ORLANDO, Fla. (April 16, 2021) – Affordable Shopping Destination (ASD) Market Week, which is owned and produced by Emerald, has taken its show on the road. Hosting a two-day live event in Orlando, the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) recently welcomed the ASD Road Show from April 8-9, 2021.

The ASD Road Show has experienced tremendous success among its exhibitors and attendees during previous programs, bringing many resources to the wholesale buying community. With more than 200 exhibitors at the Orlando edition of the Roadshow, this more than 50-year-old consumer trade show and product exposition franchise provides a platform for the general merchandise industry to connect safely and bring their products to market in an efficient shopping experience.

“The Convention Center continues to work with convention, trade shows and events and our data-driven guidelines that provide a framework to keep our guests and employees safe,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “Our team has worked closely with show organizers who have relocated to the OCCC to ensure their modified live event can successfully bring their products to market.”

The OCCC is positioned for a positive recovery and continues to lead the way for the meetings and events industry. No other venue in the U.S. has been able to host more than 60 live events, safely and without incident. The Center recently announced that more than a dozen convention and trade shows have relocated their event to the Center in 2021.

The ASD Road Show was designed to minimize travel risks and reduce travel costs for its exhibitors and attendees, while helping vendors get back to business safely. Show organizers also put forth extensive health and safety protocols including daily temperature screenings, social distancing, and adhering to Orange County’s strict mask mandate. Other protocols included:

• Daily heightened cleaning and sanitizing of all public spaces.
• Hand sanitizer stations positioned at key locations throughout each facility.
• Increased aisle widths on the exhibit floor.
• Onsite medical personnel available to provide assistance.

View the complete ASD/Emerald Preparedness, Prevention & Response Plan.

“The OCCC has been amazing to work with. Based on our relationship with them, we knew the necessary health and safety protocols were already put in place and that we could safely and successfully host an event here,” said Emerald Executive Vice President Karalynn Sprouse. “Our job is to connect our customers with theirs, and we couldn’t have asked for a better place to host the ASD Road Show.”

Due to its strategic partnership-driven model and support from local government, stakeholders and clients, the Center is enabling the industry to Meeting Safely Today for a Stronger Tomorrow.

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About the Orange County Convention Center
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center provides approximately $3 billion in economic impact to Central Florida annually. In recent years, the Convention Center has averaged nearly 200 events, including 115 conventions and trade shows that attract more than 1.5 million attendees to the region each year. For more information about the Orange County Convention Center, visit www.occc.net.