Advance Registration Numbers Suggest Solid Turnout At AEI 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/26/2021
MOKENA, IL - May 26, 2021- Five weeks out and things are looking good for this year’s Amusement Expo International (AEI), with attendee counts outpacing the numbers at this juncture last year.
Currently, total registration this year is up seven percent over the 2020 AEI in New Orleans, and the advance signups are even higher in the buyer category, where the year-to-year increase is trending 13 percent above last year’s pace.
A further signal that bodes well for next month’s AEI is that exhibit space is virtually sold out, with only a handful of booths currently available for the June 30-July 1 trade show in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. As well, the room block at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, the headquarters for AEI, is more than 75 percent booked. All signs point to a solid showing for the industry’s first major gathering in more than a year.
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating global pandemic, how can this be? Well, for one thing, it reflects the keen interest and desire to “return to normal” that has been building up for months.
A second factor is the rollout of the vaccination program, which has not only contributed to the sharp decline in COVID cases and deaths, but also provided a healthy dose of confidence among potential AEI participants.
And perhaps a third reason may be the venue, with AEI “coming back home” to Vegas this summer.
While many predicted a strong rebound, the speed at this point in the post-pandemic recovery has been surprising. Traffic at airports, roadways and restaurants are suddenly bustling. The message, especially in hospitality-hungry areas like Las Vegas: “We’re open for business. We’ve missed you and look forward to welcoming you back.”
Great news for this year’s AEI, which is perfectly timed to ride the wave of optimism about the future and to help facilitate the industry’s re-connection process.
After being relegated to the sidelines for the past 15 months, the anticipation of getting back in the game--by joining friends and colleagues at AEI--continues to build for attendees and exhibitors.
The theme of the upcoming June 29-July 1, 2021 event is “Game On: Re-Imagine Your Future.” Based on pre-registration data gathered to date, it appears a sizeable cross-section of the industry will be assembling soon in Las Vegas for a special edition of AEI to do exactly that.
