office of Scientific Meetings & Conferences, said her association's April 18–20 show last year at the WCC used prominent speakers from Johns Hopkins, other local universities and the NIH, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

"We do find that more local prominent scientists attend our meeting and agree to speak when the meeting is in D.C. because they can visit us during the day and not cost their institution any additional funds," said Minhinnett.

The FASEB annual meeting, which is returning to the WCC in April 2007, typically attracts 14,000 attendees.

Medical shows are desirable in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

"Medical groups represent one of the most important meetings and conventions markets for Washington, D.C.," said William A. Hanbury, president and CEO of the Washington, D.C. Convention & Tourism Corp. "The nation's capital is always delighted to welcome leaders and innovators from the medical field."

It also helps that the FASEB is located in the same town as the 18,000 NIH staff members — Bethesda, Md. The FASEB meeting often features conference sessions that allow NIH scientists to mingle with show exhibitors.

Baltimore's abundance of medical facilities is "one of our huge selling points. We've opened doors in that way," said Debra Dignan, associate vice president of convention sales for the Baltimore Area Convention & Visitors Assn. "The support network is here for their speakers," she added.

Sara Hisamoto, public relations manager for the Baltimore bureau, said many medical associations "have heard of Johns Hopkins and want to come to Baltimore for a meeting so that they can tour the hospital while they are here. Hopkins also can provide built-in credible and respected speakers for medical meetings."

Plus, the world-renowned University of Maryland R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center is "another huge draw for Baltimore and for the medical market," Dignan noted.

One of the BCC's most anticipated medical shows, Plastic Surgery (ASPS/PSEF/ASMS Annual Meeting) Oct. 27–31, 2007, is expected to attract 7,500 attendees.

However, available exhibit space at the Baltimore center, which originally opened in 1979, is only 300,000 square feet — an obstacle in selling the center to larger medical meetings.

The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology had to break its contract for the 2008 ASTRO Annual Meeting (a 2004 TSW Fastest 50 show) because there was not enough space at the BCC. According to Dignan, the group was to partner with the radiology unit at Johns Hopkins on several programs. Because of this situation, Dignan noted, "we target medical groups that fit the size of our city."

However, the 2-year-old WCC has more than doubled the BCC's space, with 725,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space, and is set to expand by 75,000 sq. ft. of meeting and ballroom space.