MANAGEMENT
The Event will be conducted under the direction of Exposition Development Company, Inc. designated as “Management” in this document. An “Exhibitor” is an applicant that has been accepted for participation in the Event by Management.
Acceptance of an Exhibitor shall be in written confirmation. The issuance of a Booth confirmation notice, in response to a submitted Exhibitor Contract, shall conclude the contract of participation between Management and the Exhibitor. The Exhibitor and Management acknowledge these Event Terms and Conditions as the elements of the contract of participation. Violations of any of the Event Terms and Conditions of the contract shall entitle Management to exclude an Exhibitor from the Event and seek remedies for damages caused by such violations. The Exhibitor must comply with the Event Terms and Conditions relating to the officially designated show contractors.
AGE POLICY
No one under 18 years of age will be permitted on the show floor at any time regardless of affiliation or circumstances. This includes infants and toddlers. Absolutely no strollers or infant carriers (worn or carried) are permitted at any time on the show floor. The Independent Hotel Show reserves the right to request proof of age from anyone at any time. This rule applies to all exhibitors and attendees. Registration of anyone under 18 years of age is unauthorized and in violation of these policies.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
In order to attend the Independent Hotel Show Miami, registrants must be affiliated with the lodging industry. The Independent Hotel Show is not open to the public. Show management reserves the right to refuse admittance to any registrant.
AUDIO / MUSIC
In general, sound equipment may be used in the booth so long as the noise level does not disrupt the activities of neighboring exhibitors and does not exceed the sound limitation of 80 decibels. Show Management asks that you stay within this limit; this will be enforced on site. Additionally, all speakers must be turned into your booth space, not into the aisles or adjacent booths. Any complaints regarding audio will be addressed by Show Management with repeated complaints resulting in the audio being removed for the duration of the show. Exhibitors must have the appropriate ASCAP/BMI/GMR/SESAC license to play music.
BASIC (RAW) SPACE
Booths rented under the basic (raw) space rate will include material handling, wastebasket, and nightly booth vacuuming. Basic space does NOT come with any booth construction, carpet, furnishings, or electricity. Electrical services can be purchased from the official electrical vendor. Exhibitors with Basic Space are required to have walls and floor covering as part of their exhibit space. Exhibitors must provide show management with a rendering of their custom booth no later than 45 days before the set-up of the show.
BOOTH DISMANTLE
The exhibition area is to be returned by the Exhibitor in the same condition as it was handed over. In the case of any damage to the exhibition area or the venue (structure, floor, cables, ducts, etc.), it shall be repaired at the Exhibitor’s expense. If the clearance of the booth has not been completed in good time, Show Management may have it cleared and the goods put in storage at the expense of the Exhibitor. Management shall assume no liability for exhibits or exhibit materials left behind.
BOOTH PACKAGE
Each Hard-Wall Turnkey Booth Package includes a shell scheme booth structure, company ID sign, carpet (show color), material handling, one (1) wastebasket, one (1) standard table, two (2) standard chairs, nightly booth vacuuming, online exhibitor listing, access to marketing tools and booth personnel badges.
Turnkey Booth Package items (hard walls, carpet, furnishings and wastebasket) are rented from and remain the property of the general contractor. All items must be returned to the general contractor in the same condition as they were received. The Exhibitor will be held financially responsible for any damage to the equipment used by the Exhibitor. Please note that anything affixed to the booth’s wall panels or metal structure must be removable and not damage the wall panels.
CARPET / FLOOR COVERING
All booth package exhibit space includes standard carpet, selected by show management. Basic (raw) space exhibitors must provide carpet or floor covering at the Exhibitor’s expense.
All booths must have floor covering installed no later than 4:30pm on Move-In Day. Exhibits without floor covering by this date and time will have to have carpeting installed by the general contractor at the Exhibitor’s expense.
CRATE AND BOX STORAGE
Storage of any crates, cartons, boxes, or other show materials within or behind your booth is strictly prohibited due to fire marshal codes. All packing containers and similar material must be removed from the exhibition area upon completion of the booth setup. Storage of crates, boxes and packing items by the general contractor is included with your booth package. At the close of show hours, all materials that were properly labeled with EMPTY stickers will be returned to the booth.
DISMANTLING
Exhibitors are not allowed to begin dismantling their exhibits, in part or whole, before the close of the show. Exhibitors who begin dismantling and/or leave before the show’s official closing time may be subject to an early dismantling fee.
