Tag: las vegas

SHOT Show® Opens at Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas

SHOT ShowThe 37th Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade ShowSM (SHOT Show®) opened this morning at the Sands Expo Center for a four-day run, January 20-23, welcoming an expected 60,000 industry professionals eager to see the latest products offered by the firearms and outdoor industry.

Owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, the SHOT Show is the largest trade show of its kind in the world. The show provides buyers and media a first look at new equipment and services used for target shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement purposes. The show is open to trade members only and not to the public; consumers will see the products unveiled here on retailers’ shelves during the course of the year.

Though firearm sales last year were less than in red-hot 2013, the $8 billion industry nevertheless posted one of its strongest showings ever. Background checks, which serve as an indicator of firearm sales, totaled more in 2014 more than in any year except record-setting 2013. The market for firearms, ammunition and accessories remains strong, with statistics showing more people going target shooting and hunting.

Women continue to pursue owning firearms, motivated by interests in personal and home protection as well as recreational shooting. During the show, NSSF will release a new report on “Women Gun Owners: Purchasing, Perceptions and Participation.” One of the report’s findings reveals that more than half of women (55.6 percent) who participated in the study saying they intend to purchase at least one firearm in the next 12 months.

The industry notes that violent crime continues to decline even as Americans purchase firearms in record numbers, underscoring that more guns do not lead to more crime, as anti-gun groups inaccurately claim.

“Our industry continues to see new and different customers embrace firearms ownership and the shooting sports,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. “New gun owners—someone who has purchased their first firearm in the last five years—represent about a quarter of the total, and they are younger, female, urban/suburban-based and from many ethnic backgrounds.

“These new participants,” added Sanetti, “are altering people’s perceptions of who firearm owners are and what they look like. It’s very gratifying to see the broad-based appeal of our sports and culture. As an industry, we are determined not only to provide people with excellent gear to enjoy recreational shooting but also to deter legislation intended to burden law-abiding gun owners and provide appropriate safety and educational materials to help deter unauthorized access to firearms.”

For the sixth year in a row, SHOT Show will take place at the Sands Expo Center, whose many improvements—including a remodeled, natural light-filled lobby to additional food courts and Wi-Fi hotspots—have drawn widespread approval from attendees. The show is the largest event hosted at Sands Expo Center, and during its run injects $90 million in non-gaming revenue to the Las Vegas economy.

SHOT Show attracts buyers from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Hosting more than 1,600 exhibiting companies, the show floor exceeds 630,000 net square feet—equivalent to more than 13 acres or the area covered by the Great Pyramid at Giza. Some 12.5 miles of aisles lead to displays of a wide range of products, including firearms, ammunition, gun safes, locks and cases, optics, shooting range equipment, targets, training and safety equipment, hunting accessories, law enforcement equipment, hearing and eye protection, tree stands, scents and lures, cutlery, GPS systems, holsters, apparel, leather goods, game calls and decoys.

“We’re coming off our largest and most successful show last year—a bar we welcome and hope to exceed with the 2015 SHOT Show. Our goal each year is to provide our customers with their finest SHOT Show experience ever,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

On the first evening of the show, NSSF will present its State of the Industry Dinner, where an audience of more than 2,000 will learn about NSSF achievements in the past year and be entertained by Las Vegas headliner Bill Engvall.

Major sponsors of the 2015 SHOT Show include Outdoor Channel, Daniel Defense, GunBroker.com, Brownell’s, Gamo Outdoor USA, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Mossy Oak, Trijicon, Smith & Wesson and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, among others. Ram Truck Brand is the official truck of the SHOT Show. Nissan is sponsor of the show’s press room.

The show brings together all segments of one of America’s oldest and most storied industries–manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, shooting range operators, outdoor media and representatives from wildlife conservation groups.

Outdoor media turns out in force to cover the introduction of products and to report on the firearms and outdoor industry. NSSF has credentialed 2,500 media members for the show. On the day prior to SHOT Show, Industry Day at the Range provides invited media and buyers an opportunity to test and learn more about new products. SHOT Show will again feature Radio Row, where major conservative radio hosts broadcast live.

In a longstanding tradition, SHOT Show provides a full lineup of professional development opportunities for attendees. Sold out is SHOT Show University, where firearm retailers can learn about new marketing strategies and compliance with federal regulations. Law enforcement professionals have their own series of education seminars.

