Coming off a low-key, yet profitable event this year, the National Association of Ticket Brokers (NATB) has decided to hold its 2011 annual conference and trade show from July 14-16 in Las Vegas.
The exact location of the World Ticket Conference has not yet been determined, according to NATB President Ken Solky, but the event could end up again at Aria, the resort, casino and convention center where this year’s conference was held.
“We have more than 100 attendees already signed up,” Solky told TicketNews, declining to give a specific number. This year’s conference, which wrapped up on July 18, ended up with 256 attendees, he added. Though Solky, owner of LasVegasTickets.com, has claimed this year’s event was profitable, he has not disclosed the exact amount the conference generated.
Several attendees to this year’s conference expressed concern over the relatively low turnout, and that only a dozen or so exhibitors were showcased, but organizers were pleased by the number of those who came. The 2010 conference marked the 14th time the NATB has held an annual event in Las Vegas.
For 2011, the conference is going back to a Thursday through Saturday format, which NATB Vice President Max Waisvisz said members preferred.
Passes for the 2011 conference will cost $350 for members and $400 for non-members, with a $199 limited access pass for those who do not want meals. Early bird purchasers received a 50 percent discount.
“We’re going back to the old format, because our members said they didn’t like having the NATB annual meeting, which closes the show, on a Sunday because of the travel,” said Waisvisz, who owns Chicago-based Gold Coast Tickets. Last week, Solky said the NATB is planning on holding some small, regional gatherings for members beginning later this year, and Waisvisz said one of the 2011 regional meetings will be held at his rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field, during a Chicago Cubs game.
“Our overall membership is at its highest point ever,” Waisvisz said. “In Illinois alone, we’ve gone from 17 members to 31 in the last few years.”