EXHIBIT BOUNDARIES
All activities must be contained within the exhibit area described in the Application for Exhibit Space. No selling or promoting will be allowed in the aisles or other public areas. No part of any booth structure or product display shall project outside of the assigned booth space. Products and materials may be handed out only from within the confines of the exhibitor’s booth. Passing out promotional material or literature in the aisles or public areas is prohibited. Attendees viewing video monitors must be within the exhibitor’s booth space, not crowded in the aisles. Live bands, loud speakers and carnival tactics will not be allowed.
EXHIBIT DESIGN & HEIGHT LIMITS
Independent Hotel Show Miami is a Cubic Content event. This style allows exhibitors to fully occupy the width, depth and height of the booth footprint. Cubic Content Definition: Using the perimeter lines of a booth as a guide, exhibitors may install a booth up to these lines and utilize all the volume of space within these lines up to the maximum height permitted depending on the type of booth:
- Linear and corner booths have a maximum height of 8 ft including any product, signage and/or booth component.
- Perimeter booths along the wall have a maximum height of 12 ft including any product, signage and/or booth component.
- Island booths have a maximum height of 20 ft including any product, signage and/or booth component.
EXHIBITOR APPOINTED CONTRACTOR (EAC) / NON-OFFICIAL CONTRACTOR
An EAC is an exhibitor appointed contractor, other than official general contractor, that requires access to your booth during installation and dismantle. Exhibitors with an EAC must complete the Non-Official Contractor Form in the general contractor’s Exhibitor Service Kit. A Certificate of Insurance for the EAC must also be submitted to the general contractor. An EAC is required to use local Union Labor. Exhibitors using an EAC are responsible for ensuring the EAC conforms to all show rules and regulations.
EXHIBITOR RIGHTS / WORK RULES
Exhibitors may perform the following work as long as they are full-time employees of the exhibiting company:
- Load and unload a personal, company-owned, or rented vehicle so long as it does not exceed 24 feet in length.
- Use hand-operated, non-mechanized equipment, including two-wheeled hand trucks and four-wheeled flat trucks, so long as this equipment is owned by the exhibiting company.
- Pack and unpack company-owned displays and equipment.
- Use hand-operated power tools to set up and dismantle booths and equipment.
- Plug in their own internet and electrical devices after the connections have been delivered by MBCC or Edlen personnel.
Note: Use of fork trucks, pallet jacks, and other mechanized equipment by exhibitors is prohibited.
FLOOR BANNERS / SIGNS
Stand up banners, flags, signs, and pull-ups are allowed but must only be placed within the confines of the exhibitor’s exhibit space and may not exceed the heights specified in the Display Guidelines (8 ft in height for all linear and corner booths, 12 ft for perimeter booths along the walls, 20 ft for island booths).
FOOD & BEVERAGE DISTRIBUTION
Exhibitors may distribute food and beverages provided the items are ordered from Sodexo Live!, the exclusive food and beverages provider for the Miami Beach Convention Center. All outside food and beverage is strictly prohibited within the Convention Center building and complex. Menus and ordering information can be found on the Exhibitor Services Site.
Exhibiting companies that manufacture, produce or distribute food or beverage products can offer samples to attendees with Sodexo Live’s approval. Beverage samples are limited to a maximum 3oz container. Food samples are limited to a maximum 2oz portion. All rules, guidelines and required forms can be found on the event’s website, under Exhibitor Services.
HAND CARRY THROUGH LOBBY
Exhibitors with hand-carrying packages, which include smaller roller-type bags (i.e. the size of carry-on luggage approved by the FAA), can enter the MBCC entrances. NO trolleys, dollies or hand carts are allowed in the lobby areas. Exhibitors with larger freight items must enter and exit the facility through the South Loading Dock.
HELIUM BALLOONS, ADHESIVES & OTHER MATERIALS
Show Management does not allow helium balloons or adhesive materials such as stickers, tape, or bumper stickers to be used within your exhibit, nor may they be distributed. The use of glitter, confetti, sand, or simulated snow types of material is NOT permitted in the MBCC. In addition, decorations must not be affixed to any surfaces in the building. Any costs incurred by Show Management for the removal of these items will be charged to the Exhibitor.
LIABILITY INSURANCE REQUIREMENT
Liability insurance of no less than $1,000,000 property damage, loss or theft and personal injury, must be obtained by the exhibitor at their own expense. All exhibiting companies must provide the Independent Hotel Show with Certificates of Insurance or duplicate policies 30 days prior to the event and provide further evidence of insurance upon request. Please submit your Certificate of Insurance to Diana Ludwig at Diana.Ludwig@ExpoDevCo.com.