SHOT Show is the year’s “must-attend” event for industry professionals. Anyone with an interest in the show and new industry products can learn more www.shotshow.org or by following the show’s news on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and YouTube.

SHOT Show Facts and Figures

openingday5The SHOT Show® (SHOTSM stands for Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade) is the once-a-year gathering place for the shooting, hunting and outdoors industry—manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, publishers and wildlife conservation organizations. It’s where a passion for firearms, ammunition and outdoors equipment, plus the industry’s unified support for the Second Amendment, are on display.

The SHOT Show is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation®, trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. The show is produced and managed by ConvExx. The show generates millions of the dollars in revenue that funds NSSF programs and services that help “promote, protect and preserve” hunting and the shooting sports. Among those programs are Project ChildSafe, the industry’s firearm safety education program; Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, which works to help prevent illegal straw purchases; and First Shots, which provides introductions to target shooting. See nssf.org for more information on NSSF programs and member services.

  • The 2015 SHOT Show runs Tuesday, January 20, through Friday, January 23, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The SHOT Show exhibition floor opens at 8:30 a.m. each day and closes at 5:30 p.m. except for the last day when the show closes at 4 p.m. (Law enforcement booths located in Venetian ballrooms open at 8 a.m. daily.) See complete show floor hours. The Press Room is located in the Venetian Murano Ballroom on Level 3. The Press Room opens at 7:30 a.m. each day. See complete Press Room hours. SHOT Show Industry Day at the Range, slated for Monday, January 19, at the Boulder City Rifle & Pistol Club, is for exhibitor-invited media and buyers.
  • This is the 37th annual SHOT Show. The first SHOT Show was in 1979 in St. Louis, Missouri. The SHOT Show has been held 16 times in Las Vegas, more than in any other host city, including consecutively since 2010. SHOT Show will be presented at the Sands Expo and Convention Center through 2020, under the latest agreement.
  • SHOT is the largest event held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Total exhibit space for the 2015 show is expected to be more than 630,000 net square feet—equivalent to more than 13 acres, the area covered by the New Orleans Superdome or the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
  • The SHOT Show boasts 12.5 miles of aisles—just a little less than the distance of half a marathon. Exhibitors, buyers, media and other industry professionals hail from all 50 states and 100 countries.
  • Nearly 70,000 professionals in the shooting, hunting and outdoors industry attended SHOT Show in 2014. The show is for trade only and is not open to the general public.
  • The 2015 SHOT Show will have more than 1,600 exhibitors and more than 2,400 members of the outdoor and mainstream media, including international media, cover the show and promote the products they see at SHOT in their print, Internet, radio and television stories.
  • The total weight of the exhibits for the 2014 SHOT Show brought in by Freeman, the SHOT Show’s general service contractor, exceeded 6,400,000 pounds, the heaviest show ever held at the Sands Expo Center.
  • Over 100 buses are hired by the SHOT Show to accommodate SHOT Show attendees staying at partner hotels along the Las Vegas Strip for complimentary rides to the Sands Expo Center.
  • It took 250 concessionaires to accommodate the food and beverage bistros inside the Sands Expo Center during the 2014 SHOT Show.
  • The Law Enforcement section remains the fastest growing segment of the SHOT Show. To illustrate this growth, law enforcement was started 12 years ago, covering 7,000 square feet; today it covers more than 170,000 square feet of the show.
  • Over 2,100 people attended the opening night NSSF State of the Industry Dinner at the 2014 SHOT Show.
  • Over 10,000 scans for more information were made by media and buyers of the products located in the New Product Center of the 2014 SHOT Show.
  • There were over 340,000 visits by attendees at the 2014 SHOT Show to the 2014 SHOT Show mobile app.
  • 98% of all exhibitors at the 2014 SHOT Show renewed their booth space for the 2015 SHOT Show before the 2014 SHOT Show even concluded.
  • The 2014 SHOT Show brought over $89.6 million in non-gaming revenue to the Las Vegas economy. Firearms and ammunition are a $8 billion industry. The total economic impact of the industry is nearly $38 billion, which supports more than 245,000 jobs.

The SHOT Show’s website is shotshow.org. Follow SHOT Show on Twitter @NSSFSHOTShow and #SHOTShow, and on Facebook.

First SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy a Hit

Last week in Las Vegas, representatives from 100 exhibiting companies attended the first-ever SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy to learn how to maximize their time and budgets while exhibiting at the world’s largest trade show for shooting, hunting, outdoor and law enforcement products.  Filled to capacity, our first SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy was a home run and included presentations on how to build the right booth, garner media attention, use social media, develop a show budget and navigate the show’s Exhibitor Resource Center, in addition to meeting and asking questions of the show’s management team.

Attendees were also treated to a back of the house tour of the Sands and the opportunity to experience several potential hospitality venues first-hand.  One of the highlights was a presentation on using social media to promote your exhibit by social media expert and book author Traci Browne.

Another was the opportunity to meet one-on-one with individual SHOT Show vendors including the Sands Expo, Freeman, CompuSystems, Century Security, onPeak, Venetian/Palazzo and all of the hotel partners in Las Vegas, as well as many other vendors that help produce the SHOT Show each year.

Our goal was to provide exhibitors with information that would make their SHOT Show experience more cost-effective and less stressful while increasing their ROI.  I’m pleased to tell you that 97% of the attendees said that they would recommend SHOT Show Exhibitor Academy to other exhibitors and that the experience was worth their time.

The exhibitor academy was something that ConvExx mentioned in their presentation to us last year and planning began soon after we selected ConvExx as our new show management partner.  That kind of creative, value-added, experiential exhibitor education makes our customers more successful in the long run and that helps make for a stronger show and industry.

Chris Dolnack is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.

NSSF, Sands Expo Extend SHOT Show Agreement to 2020

The National Shooting Sports Foundation and Sands Expo and Convention Center have followed up the 2014 record-setting Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) by adding another two years to their agreement.

Under the new terms, the SHOT Show will be presented at the Sands Expo through 2020.

The 2014 SHOT Show, which ran Jan. 14-17, attracted more than 67,000 in total attendance, an all-time high, and was the fifth consecutive SHOT Show held at Sands Expo. NSSF had previously announced, in February, that it was extending its stay at the venue through 2017.

“We’re pleased with the multi-million dollar investment that the Sands Expo has made in order to meet SHOT Show’s needs,” said Chris Dolnack, NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “The 2014 SHOT Show was the highest rated by both attendees and exhibitors alike, and we want to continue to build on our success here in Las Vegas.”

SHOT Show is the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas and the largest trade show of its kind in the world.

“As one of the largest events we host at Sands Expo, it has been exciting to watch SHOT Show grow every year,” said Ashlyn LaPorte, Sands Expo Executive Director of Event Management. “We are proud of the partnership that has developed between our venue and show management, and look forward to continuing this relationship through the rest of the decade.”

The Sands Expo and Convention Center houses more than 2 million square feet of meeting and event space.

The SHOT Show generates more than $73 million for the Las Vegas economy.

The Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show) and Conference is the largest and most comprehensive trade show for all professionals involved with the shooting sports, hunting and law enforcement industries. Follow SHOT Show on Twitter at @nssfshotshow.

2014 SHOT Show Was a Hit

Records were broken at the Las Vegas trade show

Let the record show that the 2014 SHOT Show was the most successful in its 36-year history. And with an extended contract that it be housed at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, the SHOT Show’s future promises continued success and satisfaction. The 2014 SHOT Show was another one for the record books—record attendance, record sales, and record industry unity. The show also registered record satisfaction with attendees and exhibitors alike, with 75 percent of exhibitors completely or very satisfied, and 96 percent of exhibitors extremely or very likely to exhibit in 2015, according to our post–SHOT Show survey. Exhibitor satisfaction is confirmed by the record 96 percent of exhibit space renewals put under deposit onsite, and the 98 percent renewal rate we have reached within a month of the show’s conclusion.

Ditto for attendees, with 82 percent completely or very satisfied and 86 percent extremely or very likely to attend the 2015 SHOT Show. Total attendance increased 8 percent, to more than 67,000, in a year where we re-qualified attendees in the redbadge- buyer category, requiring documentation to verify purchasing authority.

All in all, the 2014 SHOT Show was a testament to the passion and enthusiasm that retailers, exhibitors, and industry associates share for our industry and the SHOT Show. It’s rewarding to know that all of our time and effort paid off, and you can rest assured that we’re working on making the 2015 SHOT Show even better.

The 2014 SHOT Show was very fortunate to have so many dedicated sponsors contribute to this record-setting year. For many of our sponsors, this is not the first time they have stepped up. Outdoor Channel marked its fourth consecutive year as the show’s Pinnacle Sponsor, the highest sponsorship level associated with the show.

