New York City Holds Onto Intl. TOY FAIR

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 6/6/2005

The Toy Industry Assn. has decided to keep the American Intl. TOY FAIR in New York for the indefinite future.

The association board on May 20 unanimously voted to keep the show at Jacob K. Javits Convention Center for 2007 and beyond, provided the association is successful in relocating the soon-to-be displaced Intl. Toy Center tenants to another New York location. TIA is already under contract with the Javits Center to host TOY FAIR Feb. 12–15, 2006.

"Our members and retailer partners enjoy coming to (New York) for its excitement and the ability to create buzz around their innovative products," said TIA President Thomas P. Conley.

New York was a likely selection, as Conley had previously told Tradeshow Week, "You would be wise to bet on New York."

Tim McGuinness, vice president of sales and convention center expansion for the city's convention and visitors bureau NYC & Co., said: "This was good news that we've been waiting for, for a long time. It's extremely important from the city's standpoint."

Plus, McGuinness added, the show typically fills a winter time slot during a period when hotel occupancy rates are relatively low. "We're very happy that they are going to continue to fill that window."

TOY FAIR, held in New York for the last 102 years, brings approximately 30,000 visitors from more than 90 countries to New York, generating an estimated $55 million in revenue for the city. More than 1,500 exhibitors from 33 countries were featured at this year's Feb. 20–23 show, including 347 first-time exhibitors.

The decision also pleased many exhibitors, several of which threatened to start their own New York show if TOY FAIR moved.

Also previously, the TIA board had unanimously decided to keep New York as the host of the American Intl. Fall Toy Show, scheduled for Oct. 24–27 at the ITC showroom buildings at 200 Fifth Ave. and 1107 Broadway. When it was announced in October that the ITC ownership was about to change hands (and subsequently convert ITC into condominium apartments), TIA began considering moving both annual shows.

Atlanta and Orlando were in the running to host TOY FAIR, No. 55 on the TSW 200, and Dallas was a leading candidate for the fall show.