MAINTAINING PROFESSIONALISM
Show Management reserves the right to prohibit or remove any exhibit which, in its sole discretion, detracts from the general character of the exhibition as a whole or consists of products or services inconsistent with the purpose of the exhibition. The right to prohibit includes persons (dressed in a sexually suggestive or offensive manner), things, conduct, printed matter, or anything of a character which the organizers, in their sole discretion, determine objectionable. In the event of such prohibition or removal, the organizers shall not be liable for any damages, including refunds or other exhibit expenses.
OFFICIAL VENDORS
Recently Independent Hotel Show has been the target of groups that offer a variety of fraudulent services. This includes but is not limited to fraudulent travel, advertising and data/list services. Many of our customers have reported that these groups who are NOT our official vendors fail to deliver on their promises to provide hotel reservations, advertising, or accurate data, then refuse to grant refunds. Some of these groups engage in illegal phishing practices or embed malware in their messages that could (if clicked) infect/hack your company’s systems.
We strongly advise that you do not click on any links from e-mails or groups that look suspicious and always check our official vendor list before contracting with anyone. If you suspect that you have been contacted by a fraudulent vendor or have any questions, please contact us at Info@IndependentHotelShow.us. You can view the list of official vendors for the Independent Hotel Show below.
Please Note the Independent Hotel Show and its official vendors DO NOT sell attendee lists under any circumstance. Companies or Groups offering such lists are not affiliated with Independent Hotel Show in any way and cannot possibly have accurate attendee data. Buyers should BEWARE!
| OFFICIAL VENDOR LIST |
| NAME |
ROLE |
| Custom Registration |
Event Registration Company and Lead Retrieval Rental Services |
| Edlen |
Electrical, Plumbing and Air Services |
| Expo Convention Contractors Inc. (Expo CCI) |
General Contractor – Booth Furnishings, Graphics, Material Handling, Labor, and Transportation |
| Miami Beach Convention Center |
Event Facility Center |
| SmartCity |
Internet, Hot Spot and Telecommunications Services |
| Sodexo Live! |
Event Facility Official Caterer |
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOTAPING
Photographing and/or video recording of the exhibitor’s own booth is permitted, photography and/or video recording anywhere else within the exhibit hall is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of Show Management. Unauthorized photography of any exhibit or product that is not in the exhibitor’s booth space is prohibited and may result in the confiscation of film, memory cards and cameras as well as expulsion from the Independent Hotel Show Miami.
SECURITY
Perimeter security will be provided by Show Management from Exhibitor Move In through Move Out. However, Exhibitors should ensure that all items of value in their booths are secured and not leave high-value items such as laptops and phones in sight and where they can be easily stolen. Neither Show Management nor the Convention Center is liable for any loss or damage of materials.
SMOKING AND VAPING POLICY
The State of Florida Constitution’s Article X Section 20 prohibits the use of vapor-generating electronic devices in enclosed indoor workplaces. Smoking and vaping are prohibited inside the venue and in the immediate vicinity of portals which allow entrance into the venue. This is a strictly enforced policy.
SUITCASING POLICY
Suitcasing is the act of non-exhibitors or exhibitors soliciting business, including but not limited to distributing sales materials, anywhere outside their rented exhibit space. Soliciting business in aisles, or in other public spaces, including another company’s booth or the Convention Center lobbies is strictly prohibited.
Any attendee or exhibitor who is observed to be suitcasing will be asked to leave immediately and may not be permitted to participate in future shows. Any exhibitor caught suitcasing may result in closure of their exhibit booth.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
PRIOR TO THE SHOW: If you feel there is a reasonable risk of a problem involving suitcasing, notify show management prior to arrival.
ONSITE: If you suspect an exhibitor or attendee of suitcasing, report this to the show management office and someone from show management will take action immediately.
It is Show Management’s objective to do everything possible to protect you from suitcasing.
PLEASE REPORT ANY VIOLATIONS YOU OBSERVE TO SHOW MANAGEMENT IMMEDIATELY.
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Contact Diana Ludwig, Operations Manager at Diana.Ludwig@ExpoDevCo.com.
*Amendment to Exhibit Rules & Regulations: Any matters not specifically covered by the preceding rules shall be subject solely to the decision of Show Management. Management shall have full power in the matter of interpretation, amendment, and enforcement of all said rules and regulations.
Download Exhibitor Rules & Regulations