Outdoor Channel’s unprecedented support of the 2014 SHOT Show demonstrates the company’s unwavering commitment to the outdoors industry and all that the industry’s premier trade show stands for.

Daniel Defense returned this year with some creative elements, including Venetian and Palazzo room key cards and pub-style tables near food vendors to facilitate quick meals and short meetings—not to mention the Daniel Defense–branded staircase in the main entry area to the Sands Expo.

Thanks, too, to Caracal for providing the shuttle service between the neighboring hotels and the show, saving many the time and money associated with taxi lines. GunBroker.com continued to be an extraordinary partner of the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the SHOT Show, sponsoring the NSSF Member Lounge and Business Center.

GunBroker .com is a great example of an NSSF member that makes the extra effort to help grow hunting and the shooting sports.

Also returning was ArmaLite as the title sponsor of the SHOT Show mobile app. This show-navigation technology enriches the SHOT Show experience for buyers and attendees, and we greatly appreciate ArmaLite’s support in this effort.

Ram Trucks returned as the official truck of SHOT Show for the third year running.

Smith & Wesson provided generous support as the Platinum Level Education Sponsor for the industry’s largest professional development opportunity for firearms retailers—SHOT Show University.

NSSF, owner and sponsor of the SHOT Show, extends its sincere thanks to all of our sponsors that contribute to its enduring success. We anticipate continued industry support in 2015.

With the Sands being an ever-improving venue, NSSF has contracted to stage the show there through 2018, adding another year to its agreement. The Sands recently completed a $37 million renovation that significantly upgraded its facilities, including redesigning and remodeling the lobby and adding escalators, new carpeting, Wi-Fi hotspots, food outlets, digital signage, and other amenities that have enhanced the trade-show experience for exhibitors and attendees. The 2014 SHOT Show is the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas and the largest trade show of its kind in the world.

The show generates more than $73 million for the Las Vegas economy, and, more relevant to NSSF and its members, the SHOT Show provides your industry’s trade association with 80 percent of the revenue it directs during the year to promote, protect, and preserve that very industry.

Next year’s show will be held Jan. 20–23. See you there.

Chris Dolnack is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.

SHOT Show Attendance Soars to New Record

View and download photos from the 2014 SHOT Show from flickr.com/photos/shotshow.

Attracting industry professionals from the United States and more than 100 other countries, the SHOT Show shattered attendance records this week, giving industry professionals good reason to believe that 2014 will be another strong year for sales of firearms, ammunition, outdoor gear and law enforcement equipment.

The 36th SHOT Show ran Jan. 14 to 17 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center. Attendance figures eclipsed last year’s total by the second day of the show and finished at more than 67,000, an increase of 5,000. “I think that really speaks to the quality of the event and the enthusiasm and passion of our industry to provide quality products for hunting, target shooting and personal and home defense,” said Chris Dolnack, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, owns and manages the SHOT Show.

The $6 billion industry has enjoyed robust sales the last several years, fueled in part by newcomers to the shooting sports who, according to an NSSF First-time Gun Buyers Report, are younger, more female and more urban based. Newcomers have identified target shooting and personal and home protection as the top reasons for purchasing their first firearm.

During the show, NSSF issued a first-of-its-kind report that confirmed the importance of the shooting sports to the U.S. economy. “Target Shooting in America: Millions of Shooters, Billions of Dollars” revealed that the money target shooters spent in 2011 resulted in $23 billion being added to the nation’s economy and supported more than 185,000 jobs nationally.

Combined data from Target Shooting in America and Hunting in America, a report released last year, shows that spending by target shooters and hunters had a total impact of more than $110 billion on the nation’s economy in 2011, supporting more than 866,000 jobs.

“Communities and businesses of all sizes benefit from these activities,” said NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti. “Our industry is proud to be an economic driver that has helped workers keep their jobs and support their families even during the most difficult economic times.”

Displays by more than 1,600 exhibiting companies filled the convention center and also rooms in the adjoining Venetian. Total show exhibition space was 635,000 net square feet, or 13 acres of product display.

Manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, optics, cutlery, apparel, accessories and law enforcement equipment introduced new products and services that retailers will offer consumers during the course of the year.

The past year was a challenging one for industry, which battled state and federal legislative efforts to restrict ownership of certain types of firearms. In addressing 2,000 industry leaders at the State of the Industry Dinner, Sanetti declared, “The State of our industry is renewed. More persons are entering the recreational shooting sports than ever before.  More hunters, more target shooters, more women, more diverse groups, more licensed gun owners and, as you all know, more firearms sales.

