Overheard on the Showfloor
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 5/21/2007
"What's the attraction of Orlando? Why would anyone want to go there?"
— Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, chair of the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority board of directors, responding during a board meeting to a statistic presented in support of the convention center revamp indicating that Orlando scored slightly higher than Las Vegas as a convention destination in one customer survey (Las Vegas, May 8)
"Orlando is a very attractive destination... They're a big competitor."
— LVCVA President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter, responding to Goodman's question
"Well, we're winning, are we not?"
— Goodman
"I'm only eight steps away from the president, so if you've got any problems, come to me."
— U.S. Office of Travel & Tourism Industries Director Helen Marano, at the Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (Washington, D.C., May 10)
"Of course, there are only 7,000 or 8,000 of us at that eighth step."
— Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Tony Edson (ECEF)
"The fact simply is that people from the Middle East don't feel welcome here."
— Mike Cooke, dmg world media CEO, in response to the fact that fewer business visitors from the Middle East are requesting U.S. visas (ECEF)
