ST. LOUIS – United Motorcoach Association Expo 2017 is exceeding expectations in terms of exhibitor space and attendance.
This year’s Expo, which will be held at America’s Center in St. Louis from Feb. 26 to March 2, has attracted more registered attendees and operating companies than last year in Atlanta.
UMA officials said that as of late last month, 205 operating companies and 186 exhibitors had signed on. Individual attendance also was tracking ahead of last year as of late January.
Exhibit space was sold out by August and late comers had to be placed on a waiting list. UMA’s host hotel, the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch, and backup hotel Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis Downtown sold out their blocks of rooms for Expo attendees, with the overflow moving to the nearby Courtyard St. Louis Downtown/Convention Center.
The Courtyard also was filling up its Expo rooms in late January and UMA was looking to add a block of rooms ata fourth hotel.
“The fact that attendance is running ahead of last year surprised me,” UMA President and CEO Victor Parra said, adding that Expo usually is held in areas with warmer weather.
“That didn’t seem to affect people, I’m happy to say,” Parra said. “That tells you how important Expo is to the motorcoach industry.”
This year’s Expo features the usual array of new and used buses and related products and equipment, as well as topical education sessions, valuable networking opportunities, an awards ceremony, games and prizes.
The popular education sessions that will be held all day Monday and Tuesday during Expo have added a new technology track alongside the marketing, finance and operations sessions.
“We added the track because technology is such an important part of our business,” Parra said. “It dominates our business.”
He said that as the December 2017 deadline approaches for converting to electronic logging devices, more motorcoach companies are adopting the technology. “So there will be operators at Expo sharing their experiences with ELDs,” Parra said.
Expo’s opening speaker on Monday morning will be Tom Kraus, group director, heritage marketing, at Anheuser-Busch InBev.
The Expo luncheon speaker later the same day will be Josh Mohrer, general manager of Uber New York City.
The year’s Expo also will feature the first-ever UMA Annual International Driver Competition on Tuesday. Contestants are eligible for a complimentary hotel stay and a free 2017 UMA Motorcoach Expo registration.
The winners will receive cash prizes, trophies, framed certificates and recognition at the UMA Leadership Awards Celebration on Tuesday night.
The competition has already attracted more than 50 competitors from 21 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.
This year’s sneak preview after-party will be held Monday evening at Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis headquarters.
Events also are planned to honor Parra, who is retiring at the end of March and will be attending his last Expo as UMA president and CEO.
Parra said all signs are “very positive and very, very encouraging” that this year’s Expo will be a success.
“I think we’re going to have a really good show,” he said. “St. Louis has been great to work with and it is a great city with a lot to do and see. I’m excited.”