“Perhaps the best news of all is that, despite tremendous increases in these numbers, violent crime with firearms has decreased dramatically during the last five years, to early 1960s levels.”

Sanetti also pointed out that firearms accidents account for less than one percent of all fatal accidents in the country, according to the National Safety Council.

Safety was on display at the SHOT Show, with many companies showcasing the latest gun safes, cases and lockboxes. Also, NSSF’s national firearm safety education program, Project ChildSafe and its “Own It? Respect It. Secure It.” campaign, was highly visible at the show.

Outdoor Channel was once again the show’s Pinnacle-level sponsor.

Some of the country’s most well-known radio personalities, including Mike Gallagher and Lars Larson, broadcasted live from the show’s new “Radio Row.”

Among the many awards bestowed during the show was the NSSF Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award presented to Bob Morrison, longtime industry executive and former president and CEO of Taurus. SHOT Business magazine presented NSSF’s Sanetti with the Bonnier Outdoor Group Special Achievement Award in recognition of his industry leadership during the past year.

For the third time, NSSF hosted a charity golf event at the SHOT Show in partnership with the PGA Tour for Birdies for the Brave. The event at TPC Summerlin raised more than $100,000 for military homefront groups.

The SHOT Show is not just about selling and buying products. The show provides educational opportunities for firearms retailers at SHOT Show University and other seminars, and for law enforcement professionals at the Law Enforcement Education Program.

This was the first SHOT Show under its new management company, ConvExx.

The SHOT Show, which pumps more than $73 million into the Las Vegas economy, is committed to the Sands Expo & Convention Center through 2017. Next year’s SHOT Show is scheduled for Jan. 20-23, 2015.

SHOT on a Dime

SHOT ShowAll of us have heard the popular slogan of ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’! Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge. So, while you are attending SHOT Show in January, we know you will also want to experience the sights and flavors of Las Vegas. Check out our ‘SHOT on a Dime’ restaurant guide aimed to help you find quality meals in Las Vegas for $50 or less. If you are dining on a budget, you can even choose from dining options of $25 or less. No matter your cuisine preference or desired location, you’ll find all sorts of selections. Whether you are staying in the Venetian/Palazzo, or along the strip, you’ll be able to locate something close to home.

We’ve also included some free Las Vegas attractions. Yes, even in Las Vegas, you can find one-of-a-kind entertainment and beauty for free.

Chris Dolnack is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.

Book Travel Through SHOT Show’s Official Housing Partner onPeak

Book in the official SHOT Show block — don’t be scammed by third party housing companies.

Through our designated host hotels, The Venetian and The Palazzo and official housing partner, onPeak, the SHOT Show provides reduced hotel rates and travel discounts for your trip to Las Vegas.

Attendees and exhibitors can make their travel arrangements with The Venetian or The Palazzo by calling 866-580-1198 (U.S.) or (702) 414-4100 (international) OR onPeak through the SHOT Show website’s Travel page – or directly through onPeak’s booking agents by calling 800-388-8104 or 312-527-7300 (International).

We have already received several calls and emails from exhibitors who were solicited by a high-pressure salesperson who urged the exhibitors to get their rooms for the SHOT Show while they could. I can assure you that no one affiliated with the SHOT Show will ever solicit you. And if they do, I want to hear from you.

The SHOT Show, in partnership with onPeak, is committed to providing you with the best travel deals around. onPeak is the official travel provider for the SHOT Show.

Don’t be fooled by offers from other parties using the SHOT Show name — they are NOT affiliated with Reed Exhibitions or the SHOT Show. Remember, if the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

SHOT Show Update – Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed

Las VegasSince we last gathered at the Sands Expo in January, it’s been an exciting and challenging year for the industry as a whole, and in particular for your industry’s trade association and its signature event—the SHOT Show. Throughout the process, our focus has been to maintain continuity for our exhibitors and attendees while delivering a continuously improving SHOT Show experience.

In May, NSSF ended its 30-plus-year association with Reed Exhibitions. After a thorough national search involving the trade show industry’s top management companies, we named Las Vegas–based ConvExx as our new show management partner for the next three years. ConvExx is privately held and has produced more than 200 shows and events, including the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show. Trade Show Executive magazine ranks the SEMA Show as the fourth-largest trade show in North America (SHOT Show is ranked 16th), with 2,250 exhibitors, 135,000 attendees, and more than 1 million net square feet of exhibit space.

ConvExx offers a unique combination of extensive large-show and Las Vegas experience, which will serve our exhibitors and attendees well. Rest assured that ConvExx is a pro–Second Amendment organization. We wouldn’t have selected them otherwise.

We have also struck a new five-year agreement with our long-time partners at Freeman as the official exposition services contractor for the SHOT Show. This new agreement with Freeman provides our exhibitors with the best-in-class services and cost certainty.

Freeman is the leading global partner for integrated marketing solutions for live engagements. It produces more than 4,300 expositions annually, including 135 of the 250 largest U.S. trade shows, and 11,000 other events worldwide. What’s more, the Freeman family is made up of avid hunters and shooters.

Also in May, NSSF selected CSG Creative as its agency of record for marketing the 2014 SHOT Show. CSG was selected at the conclusion of a national account review that included a number of well-known trade-show marketing agencies. Their experience in the trade-show and face-toface event business is unparalleled, and we have enjoyed working with them to make the 2014 SHOT Show the best event yet.

Based in Alexandria, Virginia, CSG Creative is a strategic marketing and creative agency with unparalleled insight into event promotion, branding, and strategy development. Its award-winning creative staff, stellar service, and innovative approaches have made CSG one of the premier agencies in trade-show, conference, and event promotion. We’re confident that our new SHOT Show website and new attendee promotion campaign, combined with our participation in the U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program, will deliver new qualified buyers for our exhibitors.

We’ve also reached new agreements with our official housing partner onPeak, our registration services provider CompuSystems, and our mobile app developer Sherpa. All have done a great job for us, and we look forward to working with them to make the SHOT Show the industry’s “must-attend” event.

Here’s what’s in store for you. You’ll receive the same outstanding customer service you’ve come to expect from NSSF and the SHOT Show, and enjoy the comfortable familiarity of our registration and housing systems. There will be additional newly designed, high-impact signage to help you find your way around, including arrows pointing to the main hall exits on Level 1 and Level 2.

Retailers will have more opportunities to learn new skills and take innovative ideas back to their stores from SHOT Show University and our expanded retailer education seminars. In addition, select retail buyers will be invited to participate in a hands-on shooting range experience on opening morning.

The Law Enforcement Education Program will begin the day before the show opening, providing LE professionals with the opportunity to earn continuing education unit credits while learning from nationally recognized experts.

Outdoor Channel has returned as the Pinnacle Sponsor of the 2014 SHOT Show and will be providing attendees with amenities such as mobile-device-charging stations and Internet hotspots. State of the Industry Dinner attendees will be treated to a performance by renowned illusionists and Second Amendment supporters Penn and Teller, courtesy of Outdoor Channel.

The 2014 SHOT Show is just too good to miss. I hope to see you in Las Vegas.

Chris Dolnack is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.

Update Concerning Lodging, Travel Reservations

Every year at about this time, unscrupulous poachers emerge. These poachers are hotel or third-party housing agencies unaffiliated with the SHOT Show and can be very tricky in the way they present themselves. That’s why we caution all SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors to be wary of third-party services when booking your rooms for the show. In past years, we heard reports of hotel room resellers taking payment from SHOT Show attendees and exhibitors without actually booking the rooms, leaving attendees without a place to lay their head in Las Vegas.

In fact, we’ve received word that several companies, including Exhibitor Housing Services (EHS), Room Connections and Wholesale Travel Planners, are all fraudulently soliciting SHOT Show attendees.

The SHOT Show provides two sources for special hotel room opportunities; one is direct with the Venetian/Palazzo, and the other is through onPeak, the official housing partner of the SHOT Show and the service provider directly linked to the SHOT Show website for all hotels besides the Venetian/Palazzo.

Booking with onPeak or Venetian/Palazzo guarantees you a room and guarantees you room rate protection.  So you never have to worry about having a room or paying too much for it.

The Venetian/Palazzo and onPeak are the only two entities authorized to contact SHOT attendees regarding hotel rooms, and the SHOT Show requires each communication to be pre-approved and branded with the official SHOT Show logo. Do not respond to any other related communication you may receive.

We want you to have a great experience at the 2014 SHOT Show and the surest way to start down that path is to apply for your credentials and book your rooms early. If you are booking a block of more than 20 rooms, onPeak can help you manage that efficiently.

Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.